RIP Diogo Jota
Diogo Jota has tragically died at the age of 28 after a car crash in Spain and this awful news has stopped the sports world in its tracks. Jota was one of the most important players for Liverpool and his national side Portugal and had his best years ahead of him. It is important to reflect on rivalries at this point and understand just how much pent up aggression towards rival players is simply banter. Take Everton fans who were no fans of Jota, granted a lot of it had to do with the fact that he was a red but he always seemed to be the type of player that could make that decisive assist or goal that would sink the Toffees once more. There was no love lost there but Jota's passing is beyond tragic and beyond comprehension. Words are said about certain players not always kind but if you dig deeper it doesn't come from a place of hate but from a place of respect. Think of a player you are not fond of and often you will see that this player usually does really well against not just your team but others too. They are the type of players who help their team to win trophies and importantly for Liverpool the league title. A tragic occurrence like this brings it home to us all that no matter how much we are loyal to our clubs and our players, in reality football is one big family and the news of Jota is breaking a lot of hearts in this family, today, tomorrow and for a long time to come.
Club World Cup
All that the Club World Cup has done for Manchester City is extended their pain in what has been a very forgettable season for them. At every turn last term City took one step sideways and one step back. Granted they eventually qualified for the Champions League but when you have such an elite side accustomed to winning trophies or at least being in the hunt for them the season past has been a major let down. Manager Pep Guardiola is not used to not winning silverware in a domestic season and so when the inaugural Club World Cup got underway only a few weeks after the season had ended there lay another chance for something to take from this year. Although it was never going to be a given City did navigate the group stages and when they came up against Al Hilal they were odds on favourites to win. That game seemed to implode in front of them and after a seven goal thriller that went into extra time City were dumped out 4-3. To rub salt in the wounds Rodri voted the best player in the world last year has picked up an injury. Rodri of course missed almost the entire season and fans will be right to be frustrated if he has been rushed back a bit too early.
For all the glory and the money the Club World Cup has promised there are fans who see the competition as nothing short of glorified friendlies in front of a US audience. Even US fans seem to be wisening up to what FIFA think of as deep pocketed fans and there have been many empty seats across stadia. But one theory suggests it isn't just the cause of money but the cause of football fatigue. We all love the game but we all love to be fine dined and take holidays. But once we return there is nothing like creature comforts and your own bed. One has to wonder if too much of a good thing is healthy for the game? Let's also remember that we know that PSG are the best team in world football, that was proven four weeks ago. If they do not win this trophy has their power of achievements transferred already? To the purist fan perhaps not but to everyone else we may find it hard to call them the best if they don't even reach this final. A last word on the competition for now because it does have its critics. But guess what the original World Cup had its critics too and look how that has flourished over the past 95 years. Perhaps in the end with history behind it the Club World Cup can be a success and a competition that really needs to be won. Presently it still feels as if FIFA are looking to get one up on UEFA and the money only afforded to the most elite sides in competitions like this is going to widen the gap even further from teams not invited.
To win the Club World Cup: PSG 3.25, Real Madrid 3.75, Chelsea 5.00, Bayern Munich 7.00, Al Hilal 13.00
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