Chivas USA in CONCACAF Champions League
By: Alex | May 14th, 2008It was speculated, now it is official.
Chivas USA are in the Champions League, and should thank New England.
Here are the rules;
The USA’s representatives will be the MLS (Major League Soccer) Cup Champions; the MLS Regular Season Winner; the MLS Cup Runner-up; and the US Open Cup Champion. Results from the 2007 MLS season will be used to qualify teams for the 2008-09 CONCACAF Champions League. Houston Dynamo (USA1), D.C. United (USA2) and New England Revolution (USA3) have qualified in the first three slots.
Since New England was also the US Open Cup Champion (USA4), Chivas USA move up to the fourth spot (USA 4), as the team with the next highest point total from the MLS regular season standings.
USA Qualifiers
USA1: 2007 Major League Soccer Champion (Houston Dynamo)
USA2: 2007 Major League Soccer’s Regular Season Winner (D.C. United)
USA3: 2007 MLS Cup Runner-up (New England Revolution)
USA4: 2007 MLS Regular Season Runner-up^ (Chivas USA)
^Slot allocated to the 2007 US Open Cup Champion, but New England Revolution already earned USA3, therefore Chivas USA qualifies as the next highest team (overall points) from 2007 MLS Regular Season
I like the way they determine the qualification. It places importance on the Open Cup, which is good. So technically, a USL side can make Champions League. It is also slightly different than Superliga. Only one slot (SS) will be guaranteed into both tournaments.
Additionally, Winner of the MLS Cup and the league go strait to group play, while the other two need to do a home and away qualification.
What do you think about the format?
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Comments
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Hmm why 4 teams? Seems like an awful lot for MLS. When do they start playing?
Posted from
United States
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2008-09 CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE™ – Calendar of Events
2008
11 June: 2008-09 CONCACAF Champions League™ Draw
26-28 August: Preliminary Round – Game 1
2-4 September: Preliminary Round – Game 2
16-18 September: Group Stage – Game 1
23-25 September: Group Stage – Game 2
30 September – 2 October: Group Stage – Game 3
7-9 October: Group Stage – Game 4
21-23 October: Group Stage – Game 5
28-30 October: Group Stage – Game 6
November: Draw for Stage 3 – Elimination RoundPosted from
United States -
Actually Elisa it might be MLS 5 because Toronto still has to go through the canadian cup qualifying process. And technically if this remains the qualification a USL team can sneak in one of three ways -Winning Canadian cup, Winning US Open Cup, securing a carribean place (Puerto Rico and I think Bermuda). If you look at the other qualifications 4 for the US seems pretty balanced (especially since this is Warners gambit to kill Superliga) but Costa Rica was robbed with only 2 while one or two of the other central american countries who received 2 spots might be over represented (based on quality 3 carribean spaces might be much as well).
Posted from
United States -
This is bullsh*t!!!
Championsleague should not be determined by cup runs.Championsleague should be on regular season play (1-4)!!!
PanPacific Championships should be 5-6th place.
Superliga should be 7-8th place.This gives people at the middle of the table something to fight for.
Mexico should also agree to the same and should be invited to PanPacific Championships.
Spread the tournaments out so MLS doesn’t have to worry about 2-3 teams having way to many games to play or for fixture congestion.
Why doesn’t MLS follow the world model? Why do we think that we need to re-invent the wheel?!?
(Bye the Bye, swap the places around between superliga and panpacific….it doesn’t matter)Posted from
United States -
Pk, I agree, but I don’t hate this set up. This does resemble europe in the way that UEFA Cup spaces are determined by cup wins (ex. Tottenham). I agree that focus needs to be on the table a little more.
I think CONCACAF wanted this league to be represented by countrys (such as Canada’s qualifications). This allows good USL teams to have a shot.
I also think MLS was trying to protect the prestige of their Superliga.
I think Superliga is still based on the table. This means that there could be diffrent teams playing in different competitions, rather than the same ones.
Posted from
United States -
The less mickey mouse tourneys the better for Mexican teams. Priority #1 is Libertadores.
Also, if this is to follow Euro setup, are all games to be played in US?
Posted from
United States -
Alex,
Once I calmed down and gave it a little more thought, I see your point. You are right about changing the significance of the OPEN CUP by allowing a berth into the CONCACAF Champ’s League. That’s fair.My problems with the system stem from the fact that 8 out of 14 teams make the playoffs (and then in the next few years 8 out of 16). So their is no reward for excellent form… mediocre teams qualify and play well for one or two games and are crowned “MLS Champs!”
If we are smart about working together with other nations we can scratch their back, and they … ours. Let’s take last years standing, we could see where MLS clubs would be placed in other competitions:
MLS Cup: DC, Chivas, Houston, NE
Champions League:(1-3 + open cup) DC, Chivas, and Houston + NE (Open Cup),
Superliga: (4-7) Dallas, NY, Chicago, KC
PanPacific: (8-9) Columbus & Colorado
Open Cup; ALLMLS cup becomes a tune-up for Champs league and a significant piece of silverware.
Talk to the other leagues, make them aware of the how the structure works, and give more teams more opportunities to earn revenue (that goes to the clubs) and exposure…
which they could use to attract better players
which would make the product on the field better
which would attract better players, etc.
Posted from
United States -
I remember reading last year the Superliga (say it like Tim Lovejoy does) will switch back and forth between Mexico and the US.
Posted from
United States -
Where did lovejoy go?
Posted from
United States -
Champs league is home and away.
Posted from
United States
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