Why are people so obsessed with the Champions League?

[Xtroverto]

I've never understood why most Barsa fans are so obsessed with the Champions (fake) League? Even when winning the national league (the most important competition by far) all everyone is talking about is the ChL. Personally I never understood the hype, it is a minor competition with way overblown media focus, objectively speaking the quality of the teams in the ChL leaves a lot to be desired, part of that is just the arbitrary nature of a cup that is played on a handful of occations over the whole season (shit teams overperforming due to random luck), but part of it is also the fact that there just are not enough quality teams outside of the big 4 leagues for the competition to offer much quality to begin with.

Because the ChL is a cup rather than a proper league it can never really be considered a major title, for that it would have to change format to a league where consistency is the key to win, until that day at least in my book, the Champions fake league is nothing more than an excuse for teams that perform bad in the national leagues to use media hype to fool their fans that in fact they have had a great season, case in point being Liverpool who has been utterly shite all year but for some random luck that has saved Jurgen Klopp's ass.

Anyway, what are your thoughts? I know I'm very much a minority when it comes down to how one value the various trophies at play.

 

[KingLeo10]

this is not a shot against you...

but these are exactly the kind of threads I saw on redcafe starting in 2012 when Man.United stopped being relevant in european competitions.

the CL isn't the end all. the league is very important and a league win, especially in a competitive one such as la liga is a major success for any club. but to write off CL as a fake competition when we are no longer the top dogs in it is disingenuous.

 

[Xtroverto]

this is not a shot against you...

but these are exactly the kind of threads I saw on redcafe starting in 2012 when Man.United stopped being relevant in european competitions.

the CL isn't the end all. the league is very important and a league win, especially in a competitive one such as la liga is a major success for any club. but to write off CL as a fake competition when we are no longer the top dogs in it is disingenuous.

You know, SAF never really bothered with the ChL to begin with, he always prioritised the league over all other competitions, which is the way you create a lasting winning team. It was only at the end of his United years that he actually switched and prioritised the ChL over the league, the reason being that taking down Liverpool would require some European silverware in the trophy room.

And no, I have never cared for the Champions League or the European Cup before it to be honest, my god the discussions I had back in 2000 when the whole world wanted to kick out Van Gaal for his shit results in the ChL. Every one hated on him for his duch players, yet he was the guy that gave us Xavi, Puyol, Iniesta and Valdes. The most la Masia friendly manager we have ever had.

 

[DonAK]

Because it's a competition where the best European club teams participate in.

Why do NTs care about Euros and Copa Americas when there is a World Cup that is by far the most important trophy and more difficult to win?

Just because you don't care about CLs doesn't mean the club, other fans and players themselves don't.

 

[serghei]

Yes it is hyped up to heavens, more than it should be. But it is still a very important competition. Good or bad, it's the only way you can make a comparison between teams from different leagues. I like the CL, always intense matches, but the format needs work, as well as the draws rules which are stupid.

 

[LeeRomeno]

Because it's a competition where the best European club teams participate in.

Why do NTs care about Euros and Copa Americas when there is a World Cup that is by far the most important trophy and more difficult to win?

Just because you don't care about CLs doesn't mean the club, other fans and players themselves don't.

Difference is that Euros, Copa Americas and WC dont happen every year and national teams do not really have a league to compete in, so that makes those pretty much only competitions to win. I really like the nation league they are going to have in Europe instead of stupid friendlies. I always have wondered why international friendlies are not completely scrapped to host a 2 year league of bigger proportions. For example league of 12 top teams with last 2 going to relegation, each play each other twice. This league would much clearly show who exactly is the best team in competition, not some playoff style competition.
Ive said it before and I say it now, best team in country will always winn the league, it is not the case with any competition that has playoffs or cup tournament. Every now and then you have winners who were not best teams, but they are still winning those tournaments. Cup tournaments need very strong coach and strong mentality, but what they lack is consistency. Was Rm best team in Europe last season? Quite possibly, year before? No way in hell. This year? Give me a break.

Anyways, i think people are obsessed with CL because of RM and measuring our success via success of our rivals.

 

[BigBarcaBoy]

I've never understood why most Barsa fans are so obsessed with the Champions (fake) League? Even when winning the national league (the most important competition by far) all everyone is talking about is the ChL. Personally I never understood the hype, it is a minor competition with way overblown media focus, objectively speaking the quality of the teams in the ChL leaves a lot to be desired, part of that is just the arbitrary nature of a cup that is played on a handful of occations over the whole season (shit teams overperforming due to random luck), but part of it is also the fact that there just are not enough quality teams outside of the big 4 leagues for the competition to offer much quality to begin with.

Because the ChL is a cup rather than a proper league it can never really be considered a major title, for that it would have to change format to a league where consistency is the key to win, until that day at least in my book, the Champions fake league is nothing more than an excuse for teams that perform bad in the national leagues to use media hype to fool their fans that in fact they have had a great season, case in point being Liverpool who has been utterly shite all year but for some random luck that has saved Jurgen Klopp's ass.

Anyway, what are your thoughts? I know I'm very much a minority when it comes down to how one value the various trophies at play.

Liverpool Utterly shite all year ? SAF didn't take the cl seriously in the beginning, i have read some rubbish and yours is up there with the best

 

[serghei]

Difference is that Euros, Copa Americas and WC dont happen every year and national teams do not really have a league to compete in, so that makes those pretty much only competitions to win. I really like the nation league they are going to have in Europe instead of stupid friendlies. I always have wondered why international friendlies are not completely scrapped to host a 2 year league of bigger proportions. For example league of 12 top teams with last 2 going to relegation, each play each other twice. This league would much clearly show who exactly is the best team in competition, not some playoff style competition.
Ive said it before and I say it now, best team in country will always winn the league, it is not the case with any competition that has playoffs or cup tournament. Every now and then you have winners who were not best teams, but they are still winning those tournaments. Cup tournaments need very strong coach and strong mentality, but what they lack is consistency. Was Rm best team in Europe last season? Quite possibly, year before? No way in hell. This year? Give me a break.

Anyways, i think people are obsessed with CL because of RM and measuring our success via success of our rivals.

But the CL is not meant to give a fair representation of who the best team is. That's not the aim here. On the contrary. A lot of effort is being put in to make sure that there are a lot of surprises that keep it interesting.

 

[LeeRomeno]

But the CL is not meant to give a fair representation of who the best team is. That's not the aim here.

Sure, which is why the clubs have been trying to get that superleague going for a while. Until it happens, it is as close as many think it gets.

 

[serghei]

Sure, which is why the clubs have been trying to get that superleague going for a while. Until it happens, it is as close as many think it gets.

That will get boring too and will ruin great competitions like La Liga, Premier League etc.

 

[LeeRomeno]

That will get boring too and will ruin great competitions like La Liga, Premier League etc.

Which is the reason it has not happened yet. I have never really liked CL, the way it is branded (it has not been about champions for a long time and it is not a league as well) and how people think its a holy grail. If superleague ever happens, it will surely degrade the national leagues, which would then only serve their purpose as league to get into superleague. I really hope relegation will be still a thing, most boring thing ever would be US style league.
Anyways totally off topic already.

 

[Stoichkov1]

My honest opinion: CL is the most prestigious trophy but definitely not more difficult to win than leagues with competition like la liga or the PL.

To win la liga you need consistency, to win the CL you need to play great against the best teams(unless you face joke opponents like Real in 2016) but only for 2-3 matches. Real this year will probably win it and so far they only dominated PSG and Juve away, got dominated by Juve at home and won against Bayern away and PSG at home thanks to luck and referee's decisions.

Also I only rate managers by how well they do in the league, never in the CL where luck and episodes matter a lot like in every cup tournament. That's why I don't think Ancelotti is a great manager and why Pep is the best coach in the world. Ferguson won the CL only twice but he is considered the best manager of all time because of his league record.

 

[Luftstalag14]

Champions League is a minor competition? Is this a joke? Cdr could possibly be called a minor competition, but to even say that is a bit of a stretch. CL is not important because it is a cup rather than a league? In that case why is the WC so important?

CL is important because it is a stage where the best clubs in the world plays on. Sure in the biggining rounds you have teams from the relatively weak leagues playing but starting from the round of 16 you pretty much have a group of the best clubs in the world vying for the trophy. Of course winning the domestic league is important as it is the foundation, but the CL trophy is the crown jewel that every club in Europe wants because to win it you will have to best some of the best clubs in Europe and that translates into prestige and status for clubs and bragging rights for the fans.

 

[LeeRomeno]

Champions League is a minor competition? Is this a joke? Cdr could possibly be called a minor competition, but to even say that is a bit of a stretch. CL is not important because it is a cup rather than a league? In that case why is the WC so important?

Because there are no leagues for national teams, it is more or less only competition.

CL is important because it is a stage where the best clubs in the world plays on.

You sure you do not mistaken it for club world cup? Following this logic, it must be the greatest honor of all times, CL is only about Europe right?

 

[Luftstalag14]

Because there are no leagues for national teams, it is more or less only competition.



You sure you do not mistaken it for club world cup? Following this logic, it must be the greatest honor of all times, CL is only about Europe right?

I just don’t buy into the belief held by some that a league is more important than a cup. Should there be a league of the nations version thingy for the whole world I still think the WC trumps it in terms of importance and prestige.

Yes I meant the UCL, not the CWC since the best clubs in the world are all in Europe. The CWC is truly a minor competition.