It will happen

There are so many doubts about the World Cup right now, due to the complex geopolitical situation. Some weeks ago I bought a ticket for the play-off match between Iraq and the winner of Bolivia/Surinam on March 31st, to take place in Monterrey. I am treating it as an excuse to visit the state of Nuevo Leon, including the iconic BBVA stadium, and see a match that will go into the history books of one of these nations.

But there have been many doubts about Iraq: due to the war in Iran, Iraqi airspace has been closed down, and until today there were doubts whether the team would even be able to make it to Mexico. Today the doubts seem to have been cast aside, and the match will go ahead as the Iraqi team will have chartered a private plane to take them to Mexico.

I am looking forward to my little pre-world cup adventure in Northern Mexico in a couple of weeks, and hope you will be able to read about it here, on this very blog :)  

Bodø /Glimt on the way

Sporting Lisbon were either cold or had not been watching the Champions League earlier stages, because the Portuguese side appeared totally unprepared despite being the favourites on paper against the Norwegians. But nobody would have guessed what team came from a big European league, and what side came from a small city in the far north.

The Norwegians were completely dominant throughout the match, and despite the 3-0 score it could have been more. 

Is it impossible for Sporting Lisbon? Of course it is not, but having seen how disciplined and sure on the ball that the Norwegians are (against Inter...), and with confidence flowing over, I think that Bodø/Glimt already have more than one foot in the quarterfinals, and will continue enjoying every neutral fan's support.

The sad state of the world

 Iran and the United States are at war; people are dying, people are suffering, and in this context the world of football is absolutely irrelevant.

This being said, Iran has qualified for the World Cup and they are set to play its matches in group G in Los Angeles and Seattle. But what now? Will Iran retire from the World Cup in a country they are at war with? While a lot of things can happen over the next few months, this is a real risk, and if it happens, Iran would likely have to be replaced by Iraq, who in this moment is set to play a play-off final in Guadalajara against either Bolivia or Suriname. But being the next Asian participant in line, they would take Iran's spot, and the United Arab Emirates, as the next in line, would take Iraq's place in the play-off.

I hope it does not come to this. I hope the world will be standing, and that Iran will participate with its great team and fans to celebrate a world in which I hope that football brings people together, because we certainly need that... 

Superligaen

 It is not that I get to watch much Danish football here in Mexico, and yesterday I enjoyed Cruz Azul defeating Monterrey 0-2 in a great match in the Mexican league, where Toluca continues on top.

But today the first phase of the Danish superliga was ending with the top six going to play for the title; the first historical thing that happened was that FC Copenhagen, the traditionally dominating team in Denmark over the last couple of decades, did not make the top-six for the first time since it was founded. As a Brøndby fan I am not crying (Brøndby ended in fourth place)...

The top team is AGF, from the second city in Denmark, Århus. They are one of the few traditional traditional clubs left, founded in 1880, but have not won a title since 1986, but appear now as realistic candidates. The number 2 side is the other fusion team, FC Midtjylland, who with FC Copenhagen has been dominating the league for more than 10 years (Since 2015 either side has won the league, except for 2021, when Brøndby won).

I sympathize more with FC Midtjylland, but for the variety and history in Danish football, it would be good to get a title back to one of the oldest clubs in the Superliga, meaning AGF.

But the title race will be without FCK. 

The Champions League last-16 draw

One of the very few disadvantages of living in Mexico is that I am normally working during Champions League matches, and usually only watch the replays in the evening. But I certainly following a tournament that after its first rather dull format (I really wish they would return to the old format, but of course, it would be less matches and thus less money for the UEFA money-machine) we are now in the more exciting knock-out phase, and after some rather exciting play-off knock-out, have the draw for what will surely be a thoroughly exciting last-16:

• Paris St. Germain-Chelsea: The defending champions are facing the world champions in a repeat of the Club World Cup final, when Chelsea overran the Parisians. THIS is the match to watch
• Galatasaray-Liverpool: A match worth watching just because of the fans of both teams, some of the most passionate in the world (hopefully they will be nice...). Galatasaray eliminated Juventus over two extremely exciting matches.
• Real Madrid-Manchester City: Many people will perhaps say this is the match to watch, and surely two great teams, but real Madrid is always full of scandals, complaints and controversy that it is starting to overshadow its great history and the desire to watch them, while Manchester City to me is more and more becoming a soulless machine (that is not always working) that has lost its working class roots.
• Atalanta-Bayern Munich: Well, this will be exciting. Atalanta is known for its offensive style, and took out another German side, Borussia Dortmund, in style, winning 4-1 at home after losing 0-2 in Germany, and with fantastic goalkeeping. Bayern Munich is... well... just one of the best sides in the world...
• Newcastle-Barcelona: Everyone will be watching and betting on Barcelona, rightfully, against a Newcastle side that seems to be struggling in the PL and only made it here defeating the Azari surprise of Qarabag.
• Atletico Madrid-Tottenham: Don't watch this. Tottenham are as unwatchable as they are bad, and Atletico Madrid may be a strong side, but do not play to entertain, and can be rather destructive.
• Bodø/Glimt-Sporting Lisbon: The Norwegian side are the big surprise of the tournament and the darling of every neutral football fan, who will really want this small side from a small town hardly anyone has heard about, to upset the big sides. They surely have chances against a Portuguese side, who are generally known to underestimate the "smaller" sides, despite the fact that the Norwegians showed both style and discipline in defeating the top team in Italy, Inter Milan with 5-2 over two matches. Would it not be the best to see Bodø/Glimt in the quarterfinals?
• Bayer Leverkusen-Arsenal: Arsenal are favourites against a side that is only on 6th position in the Bundesliga, but at the same time the German's chance is that Arsenal are focusing on the race for the PL title. 

I hope I can take just a bit of time to watch...