Other Games 2025-26

[Somniloquism]

Who was in the League Cup last Christmas and also in the Conference?

[Dave]

I don't disagree. But it was the same last year, the authorities have had two seasons to plan for this very likely eventuality.

I still don't really see who you think is at fault and what they should have done to fix it?

I don't think moving the cup game to Christmas Eve would have been very popular. Postponing Saturday's game until the New Year, when they could have even greater congestion?

[cdbearsfan]

Reduce the semi-final to one leg if there is no room to play the quarter-final without forcing a team to play two games in three days. Play the league game later in the season. December games get postponed all the time, it wouldn't be the end of the world. Start the league earlier to free up the midweek when we played Brighton for League Cup games. Swap the league and and League Cup midweeks around and arrange that they play a team not in Europe on the league midweek so can be played in the Champions League/Europa League week. Start the League Cup earlier. There are loads of solutions.

[paul_e]

Reduce the semi-final to one leg if there is no room to play the quarter-final without forcing a team to play two games in three days. Play the league game later in the season. December games get postponed all the time, it wouldn't be the end of the world. Start the league earlier to free up the midweek when we played Brighton for League Cup games. Swap the league and and League Cup midweeks around and arrange that they play a team not in Europe on the league midweek so can be played in the Champions League/Europa League week. Start the League Cup earlier. There are loads of solutions.

I'd be happy with most of those but it's a no to starting the season earlier, the season is already too long with it running from Early August to mid-June for international players (even in non-tournament years). This summer there were 9 weeks between the end of 24/25 and the start of 25/26, Next summer it'll be down to 5 weeks. Player welfare is crucial, and that includes a significant rest period every summer, which has been chipped away at steadily for the last 20-30 years.

[Somniloquism]

Loads of solutions and changes to different competitions for a very rare case of the Conference League team also being in the Quarter finals of the league cup.

[cdbearsfan]

They have to win two games. It's hardly going to be very rare. The majority of changes would result in basically zero hardship for anybody else. Failing that, just postpone the league game, as they always do for teams that make a final.

[cdbearsfan]

Might have to change my Irish team from Galway. 🤔

https://www.waterford-news.ie/sport/soccer/villa-fc-confirmed-as-one-of-15-clubs-to-enter-new-fai-national-league_arid-81606.html

[PeterWithesShin]

Fifty-nine people have been injured following a clash between rival fans at the Colombia Cup final in Medellin.

Violence broke out at Estadio Atanasio Girardot following Atletico Nacional's 1-0 win over local rivals Deportivo Independiente Medellin in Wednesday's second leg. Both teams share the stadium.

Fans invaded the pitch after the final whistle, some armed with flares and fireworks, with riot police deployed to restore order.

Seven police officers were among those injured.

Local newspaper El Colombiano reported serious damage to the stadium, with seats and turnstiles ripped out and sections of the pitch burned, and said the start of the match had been delayed by 14 minutes due to poor visibility resulting from pyrotechnics in the stands.

Medellin mayor Federico Gutierrez condemned the actions of "misfits who only seek to generate violence" and warned there will be consequences for those involved.

"Anyone who went to the stadium to attack, destroy or incite fear will be held accountable under law. We will not allow a few to damage what belongs to everyone," he said.

"For years we've been a beacon of peaceful football in our country and throughout Latin America."

Police commander William Castano told Colombian news channel Teleantioquia that officers had seized weapons, flares and fireworks from spectators at the stadium, including "more than 120kg of pyrotechnic material".

"It was necessary to apply the graduated use of force, to help prevent the occupation of the pitch by the fans, to control outbreaks of public order disturbances, and to guarantee the safety of citizens attending the event," he said.

Speaking to the same channel, Medellin's secretary of security, Manuel Villa, added: "Here, security did not fail; what failed was the behaviour of those who chose violence."

Away fans are usually barred from attending major matches in Colombia to prevent such violence.

Authorities in Medellin had, however, permitted fans from both sides to attend the derby match to promote peace in football.