Some Soccer News for Dec 5, 2017

It's Day 339 of 2017.


MINNESOTA UNITED

Nick Rogers has relieved of his job as President of Minnesota United. He had been the right hand of Dr Bill McGuire since he bought the team in 2012.

• I want to thank Nick for everything he has done. We have had our conflicts over the years but always moved past them. I met Nick soon after he and Dr McGuire first took in a Minnesota Stars game and began comtemplating the purchase. Its been a great road. Thank you.
• A couple more details. By Andy Greder for the Pioneer Press.

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Sunil Gulati will not run for another term as US Soccer president. Here is the interview that broke the story. By Sam Borden for ESPNFC.

• What does Gulati's stepping aside do to the race? By Grant Wahl for Sports Illustrated.

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Diego Valeri is beyond a great choice for 2017 MLS Most Valuable Player. By Brian Straus for Sports Illustrated.

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American soccer legend Brian McBride weighs in on the mess in Columbus and the potential of his first team moving to Austin. From the Columbus Dispatch.

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Russia has been found guilty of a state run doping program and banned from the 2018 Winter Olympics.

• Oddly FIFA responded by stating that they have no worries about the World Cup next summer, even though the guy who started the current doping program, Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko, is the chairman of this World Cup.

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MLS CUP FINAL

-Sat Dec 9
Toronto FC v Seattle Sounders FC - kickoff at 3:30pm CT on ESPN

• I will be watching the game at New Bohemia on Lake Street in Minneapolis

Media:

• Upgrades all over the field for Seattle since winning MLS Cup 2016. That's how great teams act. By Geoff Baker for the Seattle Times.
• The arrival of centerback Drew Moor in Toronto was the beginning of a new day for TFC - attention to defense. By Kurt Larson for the Toronto Sun.
• Stefan Frei doesn't want this year's championship to come down to "that one big save." By Geoff Baker for the Seattle Times.

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MLS

NYC has signed fullback Ronald Matarrita to a contract extension. Always good to sign the talented young ones.

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AMERICANS ABROAD

Meet Jonathan Amon who at 18 years old is making his name in Denmark at Nordjaelland. By Brian Sciaretta for American Soccer Now.

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UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - GROUP STAGE


Matchday 6

• Newly IN - Man United, Basel, Roma, Juventus
• Newly OUT - CSKA Moskva, Atletico Madrid, Sporting CP

• Already ADVANCED (8 of 16): Barcelona, Bayern, Besiktas, Chelsea, Manchester City, PSG, Real Madrid, Tottenham
• Already OUT (10 of 16): Anderlecht, APOEL, Benfica, Celtic, Dortmund, Feyenoord, Maribor, Monaco, Olympiacos, Qarabag

Round of 16 Draw
-Mon Dec 11

Key Game Schedule:
-Tue Dec 5
Group A
Man United (15pts) 2-1 CSKA Moskva (OUT)
Benfica (Out) 0-2 Basel (12pts)
Group C
Roma (11 pts) 1-0 Qarabag (Out)
Cheslea (In) 1-1 Atletico(OUT)
Group D
Olympiacos (Out) 0-2 JUVENTUS (11 pts)
Barcelona (In) 2-0 Sporting CP (OUT)
-Wed Dec 6
Group E
Liverpool (9 pts) v Spartak Moskva (6 pts)
Maribor (Out) v Sevilla (8 pts)
Group F
Shakhtar Donetsk (9 pts) v Man City
Feyenoord (Out) v Napoli (6 pts)
Group G
Porto (7 pts) v Monaco (Out)
Leipzig (7 pts) v Besiktas (In)

Seeds:

• A1 - Manchester United
• A2 - Basel
• B1 - Paris Saint-Germain
• B2 - Bayern Munich
• C1 - Roma
• C2 - Chelsea
• D1 - Barcelona
• D2 - Juventus

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EUROPEAN NEWS

Sergio Ramos and his 24 Real Madrid red cards: a retrospective. From the Guardian.

• 24 red cards is an insane amount. Most entire teams don't get that many in the same amount of time.

The Bird Is The Word