Plus, Derby della Capitale and an EPL game worth watching this weekend.

One thing we’ve heard a lot about in recent years – particularly from players and managers – is the lack of breaks in the soccer calendar due to an abundance of competitions at both the club and national team level.

I tend to agree with the players in this situation: there are too many events watering down the sport across the globe, causing injury risk to the best players, and causing a bit of soccer fatigue amongst even the most diehard supporters of the sport.

I’ve had this column in my head for a while, but after the ridiculous “Supercoppa Italiana” semi-finals take place in Saudi Arabia this week, it was time to put it out there. This glorified exhibition started in 1988 as a two-team event between the Coppa Italia and Serie A champions that was part of the pre-season.

But it expanded a few years ago and they decided to play it mid-season at a neutral site.

The Supercopa De Espana is also going to be played in Saudi Arabia (for the fourth straight year) in the mid-season of La Liga. It’s also a glorified exhibition tournament that began similarly to its Italian counterpart.

These Super Cup events need to go away. They’re not really important to the sport and are only there due to big money being thrown around.

Though I’m not opposed to big money being thrown around for my favourite sport, I believe there are better ways for it to be spent such as improved Women’s Football leagues and media coverage?

On that note, here are some other events that could be easily removed from the soccer calendar that no one would really miss . . .

Leagues Cup. The MLS vs. Liga MX venture has been a failure in the stands and on the screens. Just no reason to care, it feels forced, the teams don’t want it to disrupt their real seasons, and unless they do a format change to only host it in the offseason every two or four years, it will always be an unwanted and unnecessary addition to an already full soccer calendar.

FIFA Club World Cup. This cash grab tournament only started because the real powerhouses of world football (UEFA and CONMEBOL) had too much attention on their continental club tournaments. Let’s face it, FIFA have no business in club football and especially running their own tournaments. The winner will be from Europe and it will likely be the reigning Champions League winners or the finalist. It’s a waste of time and there isn’t much to engage neutral fans in the event.

All Nations League events across the globe. Until the knockouts, the big nations use it like glorified friendlies. And even when it gets “serious,” there isn’t the same allure as the Euros, Copa, or even the Gold Cup. We already have continental championships that have been historically excellent. Stop trying to manufacture interest when real interest already exists.

The UEFA Conference League. I’m old enough to remember the three UEFA continental cup competitions. The Champions Cup, UEFA Cup, and Cup Winners Cup. But, those were real cup tournaments. With an expanded Champions League and Europa League, having a third league just feels like it’s about the money and not the sport (which it is 100 per cent about the money and not the sport). The Conference League should be cancelled. Or if not, made into a straight knockout cup event, which would be much better and more interesting. In fact, let’s get back to straight up cup events across the board and get rid of this “league” nonsense.

Most Interesting Upcoming Matches

Looking for an interesting match to watch in the upcoming days that might not include the club you support?

Here are my picks for most interesting matches on the near horizon . . .

Serie A: There is only one really important match this weekend in Serie A (or any league for that matter). The Derby della Capitale (The Rome Derby) goes on Sunday, January 5 at 2:45 p.m. (FuboTV Canada) and it’s an enormous edition of this historically explosive fixture.

Lazio are in fourth place and having a decent season so far (a 6-0 thrashing at the hands of Inter in December the only real blemish).

Tenth place AS Roma had a horrendous start to the season and are on their third manager but seem to have turned things around of late under the guidance of the Eternal Roman Claudio Ranieri (4-1-1 in their last six in all competitions, including a solid 1-1 draw at AC Milan last weekend).

Roma leads the all-time Serie A match-up with 57 wins compared to 42 for Lazio, with the teams splitting the points 61 times.

Last year in Serie A, Roma took the series with a win and a draw, while Lazio knocked their most hated rivals out of the Coppa Italia quarterfinals with a 1-0 result. The year prior, Lazio swept the season series with a pair of 1-0 results.

But, more than the battles on the pitch, which have featured big wins, tough draws, plenty of yellow and red cards, and some very violent plays over the decades, there is the battles off the pitch between the Roma Ultras from the Curva Sud and the Lazio fascists in the Curva Nord.

Flares fired at each other (at least one incident which caused death), stabbings, fisticuffs, and all manner of banners and effigies have occurred in an attempt to take down the other side. It’s easily Italy’s most intense rivalry and definitely one of the world’s top derby match-ups.

This is the first of two meetings in the current season, and it promises to have fireworks in one way or another.

Though, Roma-Lazio is the only soccer match worth tuning into this weekend for anyone, here is an interesting match from England because I want to be fair. The Bundesliga and La Liga return to action next weekend.

EPL: Liverpool vs. Manchester United, 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, January 5. This historic rivalry isn’t what it used to be due to United’s drop-in play and results over the years, while Liverpool continues to find themselves near or at the top of the EPL table more often than not. Still, it should be good for a lot of action and at least three goals by Liverpool.

That’s all for this week! Ciao For Now Everyone!

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