Unable to win the CONCACAF Champions League, many Major League Soccer (MLS) teams admit they are looking to the newly formed Leagues Cup as a bid towards international relevancy.
“Winning the Leagues Cup will really ensure that people know that our best teams can take on individually selected teams from Mexico playing away from home with a weakened roster in a single elimination knock out round competition,” stated one MLS executive.
“Just imagine if Cruz Azul had to play in front of 20,000 people at 4,500 feet of elevation,” stated on Real Salt Lake insider. “They are lucky they were drawn on the other side of the bracket. Teams like Cruz Azul and Tigres are just going to be out of their comfort zone playing in these types of environments.
Nutmeg News reporters spoke to MLS Commissioner Don Garber who stated, “This eventual Leagues Cup victory will show the world that teams from the United States can stand shoulder to shoulder with the giants of the game like Barcelona or Real Madrid or Tigres. This victory will really show which league is the Champion of the CONCACAF region without being the CONCACAF Champion because we know that tournament is rigged. We expect that the Leagues Cup will become the Leagues Cup Of Choice in just a matter of six months and with the eventual victory we will see an uptick of interest in the league in the United States and that other country that has teams in this league.”
Sources with the Independent Supporters Council (ISC) indicated their level of excitement with the upcoming tournament when asked about the newly created tournament.
“We’ve been asking for clarity with the fan conduct rules, advocating for a fair treatment for away and home supporters, trying to fight against the incursion of hate groups into the league, lobbying for increased transparency as it relates to the league structure and rules, and looking into the escalating price for supporters at games so we are entirely THRILLED to have another redundant, expensive mid-season tournament created from thin air that will require the participation of the paper thin squads in Major League Soccer.”
The Nutmeg News will have more on this as the final features two Mexican teams.