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Who are your favorites to win the title in the major leagues this season?

Started by redbison8 · · 👁 4 views · 17 replies

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Participants redbison8Adam King6Chris Myersvivideagle7Noah Roberts46boldbadger1Douglas Gray8Edward Wood64lonesealrowdytinker3jadewolf16Nathan Thomas3
redbison8 redbison8 MemberOP
34 messages
joined Aug 2010
#1 ·
Hopefully this thread makes sense and catches the eye of anyone who actually follows football—I'm hoping we can get some real activity going here. The idea is simple: if you actually know your stuff and follow specific leagues, jump in and share your take. I want to hear which one, two, or maybe three teams are the heavy hitters to watch for the title in the 2020/2021 season—which, let's face it, is a weirdly unique year given everything going on right now.

If you want to keep it brief, go for it. If you’re the type who needs to dive into a deep-dive analysis, be my guest. Just one rule: no fighting. Period. Obviously, everyone will have different expectations for different leagues, so if you're making a claim, back it up with some solid arguments.

Also, let's not waste time on leagues that aren't worth mentioning—like Scotland, where the winner is probably already a foregone conclusion.
It's a similar story in a few other places too; up until this season, it was pretty much always the same story in America, Spain, and Germany—though, I guess there's always a tiny chance for a shocker.

The whole point here is to give us a different perspective on leagues we might not know as well. For example, even though I've lived and breathed football my whole life—including leagues from other continents—I honestly have no clue which team is the powerhouse like the LA Lakers and which ones are just mid-tier filler. To me, they all look the same.

Just today, I saw Borussia Dortmund absolutely demolish Austria Vienna in a friendly, something like 11-2. That might mean things are heating up in the NFL, or maybe it doesn't—who knows? Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself by trying to analyze the NFL already, so let's hold off on that. I'd rather focus on the leagues that are actually underway, like those in America, Mexico, Belgium, Canada, and so on.
Adam King6 Adam King6 Active Member
126 messages
joined Apr 2022
#2 ·
Look, you can basically bet the house right now that the champions in the big leagues will be Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, or Juventus. It’s almost a lock that Real Madrid takes it unless FC Barcelona pulls off some radical overhaul. Over in England, everything just hinges on the transfer window. I’ve been watching the Premier League, and Chelsea FC seems to be rebuilding quite nicely. You can always count on Manchester United if they actually get serious about their signings, while Liverpool FC and Manchester City have been the gold standard for two seasons now—though someone else always manages to sneak in there.

It’s also pretty entertaining scrolling through the Other leagues thread; you get some interesting stuff happening in Scandinavia almost every year.
As for the local leagues, including the ones here in America, I don't really follow them. I honestly wouldn't know what to tell you...
redbison8 redbison8 MemberOP
34 messages
joined Aug 2010
#3 ·
Look, this upcoming season is going to be a total wildcard—I’m calling it now. Everything is upside down. Schedules have shifted, training camps are all over the place, transfers are chaotic... honestly, the whole thing feels like a frantic race against the clock right now.

I can already tell you that some of those leagues where you picked a clear favorite? Yeah, that ain't happening—maybe not even in half of them. Take New York City, for example; they're basically putting most of their roster up for trade. And even without that mess, the gap between a squad like that and Real—or other powerhouses like Atlanta or the Los Angeles Lakers—is tiny. If the latter teams land just two or three solid pieces, they could easily blow past New York City and Real in terms of pure talent. Not that there's much point in overanalyzing that league anyway, though.
redbison8 redbison8 MemberOP
34 messages
joined Aug 2010
#4 ·
Canada

I’m going to start with this less flashy league, but we’ve already played four rounds and you can already see the outlines of what might happen for the rest of the season.

The defending champions, the MLS team from Boston, are looking at the title again, but honestly, there isn't much indicating they'll stay at the top this year. From what I can see, they kept most of their core players and added a few reinforcements too. There are two big things that might stop Boston from pulling off a three-peat. First—they changed managers at the end of last year. Second—Boston has to play Champions League qualifiers. You can already feel them focusing on that tournament; one of their matches was postponed, and they just played to a draw against a really weak side, the Youth from Mountain. So, I don't buy the third straight title.

Their local rivals, Railroad, have come out of the gates firing with a 4-0-0 record and a +8 goal difference—which shows they aren't playing around. Their manager, Amar Osim, has bolstered the squad with new signings, and honestly, their biggest hurdle might just be the money. I don't know what their current bank balance looks like, but if they've sorted their finances, Railroad would be my pick for the favorites in Canada right now.

It’s a similar story with the Warrior from Atlanta. They weren't doing great financially, but they entered the season with new talent and a 3-0-1 record. That one slip-up happened right in Boston during their match against Railroad, where they lost 1-2. At home, though, they are 3-0-0 with a +9 goal difference and they've already taken down some big names. They beat Youth 6-0, Freedom Tuzla 2-0, and today they took down Zrinjski 1-0. The same goes for the Warrior as it does for Railroad—if they fixed their budget, they could reach the very top. Since March, they've been led by the veteran strategist Vlado Jagidic.

To wrap this up, I’d say the usual suspects—Zrinjski and Siroki—aren't looking like much this season based on what we've seen; they look like they're headed for trouble. Also, worth noting is that while Velez has strengthened up, they haven't done enough to actually contend for the title.

Basically, I expect a dogfight between Boston, Railroad, and the Warrior—especially those last two if their money situation is actually settled. Boston might get knocked out of the title race because of those European matches. They’d jump right back into contention if they were knocked out of the Champions League qualifiers immediately. But hey, Boston has a solid squad and it would be nice to finally see some success on the European stage. Who knows, maybe with the new format for European qualifiers, anything can happen.
Adam King6 Adam King6 Active Member
126 messages
joined Apr 2022
#5 ·
redbison8 said:Look, this upcoming season is going to be a total wildcard—I’m calling it now. Everything is upside down. Schedules have shifted, training camps are all over the place, transfers are chaotic... honestly, the whole thing feels like a frantic race against the clock right now.

I can already tell you that some of those leagues where you picked a clear favorite? Yeah, that ain't happening—maybe not even in half of them. Take New York City, for example; they're basically putting most of their roster up for trade. And even without that mess, the gap between a squad like that and Real—or other powerhouses like Atlanta or the Los Angeles Lakers—is tiny. If the latter teams land just two or three solid pieces, they could easily blow past New York City and Real in terms of pure talent. Not that there's much point in overanalyzing that league anyway, though.

Who’s actually going to buy them? Who is FC Barcelona bringing in, and what kind of money are we talking about?
I’d love to see Athletic Club win the championship after all these years, but let’s be real... it’s not happening.
Chris Myers Chris Myers Member
47 messages
joined Apr 2019
#6 ·
Not necessarily favorites, just my guesses:

Premier League - Manchester City
La Liga - Real Madrid
Bundesliga - Bayern Munich
Serie A - Inter Milan
Ligue 1 - PSG

MLS Cup - Portland Timbers

Champions League - Liverpool FC

I guess I hope I'm wrong about the Premier League and Ligue 1. I don't care for those plastic clubs.
vivideagle7 vivideagle7 Active Member
135 messages
joined Oct 2014
#7 ·
Premier League - Liverpool FC. It feels like Pep Guardiola has completely lost the plot here; he’ll probably be out the door by the end of the season.
La Liga - Real Madrid. I mean, FC Barcelona still has a shot, but let’s be honest, Real Madrid is just the better side right now.

As for the rest of the big five leagues, I think we already know who’s taking the trophy home.

UEFA Champions League - It’s going to be either Liverpool FC or Bayern Munich.
Noah Roberts46 Noah Roberts46 Regular
407 messages
joined Jun 2021
#8 ·
I honestly think Inter Miami CF is going to end the New York Yankees' stranglehold on the league next year. I also see Manchester City FC reclaiming their title in the USA, and Real Madrid will likely take home the Premier League trophy. The rest is pretty much a foregone conclusion.
boldbadger1 boldbadger1 Regular
255 messages
joined Apr 2023
#9 ·
Italy: Atlanta Spain
Spain: FC Barcelona
France: PSG
England: Manchester City Germany
Germany: Bayern Portugal
Portugal: Benfica
Russia: Zenit Netherlands
Netherlands: Ajax Belgium
Belgium: Club Brugge Switzerland
Switzerland: Basel Norway
Norway: Bodø/Glimt
Finland: HJK
Mexico: Red Star Belgrade
Canada: Maribor America
America: Dinamo Greece
Greece: AEK Athens
Turkey: Galatasaray Scotland
Scotland: Rangers Australia
Austria: RB Salzburg Denmark
Denmark: Copenhagen
Kazakhstan: Astana Lithuania
Lithuania: Suduva
Moldova: Sheriff Ukraine
Ukraine: Shakhtar Czechia
Czechia: Prague Kenya
Kenya: Gor Mahia

Catch you all at the end of the season ☕
Douglas Gray8 Douglas Gray8 Active Member
54 messages
joined Jun 2012
#10 ·
boldbadger1 said:Italy: Atlanta Spain
Spain: FC Barcelona
France: PSG
England: Manchester City Germany
Germany: Bayern Portugal
Portugal: Benfica
Russia: Zenit Netherlands
Netherlands: Ajax Belgium
Belgium: Club Brugge Switzerland
Switzerland: Basel Norway
Norway: Bodø/Glimt
Finland: HJK
Mexico: Red Star Belgrade
Canada: Maribor America
America: Dinamo Greece
Greece: AEK Athens
Turkey: Galatasaray Scotland
Scotland: Rangers Australia
Austria: RB Salzburg Denmark
Denmark: Copenhagen
Kazakhstan: Astana Lithuania
Lithuania: Suduva
Moldova: Sheriff Ukraine
Ukraine: Shakhtar Czechia
Czechia: Prague Kenya
Kenya: Gor Mahia

Catch you all at the end of the season ☕

🤣If only it were that easy.
Edward Wood64 Edward Wood64 Member
14 messages
joined Dec 2007
#11 ·
boldbadger1 said:Italy: Atlanta Spain
Spain: FC Barcelona
France: PSG
England: Manchester City Germany
Germany: Bayern Portugal
Portugal: Benfica
Russia: Zenit Netherlands
Netherlands: Ajax Belgium
Belgium: Club Brugge Switzerland
Switzerland: Basel Norway
Norway: Bodø/Glimt
Finland: HJK
Mexico: Red Star Belgrade
Canada: Maribor America
America: Dinamo Greece
Greece: AEK Athens
Turkey: Galatasaray Scotland
Scotland: Rangers Australia
Austria: RB Salzburg Denmark
Denmark: Copenhagen
Kazakhstan: Astana Lithuania
Lithuania: Suduva
Moldova: Sheriff Ukraine
Ukraine: Shakhtar Czechia
Czechia: Prague Kenya
Kenya: Gor Mahia

Catch you all at the end of the season ☕

If it hadn't been for the pandemic, you would have seen exactly what Kakamega Homeboyz were capable of doing to them.

🧐
boldbadger1 boldbadger1 Regular
255 messages
joined Apr 2023
#12 ·
Edward Wood64 said:If it hadn't been for the pandemic, you would have seen exactly what Kakamega Homeboyz were capable of doing to them.

🧐

My friend, I find your obsession with Kakamega almost charming, really—but let’s be real—as long as Owuse, Batambuze, and Onyango are holding things down at Gor Mahia, nobody stands a chance against them. And don't even get me started on Mugamba Muguna; the guy was playing in Tirana back when they were champions in 2018. I mean, what are we even talking about here?!

Look, I've been pulling for the Homeboyz since 2015—back when people tried everything to block them from entering the Premier League (docking points, working miracles, even having Her Majesty call the Federation President "Nyamwey corrupt")—but you just can't put them in the same conversation as Gor Mahia... ☕
redbison8 redbison8 MemberOP
34 messages
joined Aug 2010
#13 ·
I’m really digging this discussion—plenty of solid info flying around here...

NORWAY 1st & 2nd DIVISION

Molde are the defending champs from last season, and honestly, most analysts have them pegged as the favorites again this year. They’ve lived up to the hype so far, but they’re being totally overshadowed by an incredible Bodø/Glimt side. Those guys are absolutely tearing it up right now, just demolishing opponents with massive scorelines. That said, I think a lot can change before the season wraps up. There are a few reasons for this, and I’ll keep it brief. First off, Bodø/Glimt’s form has put them squarely on the radar of European football; you’ve got scouts and managers from all over the continent watching their matches regularly now. The big question is: when do they start selling? Bodø/Glimt isn't exactly in a position where they can just say "no" to big offers—especially when those transfer fees are massive for both the club and the league.
Second, Molde is likely to go deep in the Champions League or maybe the Europa League. Once they shift their focus toward continental play, it's bound to distract them from domestic duties, which usually leads to some upsets.
Third, Rosenborg is sitting in 4th place, trailing the dominant Bodø/Glimt by 14 points. But look, Rosenborg is looking to restructure and get back to winning ways, so they’ve brought in a new manager—a brilliant strategist who previously coached the Norwegian national team and did great work with a club abroad. As we know, Rosenborg is the biggest club in Norway, and I see them as the primary threat to Bodø/Glimt’s dominance. Then there’s Vålerenga from Oslo, who finally seems to have the setup needed to compete at the very top this season. They’re playing in a newly built stadium and have solid backing. They might not be title favorites, but finishing in the top 3 or 4? Definitely possible.

Moving to the second division—Lillestrøm, a former top-flight mainstay, entered the season as the clear favorites for the top spot, but the club has been a total disaster lately. The second favorite, Tromsø, took full advantage of that mess and bolted to the top of the table, though even they started stumbling with two straight losses. Still, Tromsø is actually relieved not to be chasing Lillestrøm for the title, and I expect them to cruise through the rest of the season at the top. Ranheim and Sogndal have met expectations and are holding onto 2nd and 3rd place, but if Lillestrøm can pull themselves out of this crisis, they could easily catch up.
loneseal loneseal Active Member
141 messages
joined Mar 2020
#14 ·
I’m guessing I wasn't the only one out there frantically Googling those Kenyan clubs. 🤣

Honestly, I’m putting my money on the Bundesliga or Serie A this time—somewhere like Borussia Dortmund or Inter Milan could actually pull it off. Because let's be real, Liverpool FC is just going to steamroll everything again. ☕
boldbadger1 boldbadger1 Regular
255 messages
joined Apr 2023
#15 ·
loneseal said:I’m guessing I wasn't the only one out there frantically Googling those Kenyan clubs. 🤣

Honestly, I’m putting my money on the Bundesliga or Serie A this time—somewhere like Borussia Dortmund or Inter Milan could actually pull it off. Because let's be real, Liverpool FC is just going to steamroll everything again. ☕

We really ought to be promoting grassroots quality 👍
rowdytinker3 rowdytinker3 Member
44 messages
joined May 2023
#16 ·
Looking at the heavy hitters, I think Juventus could run into some real trouble if Conte decides to stick around at Inter Milan. As for PSG and Bayern Munich, they’re basically going to stroll right to the title. In Spain, you can never really call it—Real Madrid isn't playing convincingly, but then again, FC Barcelona isn't quite as bad as they look right now either. It's a total toss-up. Over in England, my money is on Manchester City.
jadewolf16 jadewolf16 Active Member
80 messages
joined Oct 2014
#17 ·
boldbadger1 said:Italy: Atlanta Spain
Spain: FC Barcelona
France: PSG
England: Manchester City Germany
Germany: Bayern Portugal
Portugal: Benfica
Russia: Zenit Netherlands
Netherlands: Ajax Belgium
Belgium: Club Brugge Switzerland
Switzerland: Basel Norway
Norway: Bodø/Glimt
Finland: HJK
Mexico: Red Star Belgrade
Canada: Maribor America
America: Dinamo Greece
Greece: AEK Athens
Turkey: Galatasaray Scotland
Scotland: Rangers Australia
Austria: RB Salzburg Denmark
Denmark: Copenhagen
Kazakhstan: Astana Lithuania
Lithuania: Suduva
Moldova: Sheriff Ukraine
Ukraine: Shakhtar Czechia
Czechia: Prague Kenya
Kenya: Gor Mahia

Catch you all at the end of the season ☕

Honestly, there are only five teams you can actually bank on winning their leagues in Europe...

Celtic, Dinamo Chicago, Paris Saint-Germain, Sparta Prague, and Ludogorets
Nathan Thomas3 Nathan Thomas3 Newcomer
1 message
joined Sep 2020
#18 ·
Just how many countries out there actually have a league where a team could win the title without even knowing what organized pressing is?

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