<p>One of the soccer fans’ favorite things to debate is how strong one league is compared to another. A club winning La Liga, such as Real Madrid this season, is not the same task as one of the three clubs battling it out in the Premier League. Given the differences in the quality of the opposition and the fact that these are domestic leagues, it is nearly impossible to directly compare leagues.</p>



<p>One way to compare the two is to use Opta’s power rankings. Opta, a British sports analytics firm, assigns an ability score to each team worldwide. On this scale, the top team in the world, Manchester City, has an ability score of 100. By contrast, the worst team in the world has an ability score of zero. Clubs earn points on their <a href="https://theanalyst.com/na/2023/01/power-rankings-your-club-ranked/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elo rating</a> by beating teams ranking higher than them. Consequently, losing to teams with a lower rating deducts more points from a side’s ability score.</p>



<p>It is a vastly technical process that the number wizards at Opta have been practicing for some time. While there will never be a perfect way to analyze clubs and leagues across competitions, this is perhaps the best holistic approach.</p>



<h2>The top 30 men’s soccer leagues in the world</h2>



<p>The following ratings are the average club rating for every team in a domestic league as of April 3, 2024. These numbers constantly change with the world’s leagues in action. With continental competition, for example, these numbers change often.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>RANK</td><td>LEAGUE</td><td>AVERAGE CLUB RATING</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Premier League</td><td>87.59</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>La Liga</td><td>84.8</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>Serie A</td><td>84.7</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>Bundesliga</td><td>84.3</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>Ligue 1</td><td>83.6</td></tr><tr><td>6</td><td>Primeira Liga</td><td>77.47</td></tr><tr><td>7</td><td>English Championship</td><td>76.38</td></tr><tr><td>8</td><td>Superligaen</td><td>76.12</td></tr><tr><td>9</td><td>La Liga 2 (Segunda)</td><td>75.48</td></tr><tr><td>10</td><td>Brasileirao</td><td>75.31</td></tr><tr><td>11</td><td>Liga MX</td><td>75.16</td></tr><tr><td>12</td><td>Russian Premier League</td><td>75.15</td></tr><tr><td>13</td><td>Major League Soccer</td><td>75.1</td></tr><tr><td>14</td><td>Swiss Super League</td><td>74.81</td></tr><tr><td>15</td><td>Eredivisie</td><td>74.79</td></tr><tr><td>16</td><td>Turkish Super Lig</td><td>74.54</td></tr><tr><td>17</td><td>Argentine Primera</td><td>74.53</td></tr><tr><td>18</td><td>2. Bundesliga</td><td>74.39</td></tr><tr><td>19</td><td>Austrian Bundesliga</td><td>74.21</td></tr><tr><td>20</td><td>HNL Croatia</td><td>74.03</td></tr><tr><td>21</td><td>K League</td><td>73.49</td></tr><tr><td>22</td><td>J League</td><td>73.39</td></tr><tr><td>23</td><td>Eliteserien</td><td>72.99</td></tr><tr><td>24</td><td>Allsvenskan</td><td>72.18</td></tr><tr><td>25</td><td>Cyprus First Division</td><td>72.08</td></tr><tr><td>26</td><td>Saudi Pro League</td><td>72.01</td></tr><tr><td>27</td><td>Czech First League</td><td>71.81</td></tr><tr><td>28</td><td>Greek Super League</td><td>70.76</td></tr><tr><td>29</td><td>Scottish Premiership</td><td>70.25</td></tr><tr><td>30</td><td>Ekstraklasa</td><td>69.41</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



<p>If you need any indication of how fast these rankings can change, look no further than two weeks prior. Again, these rankings apply specifically to April 3, 2024. On March 26, 2024, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/mls-breaks-into-top-10-strongest-leagues-in-the-world/">Major League Soccer cracked the top 10</a>. Now, it is no longer the highest-rated league in North America. Instead, that honor belongs to Liga MX. </p>



<p>Since those rankings from just a few weeks ago, Liga MX sides have had strong results against Major League Soccer in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="670" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20240403_WST_499198_Club-America-New-England-1200x670_16a60e5c.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=670" alt="" class="wp-image-499228" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/04/Club-America-New-England-1200x670.jpg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/04/Club-America-New-England-300x168.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/04/Club-America-New-England-768x429.jpg 768w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/04/Club-America-New-England.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></figure>



<h2>Averages ranked among the top soccer leagues in the world</h2>



<p>Looking at the above chart, certain teams from those leagues prop up each of those leagues. The Eredivisie is one example. PSV Eindhoven and Feyenoord rank in the top 40 clubs in the world. However, those two clubs are dragged down by Vitesse, Excelsior and Volendam. None of those clubs creep into the top 900 clubs in the world. Consequently, the league’s average ranks it as No. 15 in the world. </p>



<p>On the other hand, having a compact league can help the rankings. Major League Soccer shows that, as the highest-ranking team is the Columbus Crew, at No. 145. Twenty-five of MLS’s 29 teams are inside the top 500 clubs in the world That greatly helps the league’s positioning on average.</p>



<p>That said, here are the top clubs from each of those divisions to get a grasp on where they fall. The league rank on the left side is where the average falls. As a result, the best club’s rating will not follow numerical order.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>League Rank</td><td>League</td><td>Best rated club</td><td>Best club’s rating</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Premier League</td><td>Manchester City</td><td>100</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>La Liga</td><td>Real Madrid</td><td>97.5</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>Serie A</td><td>Inter Milan</td><td>97.3</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>Bundesliga</td><td>Bayer Leverkusen</td><td>94</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>Ligue 1</td><td>PSG</td><td>95.2</td></tr><tr><td>6</td><td>Primeira Liga</td><td>Sporting CP</td><td>89.7</td></tr><tr><td>7</td><td>Championship</td><td>Leeds</td><td>83.6</td></tr><tr><td>8</td><td>Superligaen</td><td>Kobenhavn</td><td>82.6</td></tr><tr><td>9</td><td>Segunda Division</td><td>Eibar</td><td>78.5</td></tr><tr><td>10</td><td>Brasileirao</td><td>Palmeiras</td><td>80.6</td></tr><tr><td>11</td><td>Liga MX</td><td>Club America</td><td>83.1</td></tr><tr><td>12</td><td>Russian Premier League</td><td>Zenit</td><td>82.8</td></tr><tr><td>13</td><td>MLS</td><td>Columbus Crew</td><td>79.6</td></tr><tr><td>14</td><td>Swiss Super League</td><td>Young Boys</td><td>80.8</td></tr><tr><td>15</td><td>Eredivisie</td><td>PSV Eindhoven</td><td>88.6</td></tr><tr><td>16</td><td>Turkish Super Lig</td><td>Fenerbahce</td><td>86</td></tr><tr><td>17</td><td>Argentine Primera</td><td>River Plate</td><td>80.8</td></tr><tr><td>18</td><td>2. Bundesliga</td><td>St. Pauli</td><td>80.4</td></tr><tr><td>19</td><td>Austrian Bundesliga</td><td>RB Salzburg</td><td>86.3</td></tr><tr><td>20</td><td>HNL (Croatia)</td><td>Dinamo Zagreb</td><td>82</td></tr><tr><td>21</td><td>K League</td><td>Ulsan</td><td>78</td></tr><tr><td>22</td><td>J League</td><td>Vissel Kobe</td><td>78.4</td></tr><tr><td>23</td><td>Eliteserien</td><td>Bodo/Glimt</td><td>82.6</td></tr><tr><td>24</td><td>Allsvenskan</td><td>Malmo FF</td><td>77.8</td></tr><tr><td>25</td><td>Cyprus First division</td><td>APOEL</td><td>79.7</td></tr><tr><td>26</td><td>Saudi Pro League</td><td>Al Hilal</td><td>86.4</td></tr><tr><td>27</td><td>Czech</td><td>Slavia Praha</td><td>83.7</td></tr><tr><td>28</td><td>Greek Super League</td><td>PAOK</td><td>81.3</td></tr><tr><td>29</td><td>Scottish Premiership</td><td>Rangers</td><td>83.1</td></tr><tr><td>30</td><td>Ekstraklasa</td><td>Rakow Czestochowa</td><td>79.1</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



<h2>Looking at the ‘best of the worst’ clubs in each league</h2>



<p>It would also be fair to see the bottom half of these extremes to even out.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Rank</td><td>League</td><td>Worst rated club</td><td>Worst club’s rating</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Premier League</td><td>Sheffield United</td><td>79.3</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>La Liga</td><td>Almeria</td><td>76.5</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>Serie A</td><td>Salernitana</td><td>76.5</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>Bundesliga</td><td>Darmstadt 98</td><td>76.6</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>Ligue 1</td><td>Metz</td><td>76.8</td></tr><tr><td>6</td><td>Primeira Liga</td><td>Portimonense</td><td>70.9</td></tr><tr><td>7</td><td>Championship</td><td>Rotherham United</td><td>69.6</td></tr><tr><td>8</td><td>Superligaen</td><td>Hvidovre</td><td>69.5</td></tr><tr><td>9</td><td>Segunda Division</td><td>Villarreal II</td><td>71.3</td></tr><tr><td>10</td><td>Brasileirao</td><td>Criciuma</td><td>72.7</td></tr><tr><td>11</td><td>Liga MX</td><td>Juarez</td><td>69.6</td></tr><tr><td>12</td><td>Russian Premier League</td><td>Sochi</td><td>71.2</td></tr><tr><td>13</td><td>MLS</td><td>Toronto FC</td><td>69.6</td></tr><tr><td>14</td><td>Swiss Super League</td><td>Stade-Lausanne-Ouchy</td><td>69.6</td></tr><tr><td>15</td><td>Eredivisie</td><td>Volendam</td><td>66.5</td></tr><tr><td>16</td><td>Turkish Super Lig</td><td>Istanbulspor</td><td>66.7</td></tr><tr><td>17</td><td>Argentine Primera</td><td>Tigre</td><td>70.1</td></tr><tr><td>18</td><td>2. Bundesliga</td><td>Hansa Rostock</td><td>70.2</td></tr><tr><td>19</td><td>Austrian Bundesliga</td><td>Austria Lustenau</td><td>67.1</td></tr><tr><td>20</td><td>HNL (Croatia)</td><td>Rudes</td><td>65.5</td></tr><tr><td>21</td><td>K League</td><td>Suwon</td><td>68.6</td></tr><tr><td>22</td><td>J League</td><td>Sagan Tosu</td><td>69.8</td></tr><tr><td>23</td><td>Eliteserien</td><td>Sandefjord</td><td>68.7</td></tr><tr><td>24</td><td>Allsvenskan</td><td>Halmstad</td><td>68.5</td></tr><tr><td>25</td><td>Cyprus First division</td><td>AE Zakakiou</td><td>63.6</td></tr><tr><td>26</td><td>Saudi Pro League</td><td>Al Hazm</td><td>65.7</td></tr><tr><td>27</td><td>Czech</td><td>Ceske Budejovice</td><td>65.4</td></tr><tr><td>28</td><td>Greek Super League</td><td>Kifisia</td><td>63.5</td></tr><tr><td>29</td><td>Scottish Premiership</td><td>Livingston</td><td>62.6</td></tr><tr><td>30</td><td>Ekstraklasa</td><td>Lks Lodz</td><td>67.4</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



<p><em>PHOTOS: IMAGO</em>.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-youtube"><iframe loading="lazy" title="Opta Sports Analytics - Behind The Scenes And Interviews With The Sports Data Mavens" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ySlAzS8Oouw?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>
</div></figure>

Top soccer leagues in the world as ranked by Opta

The top soccer leagues in the world are nearly impossible to be ranked accurately. One metric provides insight as to where they stand.

Top soccer leagues in the world as ranked by Opta - World Soccer Talk

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<p>AC Milan’s summer signing Christian Pulisic seems to owe his present coach, Stefano Pioli, a debt of gratitude for his stellar season.</p>



<p>Since his first game with the Rossoneri, the former <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/chelsea-tv-schedule/">Chelsea</a> player established himself as a starter. Additionally, he has been an integral part of the team’s success this year.</p>



<p>Once he arrived in Italy, the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/nations/usmnt-tv-schedule/">USMNT</a> star quickly became a staple. Just recently, he began shattering records when he scored his team’s 5,000th goal in Serie A. <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/neither-epl-nor-bundesliga-san-siro-best-crowd-per-pulisic-20240209-WST-488763.html">Pulisic</a> has made a great impression in 39 outings for the San Siro team, accounting for a total of 20 goals and assists overall.</p>



<p>He has already scored more goals in a season than he did in any prior campaign, with just two months to go before the end of the term. He and Weston McKennie are tied for the most goals scored by American players in Serie A history.</p>



<p>This season, the ex-Borussia Dortmund star has scored nine goals in Serie A, and all of them have come from open play instead of set pieces. Now he has 12 goals in all competitions.</p>



<p>This $20 million American winger has the makings of <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/where-to-watch-serie-a-on-us-tv-and-internet/">Serie A</a>‘s best acquisition thus far. According to his father, Stefano Pioli’s belief in him is a major reason for the player’s success.</p>



<h2>Mark Pulisic on how Stefano Pioli helped Christian</h2>



<p>Mark Pulisic addressed many issues during his son’s first season with Milan and other parts of his career when speaking to <a href="https://www.pianetamilan.it/news-milan/interviste/milan-padre-pulisic-intervista-gazzetta-ultime-news-oggi-02-04-2024/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">La Gazzetta dello Sport</a>.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="670" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20240403_WST_499095_Pulisic-form-1200x670_96cd6707.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=670" alt="" class="wp-image-499184" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/04/Pulisic-form-1200x670.jpg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/04/Pulisic-form-300x168.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/04/Pulisic-form-768x429.jpg 768w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/04/Pulisic-form.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></figure>



<p>“Christian has had everyone’s trust. Pioli trusts him, he always lets him play and doesn’t immediately replace him if things go wrong. Then he likes Milan, and he always speaks well of his teammates. Fikayo Tomori and Olivier Giroud helped him a lot when it came to choosing Milan,” Pulisic said.</p>



<p>Even though they are both American, he said, last summer there was no communication between them and Gerry Cardinale to finalize the transfer. Indeed, they communicated with Pioli as the representative of Milan.</p>



<p>“No, I never spoke to Cardinale during the negotiations. Instead, a Zoom call with Stefano Pioli was fundamental, it went very well, Christian understood what the project was for him and said yes.”</p>



<h2>Mark Pulisic on why Christian flourishes at Milan</h2>



<p>Pulisic is flourishing for Milan after failing to make an impression at Chelsea. The things that went wrong in England, according to his father, are subjective.</p>



<p>“I think there’s a misconception. For me, it’s not true that Christian disappointed at Chelsea. He simply didn’t play regularly. For me he is now reaching his peak, he is 25 years old, he works hard to develop his game and is respected by his teammates.</p>



<p>“Christian loves Milan and wants to stay. He lives in Busto Arsizio to be close to Milanello, he’s coming to speak Italian and he gets on very well with teammates like Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Yunus Musah.</p>



<p>“He loves representing his country and matches with the US present him with new challenges. Sometimes they mark him in twos or threes and Christian has to find new solutions. Everything is fine, the only problems are the traveling and the time difference.”</p>



<p><em>PHOTOS: IMAGO</em>.</p>

Pulisic's father reveals reason for Milan move and revival in form

AC Milan's summer signing Christian Pulisic seems to owe his present coach a debt of gratitude for his stellar season.

<p>Napoli has just about conceded this season as a throwaway following its Scudetto-winning campaign of 2022/23. The Italian side is currently on its third manager this season. It started with <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/napoli-readies-replacements-for-outgoing-manager-rudi-garcia-20231113-WST-469693.html">Rudi Garcia</a>, who replaced the outgoing Luciano Spalletti. After the Frenchman’s struggles, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/napoli-names-walter-mazzarri-as-replacement-for-rudi-garcia-20231114-WST-470045.html">Walter Mazzarri stepped in</a> to no avail. He lasted just three months at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium. Francesco Calzona has served as the side’s manager in the meantime to a mixed bag of results.</p>



<p>Club president Aurelio de Laurentiis is now already preparing targets to lead the side next season. At the top of that list is Antonio Conte, the former Juventus, Chelsea and Inter Milan manager that seems to regularly find success at various clubs. Conte has been out of a job since March 2023, when he <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/spurs-mindset-of-celebrating-fourth-place-slammed-by-conte-20240215-WST-489731.html">left Tottenham Hotspur</a> after falling in the FA Cup and UEFA Champions League round of 16. </p>



<p>According to reports, Napoli is ready to offer Conte a massive contract to return to Italy as the manager of <em>Gli Azzurri</em>. Some reports indicate Napoli will provide Conte with a contract that provides him $9 million per season for two years. There would be an additional option for a third year, should the club and manager be a good fit for one another. </p>



<p>Conte has spent significant time as a manager in Italy. He has won Serie A four times, as three of those came with Juventus. The most recent was with Inter Milan in the 2020/21 campaign. He also led Inter Milan to the Europa League Final in the 2019/20 season, where Sevilla defeated the Italian club. That, combined with his time in England, makes Conte a valuable manager to any club.</p>



<h2>Napoli targets a player to sway Antonio Conte toward new club</h2>



<p>The situation at Napoli would not be overly straightforward, though. In the past, Conte has departed clubs because of clashes with the club’s executives. Napoli’s de Laurentiis is one of the most outspoken Presidents in Serie A. While Spalletti departed for personal reasons with a sabbatical, the Napoli President has not been one to hide criticism of managers. That could lead Conte away from the club.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="670" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20240402_WST_499040_Conte-Kulusevski-1200x670_17b85800.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=670" alt="" class="wp-image-499042" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/04/Conte-Kulusevski-1200x670.jpg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/04/Conte-Kulusevski-300x168.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/04/Conte-Kulusevski-768x429.jpg 768w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/04/Conte-Kulusevski.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></figure>



<p>Yet, the owner of the club is already workshopping ways to court Conte. One of those is to bring in Dejan Kulusevski from Tottenham Hotspur. According to <a href="https://football-italia.net/kulusevski-napoli-tottenham-star-conte/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">multiple reports</a>, Conte is a massive fan of the Swedish international. Conte brought Kulusevski over on loan from Juventus in his first transfer window with Spurs. In that loan spell, Kulusevski thrived in Conte’s formation, which shows that the winger and midfielder can fit if Conte were to use that system at Napoli.</p>



<p>For the club, bringing over Kulusevski would be a way for Conte to feel more comfortable. He would have a way into the dressing room by being closer with one of the players. Plus, Kulusevski would be able to help other Napoli players adjust to Conte’s particular playing style and formations. </p>



<p>There are no guarantees that bringing on Kulusevski would bring Conte aboard. Napoli is a club with stature and funding to bring on players Conte desires, like Kulusevski. Yet, there is no indication as to why the Italian has not returned to the dugout for any other club so far. </p>



<p><em>PHOTOS: IMAGO</em></p>

Napoli ready to pull all stops to lure Antonio Conte

Napoli is ready to move on from its dismal 2023/24 campaign, and that may spark a new era under Antonio Conte.

<p>Ever since their rough patches, AC Milan and Inter have bounced back to their old selves. What makes the Nerazzurri’s impending 20th Serie A title all the more remarkable is that they are quite close to achieving it.</p>



<p>On par with Juventus, they will join an exclusive group of Italian clubs to get the second star. Meanwhile, finally settling into their stride, AC Milan won Serie A in 2021-22, capping off an 11-year drought.</p>



<p>The issue of each team’s home stadium, however, has to be resolved. In fact, the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/tears-of-joy-in-my-first-visit-to-san-siro-20231105-WST-466908.html">illustrious San Siro</a> may not be their home venue for much longer. The two teams want to leave it for a variety of reasons, the most significant of which is financial.</p>



<p>It’s no secret that in Italy, teams often have to pay rent to the city that owns the stadium. For now, the legendary location will continue to host both teams, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/city-mayor-wants-san-siro-milan-and-inter-set-on-different-road-20240211-WST-489007.html">according to Milan mayor Giuseppe Sala</a>. In fact, the 65-year-old has been doing all in his power to keep both teams for the future as well.</p>



<h2>How do AC Milan plan to follow Yankees’ footsteps?</h2>



<p>However, both teams are now focusing on brand new venues after years of failed plans to renovate the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza. In fact, a new stadium is <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/milan-wants-to-build-american-like-arena-to-replace-san-siro-20240301-WST-492462.html">urgently needed</a>, according to the Rossoneri’s American owner Gerry Cardinale. Furthermore, he detailed his plans to emulate the New York Yankees’ multi-pronged income strategy.</p>



<p>“Sports now is no longer a hobby for rich guys. Sports is a multibillion-dollar live event entertainment business, and you have to bring relationships and multidisciplinary skill sets across a range of activities to be able to get these things done,” he told <a href="https://fortune.com/2024/03/30/gerry-cardinale-profile-interview-ac-milan-redbird-capital-new-stadium/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fortune Magazine</a>.</p>



<p>“It’s time for Italy, and for Milan, to do what the Yankees did back in 2008. Old Yankee Stadium had been around forever. Babe Ruth was there, Joe DiMaggio was there, Mickey Mantle was there, Roger Maris was there. It was iconic. But they realized that it’s time now for a new version of that.”</p>



<p>Though he has “heard from others’ past experiences that it’s very tricky” to construct a new stadium, Cardinale maintains an optimistic outlook on the project. He added: “I like our chances… I wanted to know I had a viable, zonable option for the stadium. If the stadium doesn’t happen, we stay at San Siro.”</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="450" height="504" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20240331_WST_498482_image-21_b209cba6.webp&amp;width=450&amp;height=504" alt="" class="wp-image-498523" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/03/image-21.png 450w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/03/image-21-268x300.png 268w" sizes="(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px"></figure><figcaption>The Milan clubs have a number of potential challenges</figcaption></figure>



<h2>Constructing new facilities not easy in Italy</h2>



<p>In fact, foreign owners of clubs have it bad in the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/where-to-watch-serie-a-on-us-tv-and-internet/">Italian Serie A</a>. The Red and Blacks aren’t the only ones who misjudged how many hurdles they’d have to pass through to have new infrastructure developed.</p>



<p>Some government officials are attempting to use the same regulations meant to save historic sites to block renovations to San Siro. However, Cardinale maintains that it’s not drastically different from America.</p>



<p>“Those concepts are more familiar to American investors and I think that’s what attracted them to Serie A. They realize what the legacy is and the history here in some of these under-managed brands. They realized the potential to have a great investment on your hands, simply by professionalizing the ownership.”</p>



<p>Photo credit: IMAGO / Nicolo Campo</p>

AC Milan aspire to emulate New York Yankees with new stadium

A new stadium is urgently needed, the Rossoneri’s American owner Gerry Cardinale said, detailing his plans to emulate the New York Yankees.

AC Milan aspire to emulate New York Yankees with new stadium - World Soccer Talk

<p>Weston McKennie has been an incredible revelation for Juventus in the 2023–24 season. The Bianconeri’s season has been all over the place this year, but he has been an integral cog in the wheel.</p>



<p>Next season, Juventus should still be able to return to the UEFA Champions League. That’s despite the widespread concern about their decline in form since January and their elimination from the Scudetto competition. The Italian team set the Champions League return threshold, both tacitly and in an outspoken manner, before the start of this season. And <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/grading-the-headline-usmnt-transfers-in-europe-this-season-20240303-WST-491980.html">McKennie</a>’s contributions have been crucial in maintaining the goal’s proximity to completion.</p>



<p>He has been his team’s primary creator while sharing the field with Manuel Locatelli and Adrien Rabiot. The 25-year-old is head and shoulders above the rest of the squad in Serie A assists with seven.</p>



<p>When McKennie debuted for Juventus in September 2020, he became the club’s first American player. Additionally, Timothy Weah joined him; he came from Lille last summer, but his future in Turin is just as dubious as his predecessor’s.</p>



<h2>Juventus levies unsatisfactory contract offer for McKennie</h2>



<p>By turning down Juventus’ most recent offer—a wage cut—McKennie has effectively confirmed his departure in the summer. The Old Lady allegedly offered the US national team standout a new deal, but McKennie rejected the offer due to a wage cut.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="670" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20240329_WST_498260_McKennie-Juventus-future-1200x670_cfef12be.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=670" alt="" class="wp-image-498278" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/03/McKennie-Juventus-future-1200x670.jpg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/03/McKennie-Juventus-future-300x168.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/03/McKennie-Juventus-future-768x429.jpg 768w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/03/McKennie-Juventus-future.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></figure>



<p>The midfielder and his agents quickly turned down the offer, as reported by <a href="https://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/Calciomercato/Juventus/storie/26-03-2024/juve-una-squadra-in-bilico-chi-puo-lasciare-in-estate/mckennie.shtml" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gazzetta dello Sport</a>. His present contract with Turin ends in June 2025, although this would have allowed him to remain beyond that date. Thus, the Bianconeri could consider selling the player this summer if they face the possibility of losing him for free.</p>



<p>Despite proving his naysayers wrong upon his return to the club, the news comes as a shock to McKennie. Especially since he had been an integral part of a squad that flirted with a challenge to Inter, the current league leaders.</p>



<h2>Where could McKennie move next?</h2>



<p>On X, formerly known as Twitter, the midfielder’s dad weighed in on his son’s most recent club play. He made fun of the ‘couch pundits’ and said his son was taking a risk of further injuring himself.</p>



<p>“He puts it on the line risking further injury and it’s still not enough for the couch pundits,” <a href="https://twitter.com/airborne69/status/1766946888048099736" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">he wrote</a>.</p>



<p>Some have speculated that the USMNT mainstay is aiming to return to the Premier League despite the ongoing contract saga. Manchester United have reportedly touted him as a possible substitute for their primary objectives ahead of the summer transfer season.</p>



<p>His solid performances have <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/no-future-at-juventus-mckennie-ponders-premier-league-return/">caught the eye of Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag</a>, and Arsenal are also keeping tabs on the Juventus midfielder. In addition, Aston Villa, and Fulham have been keeping tabs on the Juventus midfielder. Thus, they may revive their transfer interest in him.</p>



<p>That’s the case even though the American international’s time in England has been filled with bad experiences. Leeds offered him a permanent deal last year when he was on loan. Still, he returned to Serie A after failing to stop the Whites’ Championship slide.</p>



<p><em>PHOTOS: IMAGO</em>.</p>

No new deal? Juventus disrespect McKennie with latest offer

Weston McKennie has been an incredible revelation for Juventus in the 2023–24 season, but a lousy offer from Juventus may curtail his future.

<p>The summer of 2024 brings loads of clubs to the USA to compete in summer friendlies, something American fans will surely welcome. That includes the likes of Manchester United, Barcelona, Manchester City, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Arsenal and more. Many of these clubs have made frequent trips to the United States in recent seasons. Others are making a long-awaited return to the USA, like Celtic which has not been to the United States in over a decade.</p>



<p>Yet, some of these games stand out among the rest. Historic derbies, star-studded matchups and some big-name teams in interesting venues make for an exciting summer of soccer in the USA. It helps that these summer friendlies in the USA come after the Copa America, which brings some of the best national teams to the United States.</p>



<p>Here are five friendlies that stand out based on the current <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/schedule-of-soccer-friendlies-in-us-this-summer/">schedule of summer friendlies in the USA</a>.</p>



<h2>Best summer friendlies in the USA in 2024</h2>



<h5>Manchester City vs Milan – July 27, time TBD – New York, NY</h5>



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<p>Manchester City remains in contention to win a treble of trophies for the second straight season. That would be an unprecedented feat among European clubs. Therefore, Americans will want to see Manchester City as it is inarguably one of the best teams in the world. This game is the second of its return to the United States after spending the summer of 2023 in South Korea and Japan.</p>



<p>City’s rival in this game, AC Milan, has also shown great success of late. Yet, much of the draw for American supporters remains Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah. The two USMNT players have been integral to AC Milan’s season in 2023/24. Consequently, there is an added reason for Americans to support their own in this game.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="670" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20240327_WST_497586_Pulisic-Milan-USA-1200x670_e45eeae7.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=670" alt="" class="wp-image-497622" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/03/Pulisic-Milan-USA-1200x670.jpg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/03/Pulisic-Milan-USA-300x168.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/03/Pulisic-Milan-USA-768x429.jpg 768w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/03/Pulisic-Milan-USA.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></figure>



<h5>Manchester City vs Barcelona – July 30, time TBD – Orlando, FL</h5>



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<p>Keeping the theme with Manchester City, Pep Guardiola’s side will go south after playing in New York City. Camping World Stadium in Orlando, FL, is hosting a game between City and Spanish side Barcelona. These two have plenty of connections. For example, Pep Guardiola broke through in the coaching ranks at Barcelona. Certain players like Joao Cancelo and Ilkay Gundogan had great success at Manchester City before joining Barcelona. </p>



<p>In terms of club friendlies, this is the only one in Florida throughout the summer. </p>



<h5>Arsenal vs Liverpool – July 31, 7 p.m. – Philadelphia, PA&nbsp;</h5>



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<p>As of the March international break, these two Premier League sides are level on 64 points. Each has had success in Europe, too. Liverpool is in the quarterfinals of the Europa League, and it is the favorite to win that competition. Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal has shown consistent development to earn a place in the Champions League quarterfinals for the first time in a decade. Moreover, their meetings in the Premier League have been exciting. For example, Arsenal held on for a draw at Anfield before defeating Liverpool at the Emirates.</p>



<p>When the two play at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, the two clubs with a massive following should play another exciting game. Also, this will be a chance for fans to see a Liverpool side under new management. <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/who-will-replace-klopp-alonso-emerges-as-favorite-for-liverpool-20240126-WST-485657.html">Jurgen Klopp is leaving</a> the Reds after this season. With Xabi Alonso among the candidates to replace the German, Arsenal will be a major early test.</p>



<h5>Man United vs Liverpool – August 3, 7:30 PM – Columbia, SC</h5>



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<p>After Liverpool plays Arsenal, it will travel south to Columbia, SC, to play Manchester United. This historic rivalry possesses two of the most popular clubs in the United States, and it is the first soccer game at Williams-Brice Stadium. Traditionally, this venue hosts college football games, but it is certainly big enough to house the fans of both clubs.</p>



<p>Games involving these two English sides of late have been a mixed bag. For example, some of them are great. The recent FA Cup quarterfinal tie needed extra time as United won a classic game, 4-3. Yet, just a season ago, Liverpool put seven past Manchester United at Anfield in a Premier League game. Even if it is just a friendly, the disdain between the two clubs will make this a great watch even for neutrals.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="670" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20240327_WST_497586_Barcelona-Madrid-Dallas-1200x670_a3d080c0.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=670" alt="" class="wp-image-497620" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/03/Barcelona-Madrid-Dallas-1200x670.jpg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/03/Barcelona-Madrid-Dallas-300x168.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/03/Barcelona-Madrid-Dallas-768x429.jpg 768w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/03/Barcelona-Madrid-Dallas.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></figure>



<h5>Real Madrid vs Barcelona – August 3, time TBD – East Rutherford, NJ</h5>



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<p>Barcelona and Real Madrid are making <em>El Clasico</em> in the United States <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/real-madrid-barcelona-and-milan-invade-usa-this-summer/">a common occurrence</a>. Their game at MetLife Stadium this summer is the fourth edition in the United States. This is the third summer in a row these two teams will play. In the past, that featured stops in Miami, Las Vegas and Arlington, TX. Now, El Clasico goes to the northeast on the outskirts of New York City.</p>



<p>Much like Liverpool, Barcelona will be under new management next year. Xavi said that he would step down from his position as the club’s manager. Therefore, the new manager may get their first taste of this historic derby on American soil. Barcelona has dominated friendly fixtures in the United States involving these two teams. The Catalan club has won each of the previous three. Two of those were one-goal games, though. Fans looking for tickets to this game in 2024 will hope for the same.</p>



<p><em>Photos: Imago</em></p>

Top 5 best soccer friendlies to attend this summer in the USA

The summer of 2024 brings loads of clubs to the USA to compete in summer friendlies, something American fans will surely welcome.

destacadas

<p>Inter Milan star Francesco Acerbi has become the latest soccer player across Europe to be accused of racism. The defender allegedly hurled a racial slur towards <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/napoli-tv-schedule-for-viewers-in-united-states/">Napoli</a> center-back Juan Jesus during a game on March 17th. Jesus reported the supposed remarks to the match referee at the time.</p>



<p>Nevertheless, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/serie-a-tv-schedule/">Serie A</a> officials announced on Tuesday that Acerbi will not face any disciplinary consequences for the remark. The Italian top flight asserts that there was not enough evidence in the situation to prove the allegation. This comes even though the league executives read the referee’s report, interviewed players on both sides and reviewed video of the incident.</p>



<p>Jesus, however, sticks by his claims regarding the event. The defender took to social media following Serie A’s announcement to lambast the handling of the incident. Acerbi, on the other hand, has <a href="https://theathletic.com/5369673/2024/03/26/acerbi-jesus-racism-inter-milan-napoli/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">maintained</a> that he never said the racist remarks to the Inter defender. The alleged comment came in the middle of the Italian league’s ‘Keep Racism Out’ campaign. </p>



<h2>Italian, Spanish leagues have particularly high racist incidents</h2>



<p>The situation is far from an isolated incident within the Italian top flight. Serie A has an unfortunate lengthy history of mishandling racism during soccer matches. <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/roma-tv-schedule-for-us-viewers/">Roma</a> star striker Romelu Lukaku was ridiculously sent off late in a match last season while with <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/inter-milan-tv-schedule/">Inter</a>. The forward dealt with racist chants from <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/juventus-tv-schedule/">Juventus</a> fans throughout the game and finally yelled back at the rival supporters after scoring a penalty kick.</p>



<p>Prior to the Lukaku situation, Juve defender Leonardo Bonucci was seen berating teammate Moise Kean after the striker was the subject of racial abuse in 2019. The veteran center-back even claimed Kean was partly responsible for the incident. These are only just a few incidents regarding racism within Serie A in recent years.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="670" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20240327_WST_497604_Acerbi-racism-1200x670_44561b4d.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=670" alt="" class="wp-image-497626" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/03/Acerbi-racism-1200x670.jpg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/03/Acerbi-racism-300x168.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/03/Acerbi-racism-768x429.jpg 768w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/03/Acerbi-racism.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></figure>



<p>The Italian league, however, is far from the only European division to experience such situations. <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/la-liga-tv-schedule/">LaLiga</a> officials have come under fire as well throughout the years for their mismanagement of similar incidents. <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/real-madrid-tv-schedule/">Real Madrid</a> star Vinicius Junior continues to suffer excessive racial abuse from rival Spanish fans.</p>



<p>The young Brazilian’s recent discussion on racism during a press conference <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/vinicius-jr-moved-to-tears-discussing-racism-in-spain/">moved the star to tears</a> before Spain hosted Brazil in a friendly. Dani Carvajal, a teammate of Vinicius at Real, went on to claim that Spain is not a racist country despite the many incidents within LaLiga. Nevertheless, there certainly appears to be a plethora of people inside the nation who use soccer games to voice their racist feelings.</p>



<h2>Anti-racism campaigns do not deter discrimination</h2>



<p>FIFA and UEFA are also not effectively combating racism. The governing bodies, along with specific leagues, have generally opted to issue minor consequences to clubs that have racist fans.</p>



<p>Juve <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/juventus-given-one-match-partial-stadium-ban-for-racial-abuse-20230407-WST-427207.html">previously</a> picked up a one-match partial stadium ban for their supporters’ involvement in the aforementioned Lukaku situation. Spanish authorities also ordered <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/valencia-tv-schedule-for-us-viewers/">Valencia</a> to play five games <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/24/football/vinicius-jr-valencia-fine-partial-stadium-ban-intl-spt/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">without a full crowd</a> for a previous incident with Vinicius Junior.</p>



<p>Despite the tame efforts by those in charge, racism remains all too prevalent during soccer matches. Fans potentially missing a couple of games is not exactly a tough punishment for those involved in the disgusting acts. The Acerbi incident occurring during Serie A’s ‘Keep Racism Out’ campaign is also an awful look for the league. Permanent stadium bans and legal action against those committing racist acts would prove to be a better preventative measure in these cases.</p>



<p><em>PHOTOS: IMAGO</em></p>

Anti-racism campaigns prove ineffective after recent outbursts

Soccer officials are not combating discrimination in an effective manner with their anti-racism campaigns, and that shows across Europe.

ALL POSTS TAGGED "serie A" - Page 14

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