When it comes to soccer, many Americans don't understand how the leagues are organized. There is the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), the Confederation of North, the Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF), the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), the Confederation of African Football (CAF), and the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC).
The countries that make up these associations all have their own domestic leagues, and the top teams in the domestic leagues compete in each association's champions league, and that's where things get tricky: The champions leagues generally take place while the domestic leagues are still happening. The uninformed may ask, ""How can the top teams play each other if you don't know who the top teams are?""
The answer is simple: They go by the previous season's standings. For example, the 2010-'11 champions leagues—the ones currently taking place—are based on the standings at the end of the 2009-'10 seasons.
One critical flaw of this system is not really a flaw on the part of the system, but on the part of the fans, and something I have been caught doing myself. It is not uncommon for fans to forget that their team is still playing domestic league play while the champions leagues are happening. I am a huge fan of FC Bayern München. Bayern plays in the German Bundesliga, which is a member of UEFA.
I often fall under the spell of the UEFA Champions League and frequently overlook Bayern's domestic matches. Now, anyone who knows me would agree that I am obsessed with Bayern and would find it shocking that this would happen, but it does.
That happened to me last weekend. I was so concerned with when leg two of the round of 16 would start and what Bayern would have to do in order to advance to the quarterfinals that I completely overlooked the fact that Bayern had a match with league-leading Borussia Dortmund.
This time of year is critical for many teams throughout Europe's domestic leagues. Their seasons are coming to a close and some need that last push to qualify themselves for next season's champions league play.
Bayern is one such team, currently sitting in fourth place, out of qualification by a mere two points. Perennial teams such as AS Roma, Chelsea, Liverpool and Lyon are also in danger of not returning to UEFA Champions League play next season.
Supporting your team throughout the champions league season is a great thing to do, but you cannot forget they are still fighting their way through domestic league play. Always be aware that even if your team is playing in a champions league this season, it does not mean that they will be next season. So, if you want to see your side compete with the best of the best, make sure you are out there supporting them against every opponent. I won't make that same mistake again.
Are you a soccer fan who often falls under the spell of Champions League play? E-mail Matthew at mdkleist@wisc.edu
