Article by Matt Lichtenstadter
As is customary around this time of year, not only is the MLS regular season just around the corner but the CONCACAF Champions League resumes. In the knockout stages of this year’s competition, there are three MLS teams, and two of them play each other. The eternal question is: “is this the year a MLS team finally wins this competition”, and after two of them came so close in 2011 and 2015, that’s a worthwhile question to ask. But does the answer to that question matter anymore as MLS continues to grow and the format of the competition has changed?
There will be at least one MLS team in the semifinals this year, unlike last. Neither the New York Red Bulls nor Vancouver Whitecaps are in the best of shape entering their tie, since both teams underwent some stark transitions this offseason and have coaches under pressure. FC Dallas, who plays Panamanian side Árabe Unido, does not have their best player in Mauro Diaz, but is the best hope of the three MLS teams in the last eight. But in many ways, roster composition and predicted form means little considering what Real Salt Lake did in 2011 and the Montreal Impact did in 2015. But the real reason for the infatuation with the confederation’s not-particularly notable Champions League is to see how close MLS and Liga MX teams are on the pitch, and all recent evidence has suggested the gap is still fairly large.
But there is also evidence to suggest the gap could be shrinking. Targeted allocation money has allowed MLS teams to sign players of higher quality without making them DP’s and at the same time fitting them under the salary cap. MLS rosters have always been competitive at the top end but the depth differences have been stark, until perhaps now. That might make the average MLS team and average Liga MX side more competitive on paper, but that hasn’t meant much in recent years. Why? The schedule is still not a friend to MLS teams, and the new format hasn’t done the league any favors.
Next year, MLS and Liga MX teams don’t enter the competition until this point in the calendar. That eases fixture congestion for MLS teams during the playoff race, which is positive, but still dumps them into the competition while they are in their preseason and Mexican teams are about 10 games deep into the Clausura. Rust is still going to be a major factor, and MLS teams can take until August to hit their stride, let alone late February. That won’t be an excuse for Jesse Marsch, Carl Robinson and Oscar Pareja should their teams slip up in the coming weeks, and exiting the competition isn’t a fatal blow to their campaigns, but in the best competitive proving ground MLS teams have, they will have failed again to pass an important test.
Why do journalists and pundits like myself continue to write similar pieces to this one at this time every year, like clockwork? MLS has set itself a goal to be one of the best leagues in the world by 2022, which is only five years away. In order to challenge teams in Europe, let alone South America, MLS teams need to be able to be the best in CONCACAF first, which means they must beat Mexican teams in competitive fixtures. The sole proving ground for that is the CONCACAF Champions League, whatever the format happens to be. MLS clubs have more spending ability than ever, the league has more publicity than ever, and it’s time to back that up on the pitch. But do they need to?
Is winning the CONCACAF Champions League a necessary step in MLS’ improvement as a global soccer league? Potentially, depending on the standards you set for the league. Eventually, CCL might not be the premier competition for MLS and Liga MX teams to butt heads in, but until then, this is the only proving ground these teams have to make those types of statements. Since the quality of player in the league has improved dramatically since even 2015, MLS teams should be able to push themselves no matter who they go up against and when they go up against them.
If this is finally the year and one of FC Dallas, the Red Bulls or Whitecaps hoists the trophy in mid-April, will MLS have figuratively jumped over a major hurdle in their global quest? It’s a start, but only when they do it consistently against Mexican opposition could be when everyone will say MLS has reached equal footing with Liga MX.
The league is constantly improving despite growing in size every year. As we have always said here: being the best in the world can only happen if you’re the best in your confederation first, which means beating Mexican teams.
It seems that almost everyone seems to numb to the cries after they’ve been howled every year around this time. Could this be the year where that cry hits home again?
