By Brian Homewood
MARRAKECH, Morocco Sun Dec 22, 2013 6:17am EST
Raja Casablanca's fans celebrate winning their FIFA Club World Cup semi-final soccer match against Atletico Mineiro at Marrakech stadium December 18, 2013.
Credit: Reuters/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
<span id="articleText"><span id="midArticle_start"/> MARRAKECH, Morocco (Reuters) - For the estimated 10,000 Atletico Mineiro fans who made the arduous journey from Belo Horizonte to Marrakech, the Club World Cup was the most important competition their team had ever played in.
<span id="midArticle_1"/>Ever since winning the Libertadores Cup in July, the Brazilian club and its supporters have been dreaming obsessively of a chance to measure themselves against European champions Bayern Munich in the final.
<span id="midArticle_2"/>In the event, they suffered a shock semi-final defeat to Raja Casablanca, who in turn faced the Bavarians in Saturday's decider.
<span id="midArticle_3"/>That match brought Morocco to a standstill, thousands of Raja fans made the trip south and the game was attended by King Mohamed.
<span id="midArticle_4"/>In Europe, the same event is often regarded as a mid-season excursion to play unknown teams with exotic names, a view summed up by Borussia Dortmund coach Juergen Klopp's reference to the classic movie "Casablanca".
<span id="midArticle_5"/>"The last time I heard about Casablanca was when Humphrey Bogart was playing," Klopp quipped. "Maybe someday it (the competition) will be of a higher value."
<span id="midArticle_6"/>In many ways, the competition acts as a reminder of the great divide between European club football, which attracts the very best players, and the rest of the world, which acts as its feeder.
<span id="midArticle_7"/>European sides such as Bayern Munich are replete with top talent from around the world and even most of their substitutes are regular internationals for their respective countries.
<span id="midArticle_8"/>The best South Americans play against, rather than for, the teams from their continent.
<span id="midArticle_9"/>South American and African club sides are generally made up of players who have not been good enough to earn a move to Europe, plus a few who have been abroad and have returned home to play out their careers, such as Atletico's Ronaldinho.
<span id="midArticle_10"/>Raja Casablanca, a team of average league players with only a sprinkling of international caps between them, are a case in point. Morocco's national team is based almost entirely on players based abroad.
<span id="midArticle_11"/>BLATTER FRUSTRATED
<span id="midArticle_12"/>FIFA president Sepp Blatter admitted he was frustrated at the lack of European interest in the competition, especially as the tournament has moved closer to home after previously being staged in Japan and the United Arab Emirates.
<span id="midArticle_13"/>"I agree that we are disappointed," he said. "I think there should be a little bit more attention to other competitions, but with the big leagues in Europe, you have the question of the calendar.
<span id="midArticle_14"/>"The quality of the matches we have seen, with some very good football in a remarkable ambience, this is best publicity, and the best way of getting more attention of the five big leagues," Blatter said.
<span id="midArticle_15"/>"It's a question of solidarity," he added. "They should also be interested in the other leagues and have a look at what is going on elsewhere."
<span id="midArticle_0"/>Unfortunately for Blatter, Saturday's final, where Bayern strolled to a 2-0 win, was a poor advertisement, especially as the Bavarians had also eased to a 3-0 win over Guangzhou Evergrande in their semi-final.
<span id="midArticle_1"/>In fact, the tournament has yet to produce a truly memorable final since it started in 2005.
<span id="midArticle_2"/>South American clubs have won three times out of nine but those were all achieved by accepting their role as the underdog, shutting up shop, defending doggedly and snatching a goal on the break.
<span id="midArticle_3"/>Sao Paulo in 2005, Internacional the following year and Corinthians last year all won the final by a single goal.
<span id="midArticle_4"/>Bayern made the right noises about the importance of winning and their players appeared to be repeating pre-rehearsed lines when they talked about facing "different opponents from other continents".
<span id="midArticle_5"/>Guangzhou coach Marcello Lippi admitted there was a huge gulf between his team and Bayern, however.
<span id="midArticle_6"/>"You see the real difference between the best club in the world and the rest," the Italian said. "Maybe this competition was stronger when it was just a single match between the champions of Europe and South America."
<span id="midArticle_7"/>But he also pointed out that Bayern had enjoyed similarly easy wins in the Bundesliga and Champions League and it would be unfair to exclude teams from the rest of the world.
<span id="midArticle_8"/>"It's not just us. They play with this superiority against everyone else," he said. "Taking part in international competition allows us to become a better team. You need to take part in this sort of football experience to grow."
<span id="midArticle_9"/>(Editing by John O'Brien)
<span id="midArticle_10"/>
MARRAKECH, Morocco Sun Dec 22, 2013 6:17am EST
Credit: Reuters/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
<span id="articleText"><span id="midArticle_start"/> MARRAKECH, Morocco (Reuters) - For the estimated 10,000 Atletico Mineiro fans who made the arduous journey from Belo Horizonte to Marrakech, the Club World Cup was the most important competition their team had ever played in.
<span id="midArticle_1"/>Ever since winning the Libertadores Cup in July, the Brazilian club and its supporters have been dreaming obsessively of a chance to measure themselves against European champions Bayern Munich in the final.
<span id="midArticle_2"/>In the event, they suffered a shock semi-final defeat to Raja Casablanca, who in turn faced the Bavarians in Saturday's decider.
<span id="midArticle_3"/>That match brought Morocco to a standstill, thousands of Raja fans made the trip south and the game was attended by King Mohamed.
<span id="midArticle_4"/>In Europe, the same event is often regarded as a mid-season excursion to play unknown teams with exotic names, a view summed up by Borussia Dortmund coach Juergen Klopp's reference to the classic movie "Casablanca".
<span id="midArticle_5"/>"The last time I heard about Casablanca was when Humphrey Bogart was playing," Klopp quipped. "Maybe someday it (the competition) will be of a higher value."
<span id="midArticle_6"/>In many ways, the competition acts as a reminder of the great divide between European club football, which attracts the very best players, and the rest of the world, which acts as its feeder.
<span id="midArticle_7"/>European sides such as Bayern Munich are replete with top talent from around the world and even most of their substitutes are regular internationals for their respective countries.
<span id="midArticle_8"/>The best South Americans play against, rather than for, the teams from their continent.
<span id="midArticle_9"/>South American and African club sides are generally made up of players who have not been good enough to earn a move to Europe, plus a few who have been abroad and have returned home to play out their careers, such as Atletico's Ronaldinho.
<span id="midArticle_10"/>Raja Casablanca, a team of average league players with only a sprinkling of international caps between them, are a case in point. Morocco's national team is based almost entirely on players based abroad.
<span id="midArticle_11"/>BLATTER FRUSTRATED
<span id="midArticle_12"/>FIFA president Sepp Blatter admitted he was frustrated at the lack of European interest in the competition, especially as the tournament has moved closer to home after previously being staged in Japan and the United Arab Emirates.
<span id="midArticle_13"/>"I agree that we are disappointed," he said. "I think there should be a little bit more attention to other competitions, but with the big leagues in Europe, you have the question of the calendar.
<span id="midArticle_14"/>"The quality of the matches we have seen, with some very good football in a remarkable ambience, this is best publicity, and the best way of getting more attention of the five big leagues," Blatter said.
<span id="midArticle_15"/>"It's a question of solidarity," he added. "They should also be interested in the other leagues and have a look at what is going on elsewhere."
<span id="midArticle_0"/>Unfortunately for Blatter, Saturday's final, where Bayern strolled to a 2-0 win, was a poor advertisement, especially as the Bavarians had also eased to a 3-0 win over Guangzhou Evergrande in their semi-final.
<span id="midArticle_1"/>In fact, the tournament has yet to produce a truly memorable final since it started in 2005.
<span id="midArticle_2"/>South American clubs have won three times out of nine but those were all achieved by accepting their role as the underdog, shutting up shop, defending doggedly and snatching a goal on the break.
<span id="midArticle_3"/>Sao Paulo in 2005, Internacional the following year and Corinthians last year all won the final by a single goal.
<span id="midArticle_4"/>Bayern made the right noises about the importance of winning and their players appeared to be repeating pre-rehearsed lines when they talked about facing "different opponents from other continents".
<span id="midArticle_5"/>Guangzhou coach Marcello Lippi admitted there was a huge gulf between his team and Bayern, however.
<span id="midArticle_6"/>"You see the real difference between the best club in the world and the rest," the Italian said. "Maybe this competition was stronger when it was just a single match between the champions of Europe and South America."
<span id="midArticle_7"/>But he also pointed out that Bayern had enjoyed similarly easy wins in the Bundesliga and Champions League and it would be unfair to exclude teams from the rest of the world.
<span id="midArticle_8"/>"It's not just us. They play with this superiority against everyone else," he said. "Taking part in international competition allows us to become a better team. You need to take part in this sort of football experience to grow."
<span id="midArticle_9"/>(Editing by John O'Brien)
<span id="midArticle_10"/>
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