Football brings people together from every corner of the world, and in 2022 we need the most popular game on the globe more than we ever did.
The planet has been through an unprecedented crisis (in recent times) as the Covid pandemic ripped through every section of society in every country, and football was no exception. By April 2020, competitions were stopped altogether and then, into 2021, were played behind closed doors. Thankfully, fans returned this year and we have some normality.
But once again there is disruption. This time teams, particularly in the Premier League, have seengames cancelled due to unvaccinated and infected players. But there is a bright light shining light at the end of the tunnel. The global vaccination programme is gradually winning the battle against the virus, which seems to be muting to a less lethal strain…so here’s hoping that 2022 is the year we all breathe a big sigh of relief and get on with life.
That means for all us SBOTOPstaff and writers and you, our friends and football fans, the African Cup of Nations in January to the Qatar World Cup 2022 which starts in November. And in between those two international showcases we have the Champions League, the Premier League, Ligue 1, the Bundesliga, La Liga and Serie A; oh and the small matter of some World Cup qualifiers over the next few months.
It is a massive year for football. And as we look forward from the very early days in January, the biggest and best competitions are tantalisingly poised.
Klopp is happy to say goodbye to 2021
In the Premier League Manchester City went ten points clear at the top of the table after Liverpool and Chelsea played out a 2-2 draw on Sunday. The Sky Blues won their third league title in four years last May after a season of disruption, while Chelsea won the Champions League.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is glad to see the old year disappearing in the rearview mirror saying: “No, I didn’t have a proper look back, but I tried to find some positives in 2021 – and it was tricky, I’m happy it’s over pretty much.
“We all hope for a better 2022.”
2021 wasn’t great for Liverpool after they had celebrated a first league title for three decades the previous year. The Reds only just qualified for the Champions League after a lengthy injury to their centre-back Virgil Van Dijk and they are doing better this time around, though Klopp is still unhappy that we are not yet back to normality: “You arrive in the morning and you never know who you have available the next morning. It’s not cool. That’s why I said: the year was not a catastrophe but it’s not one I’ll remember for ages,” he says.
“The new normal is better than the other normal in Covid but there’s still space for improvement towards the real normal, I can’t wait for that.”
We can all agree with Klopp on that!
The Premier League trialled safe standing in the Chelsea vs Liverpool game and fans loved it, Blues striker Christian Pulisic saying it reminded him of the atmosphere at Borussia Dortmund.
Over at his former club, BVB are desperately trying to keep pace with the brilliant Bayern, who have stretched their lead at the top to nine points and look set to win a record tenth successive league title.
The big football 2022 news in Spain was the return of Xavi to Barcelona. It will be a big year for the Blaugrana as they try to recapture former glories and, at least, qualify for the 2022/23 Champions League.
Meanwhile, over in Italy, the latest football 2022 betting oddsare backing a second successive Scudetto for Inter Milan as they have pulled four points clear a the top of the league table.
Italian football had a massive boost in 2021 as Roberto Mancini led the Azzurri to European glory, which was so sweet for their passionate fans after Italy had failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Mancini’s men have had no such trouble since, and will be one of the favourites for World Cup 2022 which promises to be a spectacular finish to the year.
Italy’s Euro 2020 final win over England lifted them up to sixth position in the FIFA World Rankings, with Argentina, Brazil, England, France and Belgium holding the top five places. The Red Devils still sit in first place in the rankings but I’d say you can take your pick from those six for Qatar 2022.
Will this, finally, be Belgium’s year?
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