Since my team is never involved in those high-flying competitions, I kinda lose interest! ;)

Your turn now…are you a believer in Diego now? hahaha!

I would like to take this opportunity to invite you all to Mundo Albiceleste and see the match report.

Will comment more about the match later.

Just wanted to tease you a little bit…

This information was released by Alejandro Fabbri on TyC Sports. Handle it with care and wait until it becomes official.

Apparently there will be a lottery involving all the South American countries (except from Perú, of course) to determine 3 winners.

The winning FA’s will then decide how they will grant an extra ticket for the Libertadores.

It’ll be up to them to decide the criteria.

It could be based on the final standings of the previous season, it could be an arbitrary decision, it could be disputed in a playoff between two teams, etc.

Seba’s right in that it comes from the 2-3-5 back when that was the norm. So does the numbering used by English sides – the reason there’s a difference from position to position is that in Argentina different players were withdrawn from midfield to defence and from attack to midfield as the game evolved tactically. By and large, a 5 is a holding player, although as the likes of Gago demonstrate they don’t have to be solely defensive – they can act as a Franz Beckenbauer-like ‘libero’ instead (hence, in fact, Daniel Passarella’s nickname, El Kaiser).

What I can tell you is that the numbering in football (soccer) changes from country to country and changes in time too.

If it helps, the traditional numbering in Argentina (after they stopped using the old-fashioned 2-3-5 formations -a loooooooooong time ago-) was something like this:

1. GK
2 and 6 – Central defenders. Number 2 played on the right, Number 6 on the left, but both as centre-backs in a back line of four.
3 – Left back
4 – Right back
5 – Central midfielder
8 – Right side midfielder
10 – Left side midfielder
7 – Right side forward
11 – Left side forward
9 – Centre forward.

So…as a default, if you say: “Juego de 5″ (“I play as number 5″) you are saying “I’m a central midfielder”.

This, of course, is only the default, but most people in Argentina (even young kids) will understand if you say: “Play as a number 8″ or any number.

In Brazil is different.

Number 2 is the right full back and their order is different than ours.

In England is different too. Perhaps Sam can tell us a little bit about that, but I believe number 10 in their numbering system play a little bit further up front, compared to what we are used to here in Argentina. (?).

This system was respected a lot in the past, but not so much these days.

Then you have another factor which is the players’ favourite numbers. Sometimes they have nothing to do with their positions and yet they get to choose their favourite number.

And of course you have numbers that are bigger than 22 (a thing that was unthinkable in the past). In Mexico they can have numbers such as 76, 58, 94 and stuff that seems to be more of American football.

Hope it helps and let me know if you find a website with info on this, because I’d definitely give it a read.

Seperately, can anyone point me to a website that has a good explanation of the on-field numbering system in football? I want to understand that better. E.g. Gago as #5. TY. Chris

Why?

Apparently FIFA will ban Peruvian clubs to join the Copa Libertadores for an ongoing problem they have with the Peruvian FA.

This (they said in TyC Sports) will be confirmed in two days and the report suggested that the winner of the Copa Sudamericana (one from Internacional, Chivas, Argentinos Juniors and Estudiantes), Santos and Independiente will be invited to fill the spots of the Peruvian clubs.

Santos and Independiente for their tradition in the Copa Libertadores.

As a Racing fan…I say: BOLLOCKS to this! hahaha!