Victor Orta, the director of football for Sevilla, sees a Leagues Cup format competition between LaLiga and the Premier League as a real possibility. It would not be the exact same as what Major League Soccer and Liga MX did in 2023. However, it would feature each team in the Spanish top flight and the English top flight. The goal is to determine the best league in Europe, with some monetary incentives along the way.
A better comparison to Orta’s idea would be the Ryder Cup. The biennial golf competition pits players in individual matches from the United States against Europe. It lasts three days, and it has five rounds of matches. Orta suggested that each team in LaLiga would play against one team in the Premier League. To simplify things, it would be the No. 1 team in LaLiga against the No. 1 team in the Premier League.
“In the summer, play the champions of the Premier League against the champions of La Liga, second in Premier League against second in La Liga, third against third … promoted teams against promoted teams,” Orta said.
For those promoted teams, it would be a rare opportunity to play against European opposition, as it would be for many mid-table teams in each league. For example, Bournemouth would have played Getafe based on placements in the 2022/23 campaign. Yet, for clubs at the top of the table, there are some likely fixtures in traditional European competition. Champions Barcelona would have played champions Manchester City, and Arsenal would have faced off against Real Madrid. Each of those teams looks likely to reach the Champions League knockout stage this season. Therefore, those matchups could happen.
One of the big similarities Orta suggested that would make this competition like the Leagues Cup is where it would take place. Liga MX and the Premier League played each game in the United States, even if the game featured two Mexican clubs. Orta suggested this tournament could be in the United States.
“Maybe go to the US, play there. Three points for a win, two for a win on penalties, one for a loss,” Orta said.
By the end of the competition, the league with more points wins the tournament. There are concerns from a sporting perspective about how balanced the event would be. LaLiga may have Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid to challenge some of the elites in the Premier League. However, the consensus is that the Premier League is the deepest league in the world. West Ham, which won the Europa Conference League last season, only finished 14th in league play. They would pose a major challenge to Cadiz in LaLiga.
Orta made the suggestion upon his return to English soil. As an executive with Sevilla, he is traveling to London as the Spanish side takes on Arsenal in matchday four of the UEFA Champions League. He witnessed the Premier League’s dominance during his time with Leeds. The English league raced away from the rest of the world because of its ability. The snowball effect of popularity made it stand out against any other league. Orta wants LaLiga to stay competitive with the Premier League.
If it wants to measure itself against the Premier League, a Leagues Cup competition would be one of the few ways to see a test for all clubs involved.
PHOTOS: IMAGO.
