I don't think they've actually done anything there, being kept apart based on winning the group is a 1:2 chance. As corrupt as FIFA are, I think Platini's just stirring.
I don't think they've actually done anything there, being kept apart based on winning the group is a 1:2 chance. As corrupt as FIFA are, I think Platini's just stirring.
No-one can 'fix' the World Cup. Depending on where you finish in the group, you go into a different part of the draw.
You still have to win all the knock-out stage games to get to the final.
Where it can be slanted in your favour is in the choice of hotels and stadiums and the number of days between games and distance to be travelled.
And of course the country that hosts the tournament is a big factor. European teams do poorly in hot climates.
The path is mapped out though. This year we know that first and second from our group will each play one of Columbia, Senegal, Japan or Poland. The two teams that win in that round are virtually guaranteed to play Brazil and Germany respectively. You can have a fairly good idea of who you’re going to play.
No-one can 'fix' the World Cup. Depending on where you finish in the group, you go into a different part of the draw.
You still have to win all the knock-out stage games to get to the final.
Where it can be slanted in your favour is in the choice of hotels and stadiums and the number of days between games and distance to be travelled.
And of course the country that hosts the tournament is a big factor. European teams do poorly in hot climates.
The two last world cups have bucked that trend... Spain won in South Africa against Holland and Germany in Brazil v Argentina.
With modern methods of game prep, training (and so on), advantages that may have favoured South American teams (Argentina and Brazil) have been levelled.