An overview of how the World Cup in Qatar 2022 has changed the lives of First Division teams – or not.
They say life is what happens between the World Cup and the World Cup. That sentence seems to make sense. And it is that the World Cup arouses too much interest in people’s lives. But also in the life of the clubs.
The atypical intercontinental championship (it was played mid-season for the first time in history) has largely changed the dynamics of First Division teams. Football problems, injuries, moods, physical and mental exhaustion or whatever, things haven’t been the same in LaLiga since Argentina got its third world star.
In this sense, it is worth taking a look at how the 20 First Division clubs have fared after the world championship played in Qatar at the end of 2022.
The Madrid, without champions
Real Madrid, who look destined to finish runners-up to FC Barcelona in 2022-23 LaLiga, would be out of the Champions League positions if only the points gained after the World Cup were added up. Yes, in an imaginary ranking that included matches from matchday 15 (the World Cup break started after matchday 14), Carlo Ancelotti’s team would be fifth with 21 points out of a total of 36.
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Atleti would give Barça a fight
And Barcelona, which appears to have served the championship on a silver platter, would see Atlético de Madrid as a potential threat on their way to the title: the Catalans would have 31 points to Atleti’s 27. In other words, the leader would not move 12 points to second as it is now, but only four.
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Celta, in the Champions League
It is hard to imagine Celta playing in the Champions League next year, but in that imaginary ranking, the Galicians would only be behind Barça and Atlético. Those from Vigo would add 22 points, the same as Real Sociedad, classified fourth in that fictional ranking (the Basques occupy the same place in the real ranking).
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On the other hand, life for Betis has not changed much after the World Cup. At the moment, Pellegrini’s team is in fifth place and three points behind Real Sociedad, which is trying to participate in the next edition of the Champions League. In the post-Qatar League, the Verdiblancos would be classified sixth and one point behind the Champions League (Celta and Real Sociedad).
On the descent the same three
There is a coincidence between the teams that would go to the Second Division if only the points obtained after the World Cup in Qatar were added. And it is that Almería, Elche and Valencia would also have been classified as the last three, as actually happens. However, Elche would face a life sentence as they would be only two points behind Real Valladolid, the team that would save them. At the moment, the team from Elche seems doomed to relegation and is 14 points behind Espanyol, the last to be saved.
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The tranquility of Seville and the suffering of Athletic
When it comes to relegation, Sevilla would be very calm. José Luis Mendilibar’s current team is two points from relegation, but it would be seven if the days after the World Cup were counted. The Sevillans would finish ninth and would be five points clear of the Champions League places.
And Athletic, currently in the Conference League (seventh place), have added so few points after the World Cup (12 out of 36) that they would be two out of relegation to finish 15th.
Imaginary ranking after the World Cup
Real Classification of LaLiga 2022-23
Source: Goal