More Important – Cup or League?

As clubs all across Europe prepare to enter the vital stretch run of the campaign, quite a few managers will have to make some tough decisions and prioritize which matches are the most important for their club. Every season we have managers, especially at the bigger clubs, who frequently will sit key players in matches they feel don’t require their best players for their team to win or simply so that their players are rested for more important matches. Sometimes, this strategy backfires though.

For instance, this season Manchester United and Arsenal have already made shock exits from the English FA Cup due to fielding far less than their best XI. This happens quite frequently in the early rounds of domestic cups as teams underestimate their opponent and look forward to league and European play.

With all of the trophies yet to be decided, it will be very interesting to see where each club’s priorities lay. Liverpool find themselves struggling to reclaim a coveted Champion’s League spot, and even with a possible nine Europa League matches ahead of them (if they make the Final) Rafa Benitez surely will focus his club’s sights on the league. On the other hand, a club like Aston Villa, who haven’t won a trophy in quite some time, may view things a little differently. Martin O’Neill has his men on the verge of a Carling Cup title and Villa also may see an opportunity to win the FA Cup this season with many of the typical favorites gone. But at the same time, Villa sit in 7th in the Premier League and are only three points out of 4th with a game in hand over Liverpool and Spurs. At a club desperate for trophies, O’Neill may find himself focusing on the cups and putting off top four hopes until next season.

In the end, it really depends on the club’s situation. Liverpool have a history of doing well in the Champion’s League and missing out on the top four could be potentially devastating for such a storied club. While in a similar position in the league, Villa make look at the chance to win trophies domestically and say ‘Let’s go for it’ especially with the knowledge that lack of depth and poor quality would probably mean an early exit in the Champion’s League anyways. Furthermore, Spurs have won cups in recent history so they are probably more likely to go for fourth…and so on, and so on…

It will surely be a fantastic finish to an already tremendous season, but don’t be too shocked if you don’t see your favorite players sitting out a match or two or six.

There is one thing I know for sure though, if I was 25 years old, extremely talented, and being paid as much money as players make today playing the greatest sport in the world, I think I’d find the energy to give 100% for 90 minutes every match to do everything I could to help my team win.

By RJ Sepich, Villa4Life11