Port proximity

Porto against Braga in the Europa League final.  That's pretty interesting.  In an era of clasico galore, we now, for the first time in history, have a real derby in in a European final.  That does not mean we have not seen bitter rivals in finals before, but distance wise we have never really seen a derby. Milan-Inter in the semis 2003 was as close as we got.

Oporto and Braga are according to google maps 55.9 km from each other.  No one has ever been near that close before.  Here are a few finals played between clubs within close range:

• Milan-Juventus, Champions League final 2003: 141 km
• Mechelen-Ajax, Cupwinners' cup final 1988: 182 km
• Tottenham-Wolverhampton, UEFA cup final 1972: 209 km
• Parma-Juventus, UEFA cup final 1995: 243 km
• Manchester United-Chelsea, Champions League final 2008: 334 km
• Real Madrid-Valencia, Champions League final 2000: 355 km
• Juventus-Fiorentina, UEFA cup final 1990: 422 km

Same work, same pay?

There's been yet another listing of the best paid players in the world.  Although it is fun to see who is overpaid and underpaid (Flamini is for example the fourth best paid player in Milan, whereas Pato and Thiago Silva are not on the list, and Kuranyi is the best paid German player), I would like to take a look at club, league and nationality level.

You see all the listings below.  Here is a summary of surprising and (mostly) unsurprising findings in most random order:

• Manchester City may make fourth spot and Champions League next year, but it is still the most underachieving team in the world in comparison to salary expenses.  Liverpool and Juventus are good runners-up
• My dear oh dear Spurs, what did you do to find such a strong squad? I would have expected to see Bale, Modric and van der Vaart on the list, but no. And given the number of English players on the list, Lennon, Defoe and Crouch should be there too
• Schalke may have been "embarrassing" last night, but we should keep in mind that seven of the United players were better paid than the best, and only, well paid Schalke player.  Neuer should be able to get quite a good raise.
• On the other hand, when Spurs go to City on 10 May, it is possible that all City players will be better paid than any Spurs players.  And here I am sulking over being 4 points behind
• Milan should really try and sell Flamini
• The Dutch are not at all the greedy negotiators they are supposed to be
• The Brazilians are even worse, but that may be less surprising
• Some sort of seniority bonus seems to apply.  Or is it just that the older people look for money and the younger for opportunity to grow?
• If one were to make a world 11 based on salary (4-2-3-1 system) it would look like this: Casillas - Alves, Terry, Ferdinand, Cole - Yaya Toure, Lampard - Messi, Kaka, Ronaldo - Torres.  Not exactly how I would have lined it up
• Germany has one power-house, but otherwise the salary list is yet another proof of the the most democratic top league in Europe
• The image of Russian/Ukrainian oligarcs pumping money into their local teams is only partially true.  No Shaktar players on the list. But Kuranyi is arguably the most over-paid player in the world
• The real over-achievers in Champions League are Schalke, Spurs, Shaktar, Valencia and Copenhagen
• Players on the list that played in the Champions League group stage and qualified for the next round: 78
• Players on the list that played in the Champions League group stage and did not qualify for the next round: 1 (shame on you, Thorsten Frings, 93rd spot)
• Any blatant thing I missed?

Here's how the players are spread, club by club:

1Real Madrid 12 (1, 6, 8, 26, 27, 28, 43, 44, 50, 62, 71, 88)
2City 11 (4, 9, 19, 21, 22, 39, 41, 51, 52, 74, 99)
3United 9 (5, 20, 53, 54, 56, 60, 70,  94, 100)
4 Barcelona 8 (2, 15, 16, 17, 18, 32, 48, 92)
5 Chelsea 8 (3, 12, 13, 23, 25, 30, 58, 76)
6 Inter 7 (10, 36, 64, 65, 86, 87, 98)
7 Milan 6 (7, 33, 63, 66, 84, 89)
8 Bayern München 5 (11, 38, 40, 79, 83)
9 Liverpool 5 (14, 24, 42, 55, 72)
10 Juventus 4 (31, 49, 78, 85)
11 Arsenal 3 (29, 57, 73)
12 Lyon 3 (59, 80, 81)
13 Marseille 3 (68, 75, 96)
14 Atletico 2 (47, 69)
15 Roma 2 (35, 61)
16 Sevilla 1 (34)
17 Dinamo Moscow 1 (37)
18 Leverkusen 1 (45)
19 Flamengo 1 (46)
20 Galaxy 1 (67)
21 Cardiff 1 (77)
22 Schalke 1 (82)
23 Hamburg 1 (90)
24 Fluminese 1 (91)
25 Werder Bremen 1 (93)
26 Wolfsburg 1 (95)
27 NY Red Bulls 1 (97)

And by league:
1 England 37 (5 clubs+1 Welsh club in the Championship)
2 Spain 23 (4 clubs, with two accounting for 20)
3 Italy 19 (4 clubs)
4 Germany 10 (6 clubs)
5 France 6 (2 clubs)
6 Brazil 2 (2 clubs)
7 U.S. 2 (2 clubs)
8 Russia 1

And by nationality (domestic players in bold)
1 England 16 (5, 12, 13, 14, 20, 23, 24, 39, 42, 51, 52, 55, 67, 70, 72, 99)
2 France 11 (11, 27, 36, 50, 54, 58, 59, 66, 76, 96, 97)
3 Spain 11 (3, 15, 16, 17, 26, 29, 32, 48, 71, 74, 82)
4 Argentina 10 (2, 9, 28, 47, 64, 68, 75, 81, 87, 92)
5 Italy 9 (21, 31, 33, 35, 49, 61, 63, 78, 85)
6 Germany 8 (37, 38, 43, 44, 45, 79, 83, 93)
7 Brazil 7 (6, 46, 65, 80, 84, 95, 98)
8 Holland 6 (40, 53, 73, 86, 89, 90)
9 Portugal 4 (1, 62, 88, 91)
10 Ivory Coast 3 (4, 22, 25)
11 Serbia 2 (41, 94)
12 Wales 2 (60, 77)
13 Sweden 1 (7)
14 Togo 1 (8)
15 Cameroon 1 (10)
16 Bosnia 1 (19)
17 Czech Republic 1 (30)
18 Mali 1 (34)
19 Bulgaria 1 (56)
20 Russia 1 (57)
21 Uruguay 1 (69)
22 Korea 1 (100)