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Should big clubs be playing much smaller clubs in their pre-season friendlies?

Ahead of the new football season, many clubs will take part in friendly games. Some of the biggest teams in Europe will face much smaller teams, but do these games actually do either team any good? We saw some huge scorelines at the weekend, which further emphasised the point that these games are now pointless and need to be scrapped. Of course, teams should play friendly games to help them prepare for the upcoming season and build fitness, but their opponents have to be selected better than they are doing at the moment.

The team to hit the headlines this weekend was Everton, who played a fifth tier Austrian team to end their trip to the country. They won the game 22-0 and in the end, the game was nothing other than a farce and a waste of time for both clubs. This was a stroll in the park for Everton, who learnt nothing from it and it was nothing but an embarassement for their opposition, who couldn’t wait to get off the field after the game had finished.

Not only does the score do nothing for each team, but it also prevents fans from enjoying the game. No one wants to attend such a one-sided game, and even Everton fans would have been bored during the game, they don’t want to see a team humuiliated, they want to watch a fair test between two teams. With seemingly no one benefiting from a game like this, should a minimum level be introduced when it comes to opposition that teams of the highest level are allowed to play, in an attempt to keep things competitive? Anything under this level, the team has to play their youth team in an attempt to keep things relative and competitive.

Italian Clubs Also Record Huge Wins in Friendlies

This problem doesn’t just concern Everton and English football as we saw two huge wins in Italy too this weekend. Sampdoria and Fiorentina recorded big margin victories over smaller teams in similar games to the Everton one where no one saw a benefit.

Sampdoria won 15-0 against Sellero Novelle, while Fiorentina won 17-0 against U.S. Borgo. The four teams involed here learnt nothing from their experience, the fans didn’t enjoy the game and there isn’t one positive to talk about. Friendlies are all about working towards the league campaign, and gradually picking up fitness but they do need to be competitive and at least give the fans something to watch.

While top teams do not want to play against each other in these games which is understandable, it may now be time to set a recommended minimum level of competition for the top teams. For example, teams can only play someone else that is a maximum of three levels below them. Anything less than that and the big team sends their youth or reserve team to play, to try and avoid huge humiliating defeats like the three we have seen this weekend.

While these games were only friendlies, I don’t think anyone enjoyed what they saw this weekend.