Turnierergebnisse » Barcelonas midfield held down by Andres Iniesta,

This story is part of ESPN The Magazines Oct. 31 NBA Preview Issue. Subscribe today!Toronto Maple LeafsOverall: 118 Title track: 100 Ownership: 93 Coaching: 18 Players: 112 Fan relations: 113 Affordability: 122 Stadium experience: 107 Bang for the buck: 121 Change from last year: +4It took just one season for the all-world leadership corps of president Brendan Shanahan, GM Lou Lamoriello and head coach Mike Babcock to make an impact in Toronto: For the first time in three years, the Maple Leafs did not finish dead last in our standings.Whats goodNot much, at least not yet. The Leafs finished 30th out of 30 teams in the NHL standings in 2015-16, missing the playoffs for the 10th time in 11 tries. But Babcock warned that things would get worse before they got better when he left the Red Wings -- where he won the Stanley Cup in 2008 -- for hockeys highest-profile job in 2015. Long-suffering fans have bought into Babcocks plans: Coaching jumped 20 spots, to No. 18, despite the dismal first-year results. There is cautious optimism in Canadas biggest city these days as the rebuild continues. It grew further when Toronto won the draft lottery and took American center Auston Matthews with the top overall pick. Fellow blue-chippers William Nylander and Morgan Reilly are already on board, and Torontos goaltending should be better thanks to the acquisition of former Ducks backstop Frederick Andersen.Whats badDespite the optimism, not all is rosy in Toronto. Its no coincidence that the Leafs are our lowest-ranked NHL team for the ninth consecutive season. They have the worst fan relations in the league (113th overall). Their average ticket price ($113.66) is an astounding 25 bucks more than the next-most expensive in the NHL and almost double the league average. That makes the laughable Leafs the least affordable team to support in North America. Not surprisingly, those who pay through the nose for an inferior product (mainly corporate types, resulting in unoccupied seats and a lifeless atmosphere at Air Canada Center) also get the worst bang for their buck in hockey.Whats newLook, its always going to cost top dollar to attend a Leafs game. Hockey rules Toronto, regardless of the standings. But real change is happening. Shanahan, Lamoriello and Babcock own three of the sharpest minds in the sport, and they have been afforded the time and Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainments vast resources in the hopes of snaring, eventually, the clubs first Cup since 1967. Leafs Nation can feel it: Title track jumped 20 spots this year. Even long-hated MLSE is winning hearts and minds, with ownership up 22 spots.Full rankings Rod Carew Twins Jersey . Now, with Game 6 set for Fenway Park and an 8:07 p.m. ET first pitch, the Detroit Tigers face the unenviable task of having to beat the Boston Red Sox twice, on the road, to advance to the World Series. Jake Odorizzi Jersey . It was hard for Luck to pull off another comeback, or even get into the end zone, while standing on the sideline. Rivers threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to rookie Keenan Allen and Nick Novak kicked four field goals to give the Chargers a 19-9 victory against the Colts on Monday night. http://www.twinssale.com/twins-kirby-puckett-jersey/ . Then the Pacers gave Oladipo and his Orlando teammates the cold shoulder. Paul Georges buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter spurred a 21-4 run, finally sending Indiana past the Magic 97-87 in a tougher-than-expected opening night matchup. Max Kepler Twins Jersey . Thats about all he can do right now, so hes trying not to think about when he might be able to play again for the Los Angeles Lakers. Mitch Garver Twins Jersey . This should be celebrated because it will not always be this way. With the amount of money given to players by their clubs these days, it is a wonder that so many of those teams allow the sport to continue to take away many of their assets so they can play for a different team in the middle of their season. BARCELONA, Spain -- Bayern Munich secured the transfer of midfielder Thiago Alcantara from Barcelona on Sunday, reuniting him with coach Pep Guardiola. Barcelona said that Bayern had agreed to pay the Spanish club 25 million euros for Thiago. The deal also included an agreement to play a friendly match between the two clubs at some point in the next four years. Bayern said that Thiago would sign a four-year contract and that the cost to the German club would only reach (euro)20 million, with proceeds from the friendly and an agreement by Thiago to forego personal payments making up the difference. Chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said the 22-year-old Thiago "was the great wish of our new coach, Pep Guardiola." Rummennigge added that Thiago "is a fantastic player with great prospects who will strengthen Bayern," the Bundesliga and Champions League title holder. Thiago helped Spains under-21 team win the European championship last month, scoring a hat trick in the final against Italy. Born in Italy to Brazilian parents, Thiago came up through Barcelonas training academy and debuted for its first team in 2008. Guardiola made Thiago a fulltime first-team player in 2011-12 and he played in 45 games, but injuries limited him to 36 appearances last season under coach Tito Vilanova as Barcelona won the Spanish league title. Yet despiite his displays of playmaking, dribbling and a good shot from distance, he was never able to become a first-choice starter in Barcelonas midfield held down by Andres Iniesta, Xavi Hernandez and Cesc Fabregas.dddddddddddd Guardiola said this week that Thiago was a "super player" and that he was urging Bayern to sign him. Thiagos contract with Barcelona had a buyout clause of (euro)90 million, but it included the stipulation that if he played in less than 60 per cent of the games in a season the buyout price would be lowered to just (euro)18 million. Barcelona club president Sandro Rosell said on June 13 that he hoped Thiago would "follow the steps of Xavi (Hernandez), (Andres) Iniesta and the other players who have become references for this club." "I understand that the player wants to play, but even Xavi had to wait. I hope he has the patience that others have shown," he said. However, playing time would have been even harder to come by at Barcelona with the arrival of Neymar, and Thiago had been linked to moves to several clubs including Manchester United. Thiagos transfer to Bayern follows the signing of Germany midfielder Mario Goetze from Borussia Dortmund. Thiagos brother, Rafina, is also under contract with Barcelona and played for its "B-team" in the second division last season. ' ' '