It was an hour before Game 7 in the 2017 second-round playoff series between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals, and Penguins players were assembled around the visiting locker room preparing for a tense game. Some guys were kicking around a soccer ball, others were stretching, some were zoning out listening to music through headphones.

Phil Kessel was sipping a coffee and talking to Rick Tocchet, then a Penguins assistant coach. Kessel noticed a chin-up bar.

"I bet you can't do 12 chin-ups," Kessel told Tocchet.

"Really?" said Tocchet, who was 53 but had played 18 seasons in the NHL.

"OK, what do you think? I'll bet you 100 bucks," Kessel said.

"Make it 200," Tocchet said.

Kessel said fine. Tocchet took off his suit jacket as Kessel called for his teammates to come watch.

"I had 20 players around me," Tocchet recalls. "They counted it off. I think I did 13 or 14. Phil looked at me and shook his head. He said, 'All right, Ricky' -- he calls me Ricky -- went into the locker room, grabbed 200 bucks and put it in my hand.

"The reason I like that story is because it shows who Phil is. It's a pressure situation, and we had some young guys. But Phil kept the guys loose. He brought the guys together, in a funny light. And yeah, we went on to win the game. I don't think it was because of that, but he knew the right time to get the guys loose."

The Penguins won the Stanley Cup that spring, and Tocchet was subsequently hired as head coach of the Arizona Coyotes. Two years later, he was reunited with Kessel when the Coyotes traded for the star winger this summer. It's an acquisition team president Ahron Cohen calls "among the biggest moves we've ever had as an organization." Since 2008-09, Kessel ranks fifth among NHL players in goals (327) and eighth in points (757). The 31-year-old -- known for his speed off the rush and being a lethal power-play threat -- is an Olympian and two-time Stanley Cup champion.

In other words, he brings a winning pedigree to a young team on the cusp. The Coyotes -- despite a rash of injuries and thanks to an impressive late-season push -- just missed the playoffs last spring, extending their postseason drought to seven years.

"In Phil's career so far, he's put up some unreal numbers, won championships and made a lot of dough," Tocchet said. "Now he's coming to an organization that has been trying to find their way over the years. We're trying to turn the corner. Phil comes in here, and if he can make this team better, just look at his legacy. It's going to skyrocket."

The Coyotes are hoping Kessel can boost their reputation, too. The winger's $6.8 million-per-year contract runs through the next three seasons.

"Historically, people have said, 'These guys aren't really spending that much,'" Cohen said. "This offseason, thanks to new ownership coming in [Alex Meruelo assumed majority ownership in July], we had an opportunity to bring Phil in. We're spending more money than we had previously. That sends a strong message to the fans."

Immediately after Kessel signed, Cohen reported a 600% increase in season-ticket sales. "And it was right over July 4th week, which is usually a slow time for doing anything, especially here when it's 120 degrees," Cohen said. There were significant spikes in social media engagement and media hits. The team also began selling "Phil The Thrill" T-shirts, which Cohen said are "selling very well."

Now available in The Den! pic.twitter.com/tlgBtDDgA5

— theCoyotesDen (@theCoyotesDen) July 20, 2019

As the NHL learns the importance of marketing its stars, bringing in a household name can do wonders -- especially for a team in a nontraditional market still working to build a fan base. That means the Coyotes will be asking Kessel to be more forward-facing.

The only problem?

It's not the pressure that will get to Kessel. After all, he was the fifth overall pick by Boston in 2006, and he has played for intense markets such as Toronto and Pittsburgh. He has been unflappable on the ice at every stage.

The issue is that Kessel -- after years of getting burned by stories and becoming meme-worthy for NHL fans due to his unique personality -- typically hates putting himself out there.

"Obviously, I think it comes with the territory," Kessel said. "I'll do what I have to do. I don't mind it, but I don't care to do it either."

Kessel was traded to the Penguins from Toronto in 2015 because, as Tocchet said, "Pittsburgh wanted to change a little personality in the dressing room." Getting along with teammates was never an issue.

"Phil marches to his own drum, but he has this way about him where anyone on the team really likes him," Tocchet said. "That's what I like about Phil. Phil being Phil, he doesn't really realize it, but he can fit in to any dressing room. Sidney Crosby loves him. Kris Letang loves him. The young guys love him."

Kessel would often complain to Tocchet that practices were too hard. It wasn't because he actually thought they were too hard but because it would make his teammates laugh and get them loose.

Head coaches typically have a hard time reaching every player, so in Pittsburgh, the assistants split the roster. Jacques Martin had his guys. Sergei Gonchar talked to Evgeni Malkin a lot. Tocchet created a relationship with a few players, including Kessel.

Kessel said he was instantly drawn to Tocchet "because he's a good person."

"We like a lot of the same things in life," Kessel said. "Golf, fishing, stuff like that."

People noticed that Tocchet and Kessel were close, and soon the coach gained a nickname: "The Phil Whisperer." Tocchet hated the nickname.

"Phil doesn't need a whisperer," Tocchet said. "He's misunderstood. A lot of the stuff people say about him, 90 percent of it isn't true."

Tocchet pointed to the most infamous story attached to Kessel. After Kessel was traded to Pittsburgh, a Toronto Sun columnist wrote that the person who would miss the winger the most in Toronto was the hot dog vendor he allegedly visited daily.

"He won't say it, but he doesn't even like hot dogs," Tocchet said. "Everybody talks about Phil and hot dogs. I don't think he's had even two hot dogs in his life. But for whatever reason, everyone thinks he likes hot dogs. He laughs about it. He doesn't try to squash it. He just laughs at it."

Asked why he doesn't try to clear his name or show off his true personality, Kessel is flippant. "I don't care," he said. "People can write what they want. They don't know me. Obviously only my close friends, who I share my inside life details with, they know me. They know me, and they know who I am. [Others] can think or write what they want."

Still, it's unrelenting. Kessel is the subject of a disproportionate amount of rumors and fascination. Just last week, a report by The Athletic said Malkin requested a trade if Kessel were to return to Pittsburgh's roster this season. Both players have denied any rift.

"I'm pretty sure the media likes to make up a lot of B.S.," Kessel said. "They always look for something to write about. It's mostly negative rather than positive for most guys, so it is what it is. I don't really care."

The Phoenix market is filled with transplants and snowbirds, and that's not news to the Coyotes. There are also plenty of hockey fans who attend Coyotes games because it's a destination. "They want to see their Pittsburgh Penguins or Boston Bruins, and they're going for a road trip to come see that," Cohen said. "Quite frankly, all the Phoenix teams deal with that as well. The Cardinals played their home opener, and 50 percent of the fans in the stands were Detroit Lions fans."

The Coyotes aspire for their arena to one day be filled with die-hard Coyotes fans. Said Cohen: "It's tough to get some of the older people who have strong allegiances to their other teams -- we're hoping to, and we're doing everything we can to turn them into Coyotes fans -- but our focus is more on getting the next generation of fans."

Cohen has seen plenty of studies that suggest millennials and Generation Z feel "more of a connection to individuals than teams or league," as he put it. The Coyotes have made a concerted effort to show off their players' personalities off the ice. The team puts out plenty of original video content, and it hired former player Paul Bissonette -- who amassed more than a million followers with a humorous Twitter account -- to the media team. Bissonette's most popular segment is a web series called "Pillow Talk," which is, well, exactly what it sounds like, featuring a rotating cast of Coyotes players.

"In terms of marketing Phil, that's where I think it's very important for us bringing in that marquee name that hockey fans -- both casual and avid -- do know," Cohen said. "I think Phil knows what he means to this team and this community as well. We're looking for good opportunities to showcase him and his personality. But I do know the best way to create excitement is winning games and getting people excited about this team."

Tocchet said that in Pittsburgh, it was easier for Kessel to opt out.

"In Pittsburgh, he was allowed to blow off the media and take off because there's enough people there to talk to," Tocchet said. "Here, he's probably going to take a big leadership chunk. He'll have to do a couple more things for us. He knows. He embraces it.

"But saying that, too, I don't want him out of his element. I don't want him where he's definitely having to talk to the media every day, where we're parading him around like a showpiece, where there's so much on his plate where he doesn't have to worry about hockey."

Kessel wasn't acquired just to sell tickets. Leveling up is the best way to generate interest, and Kessel can help this young team get there. Kessel's blasé attitude -- especially as it is portrayed in the media -- is actually one of his best on-ice assets. He's not linemate-dependent, he's not team-dependent, he doesn't get fazed by situations. He just produces.

And he doesn't seem fazed by any of the hype in Arizona. Asked if a team had ever created T-shirts for him like the "Phil The Thrill" ones the Coyotes put out, Kessel said, "I honestly don't know. And I don't know if you'll see that many. It is what it is. I don't really care either way."

Akshay Bhatia is taking the PGA Tour's recent youth movement to an entirely new level.

At just 17 years old, Bhatia bears the fresh face and thin frame you might expect of a typical high school senior. His golf game, however, is ready for the big time. At least that's the assertion of Bhatia and his close-knit team, as the teen sensation gets ready to make his pro debut this week at the Sanderson Farms Championship without ever setting foot on a college campus.

Bhatia's game is well-regarded in the amateur ranks. He won the prestigious Jones Cup, was ranked No. 5 in the world and just this month helped the U.S. to a Walker Cup victory at Royal Liverpool. Bhatia received social media well-wishes Wednesday from former world No. 1 Dustin Johnson, whose academy in South Carolina has been a frequent destination for the bespectacled southpaw as he honed his game.

Bhatia's fast track to the pros has not been an overnight decision. When he made his PGA Tour debut in March, missing the cut with rounds of 74-72 at the Valspar Championship, he told reporters that he and his parents had talked about his option to skip college since he was in the eighth grade.

"I have never liked school," Bhatia said. "I've never been very smart going in, sitting in a classroom, and I have the worst attention span when it comes to it. So I just love being outside, I love playing golf, and I just love competing. So my dad was like, 'You know what, let's just not go to college. Let's just not do it.' And I was like, 'Yeah, that's fine.' I'm an eighth-grader, of course I'm going to say no to school."

Bhatia's route since then has certainly been unique. While many teens toil on high school teams and municipal driving ranges, Bhatia would hit balls at Johnson's academy under the watchful eye of director of instruction Alan Terrell. He also works with George Gankas, another noted swing instructor who has worked with multiple Tour pros including Adam Scott and Matthew Wolff.

He's even made a splash on the equipment scene before hitting his first professional shot. While Bhatia was decked out in Taylor Made equipment at Innisbrook earlier this year, he announced this week that he had signed an equipment contract with Callaway. It all helps to build up expectations surrounding a phenom taking an uncharted path, one who insists he's not buying into his own hype.

"Expectations, I mean, I don't really have any," Bhatia told reporters Wednesday in Mississippi. "My coach, George, and I talked about not having any expectations going into every week. What happens, happens. I'm not going to dwell if I don't play well, or go ballistic if I do play well."

While Bhatia's accolades are numerous, the fate of players who have followed his college-free path is mixed. Ty Tryon became a cautionary tale after earning his PGA Tour card at age 16, while global teen sensations like Ryo Ishikawa and Matteo Manassero have faded from the spotlight in recent years.

Bhatia can take confidence from the recent success of Wolff, Collin Morikawa and Viktor Hovland, but his credentials are far less tested than any of the three were when they turned pro earlier this year. Instead he hopes to emulate last week's winner, Joaquin Niemann, who skipped college and found quick success as a pro before earning his first win at The Greenbrier at age 20.

"To see him finally break through and win, it was probably the coolest thing," Bhatia said. "It's inspiring to see that. I'm ready to get it going and see what I can do."

Bhatia will have a few chances to prove himself in the coming weeks. He was originally expected to make his pro debut next week at the Safeway Open, and he'll still play in Napa on a sponsor invite. The same goes for the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open the following week in Las Vegas. After that, he'll likely head to second stage of Korn Ferry Tour Q-School in an effort to earn some full-time status for 2020.

But it all starts this week in Mississippi, where he'll look to earn his first paycheck while proving that college experience isn't a requirement to be considered a young gun on the modern PGA Tour.

"Doesn't feel any different, actually. It's weird," Bhatia said. "I didn't know what to expect. It hasn't felt much different. I feel very comfortable this week, especially having the opportunity to play Valspar earlier this year which was kind of getting that 'wow' factor over with."

American viewers looking to watch a new four-man skins game exhibition in Japan featuring Tiger Woods and newly-minted FedExCup champ Rory McIlroy will be able to watch it on Golf Channel.

The event, called "The Challenge: Japan Skins" and also featuring Jason Day and Hideki Matsuyama, will be played Oct. 21 ahead of the inaugural Zozo Championship. All four players are slated to participate in the 72-hole event, with both the exhibition and regular tournament played at the Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in Chiba, Japan.

American viewers can tune into coverage on Golf Channel beginning at 11 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 20. Viewers outside the U.S. can watch the four-man match via GolfTV.

Woods, who has not played competitively since last month's BMW Championship, is expected to make the Zozo his next start. It will mark his first time inside the ropes in Japan since 2006.

"I haven't played a skins format in quite some time, so it will be fun to try something a little different and add a few strategic elements as we compete," Woods said in a release. "There has always been some friendly banter between us, and that will continue until we get to the first tee."

McIlroy, who is in the field this week at the BMW PGA Championship, won the $15 million prize for claiming the FedExCup title last month at East Lake and was recently voted PGA Tour Player of the Year. Like Day and Matsuyama, he'll be making his debut appearance in a televised exhibition match.

"There are so many fun elements to The Challenge that will have me wanting to take home that title - playing with Hideki on his home turf, Tiger coming back to Japan with a green jacket," McIlroy said. "The motivation is certainly there for me, and I'm a huge fan of the skins format. I love the way it rewards attacking play and think it suits my game quite well."

With a 1 p.m. local time start, the exhibition is expected to finish "under floodlights" according to a release, with each hole assigned a monetary value that will increase as the round progresses. Players will have to win a hole outright to take a skin, and the event will also feature "special in-match challenges and surprises."

It was the kind of start Rory McIlroy wanted in Round 1 of the BMW PGA Championship. And then it all went awry in head-scratching fashion.

McIlroy, teeing off in the morning wave at Wentworth Club in Surrey, England, eagled the par-5 fourth and birdied the par-4 fifth. He was quickly to 3 under par and just one shot off the early lead.

But McIlroy bogeyed the eighth, and then the ninth, and then the 10^th. If not for a lengthy par save at the 11^th, it would have been four consecutive dropped shots.

McIlroy two-putted for birdie at the par-5 12^th, only to give that shot back with a bogey at No. 13 and another at the 15^th.

With two par 5s to finish on the West Course, McIlroy appeared to have a chance to redirect the ship. Instead he sunk.

McIlroy’s tee shot at the 17^th went out of bounds. He re-teed and nearly knocked his second drive – third overall shot – into the same position, but was saved by forgiving tree limbs. He pitched out from the rough and finally hit the green with his fifth shot, making double bogey.

Using 3-wood off the tee at the 18th, McIlroy hit his tee shot way right and then hit a provisional. Because he found his original ball, but deemed it unplayable among the trees, he went back to the tee to hit – officially – his third shot. That went right as well, but just into the rough, from where he salvaged bogey.

The reigning FedExCup champion and PGA Tour Player of the Year, who is currently 34^th in the Race to Dubai standings, eventually signed for a 4-over-par 76, placing him 11 shots back of leader Matt Wallace.

This is likely another miss in McIlroy’s hit-or-miss career at Wentworth. He won the event in 2014, erasing a seven-shot deficit on the final day. Last year, making his first start in the event since 2015, he finished runner-up to Francesco Molinari. Aside from those two showings, however, McIlroy has missed the cut in his three other appearances here since 2012, only once breaking 74.

VIRGINIA WATER, England – For young Viktor Hovland the storybook start to his professional career continued on Thursday at the BMW PGA Championship. His opening 69 at Wentworth is his 18^th consecutive round in the 60s on the PGA Tour and European Tour.

Hovland tied the PGA Tour record for consecutive rounds in the 60s at last week’s Military Tribute at The Greenbrier with a closing 64, and he birdied the last two holes on Day 1 on the West Course to keep the momentum going.

Following his opening round, the 22-year-old rookie was asked if the streak was on his mind.

“Not really,” said Hovland, who pointed out that at last month’s Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship on the Korn Ferry Tour he posted two rounds in the 70s. “I don't think people noticed that. So, the streak isn't maybe as long as people think it is. But no, I didn't really think about that.”

Hovland had plenty of other reasons to focus on Thursday, including his pairing with next year’s European Ryder Cup captain Padraig Harrington.

“It's cool to be playing in front of them," said Hovland, who was tied for sixth place when he completed his round. "Thankfully I made some birdies today, and I just want to keep that up."

Arsenal boss Unai Emery said he has left Mesut Ozil out of the squad for the Europa League group stage trip to Eintracht Frankfurt because the German midfielder needs a rest, despite having only played 71 minutes of football this season.

Ozil, 30, made his first appearance of the campaign in Arsenal's 2-2 draw with Watford on Sunday, where he started and was replaced on 71 minutes by Reiss Nelson.

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However, he is not part of the squad which has travelled to Germany because Emery said he is keen to rotate.

"We are playing a lot of matches and I want to use different players, and also have some rotation in the first 11 and in the 19 players in the squad for [Frankfurt]," the former Paris Saint-Germain manager said.

"We are going to play another match on Sunday. My decision is because he [Ozil] played, and I decided who the players are who can be the best for tomorrow, and also the players not, and those are Sokratis [Papastathopoulos] and Mesut."

Thursday's clash in Frankfurt would have been Ozil's first return to Germany since he quit the national team after the 2018 World Cup, amid claims of racism.

Asked whether that was behind Emery's thinking, the Spaniard replied: "No."

Angel Di Maria has told ESPN that Paris Saint-Germain made Real Madrid "weak" in their emphatic 3-0 Champions League win over the 13-time European champions on Wednesday.

The Argentina international scored two first half goals at Parc des Princes as PSG seized early control of Group A, while Thomas Meunier added a late third.

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Speaking after the final whistle, Di Maria refuted that Madrid were weak on the night and insisted the French champions were responsible for their opponents' downfall.

"No, I think we made them weak," the 31-year-old said when asked if PSG expected such a lacklustre Madrid display. "Running so much, pressing so hard and doing our passing -- we know they struggle a lot trying to recover the ball. I think that was the most important thing we did.

"I am happy. Not because of the goals but because of how the game went. We trained for these past two days and it came out perfectly. This is the most important thing and we are very happy about that."

Despite the result, Di Maria -- who has now been involved in four of PSG's last six Champions League goals and is only the third player to score at least twice against Madrid or Barcelona in continental competition -- acknowledged it is just one result.

"No, this is just one game," he said when asked about the difference between the two sides. "Real remain Real.

"When we went to the dressing room [at half-time] leading 2-0, we knew that, if we relaxed, Real could score three or four more goals if they got just one. So, we returned with the same intensity to ensure that did not happen."

Di Maria spent four years with Real between 2010-14 and was a key figure in their 2013-14 Champions League success -- a 10th title -- before leaving for a short-lived spell with Manchester United.

"No, Real are special to me," he said when asked if the result was particularly satisfying for him. "I spent four wonderful years there. I won the Champions League and I think it is something that will always remain in my heart."

Di Maria also said it has not been the easiest start to the season with PSG because of the impact of the Copa America on the squad and a spate of early injuries.

"Yes, all good," he said of his fitness. "I am very tired -- we have played many games. We did not have the best preseason due to the Copa America. These matches are sometimes difficult. We have some injured players and we now have to try to recover as soon as possible."

Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness has attacked the "west German press" for their failure to defend Manuel Neuer in his ongoing row with Marc-Andre ter Stegen and warned Germany to stick with the Bavarian side's No. 1 ahead of the Barcelona goalkeeper.

Ter Stegen did not feature in Germany's Euro 2020 qualifying double header against Netherlands and Northern Ireland, which he said was a "massive blow" -- a comment Neuer responded to, describing it as not helpful.

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The comments have ignited a debate in Germany over who should be the national No. 1, and this was further intensified after Ter Stegen saved a penalty for Barcelona in the 0-0 Champions League group stage draw with Borussia Dortmund.

In March, Germany boss Joachim Low announced then Bayern trio Jerome Boateng, Mats Hummels and Thomas Muller would no longer be selected for the national side, and Hoeness said this latest situation is further proof of a national bias against his club.

"I think it's a joke," Hoeness said. "Especially the Munich press, it is not OK.

"The west German press act as if ter Stegen has already won 17 World Cups. But I don't see anything from the south German press. No support.

"I think it is outrageous that you can push an issue like that into the public. Because he [Ter Stegen] is just not entitled to play there. Goalkeepers are different to outfield players. You cannot just switch back and forth all of the time.

"The hierarchy must be clear, and the hierarchy means Manuel Neuer is the No. 1. He has been the best in the world for many years and now he was ruled out for a while with an injury but it was clear that once he returned to form, and he's done that now, there is just no discussion and only he can be the No. 1.

"And I had wished for more support from the German FA. They always put up a fuss. At first, the outrageous removal of the three players and how badly they were treated. And now the same all over again with Manuel Neuer.

"That you allow a teammate to go public for something he must only discuss with Jogi Low is not OK. We have a clear opinion and, in the future, we will not put up with our players being damaged without reason because Ter Stegen is a very good 'keeper, but Manuel Neuer is just so much better and more experienced.

"There is just no discussion for anyone in the world to doubt that Manuel Neuer should be in goal here in Germany and I read today that maybe [only] until the European Championship.

"He can play as long as he stays healthy. He will always be the best. End of story. We will light up the folks at DFB [German FA]. We are good at that."

Hoeness will leave his post as Bayern president after over 40 years at the club in November 2019

MEXICO CITY -- Enrique Bonilla isn't known for being brash. The Liga MX president is more comfortable in the day-to-day decision-making of running Mexico's first division than he is in front of the media. But when it comes to the alliance between Liga MX and MLS, Bonilla is direct: he's adamant that the partnership is going to impact club soccer in North America in a major way.

"A huge success for sports in the United States and a huge success for football in Mexico," is Bonilla's take on what's ahead for the partnership.

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The statement could be construed as hot air from a league president trying to get some attention, but it's worth taking a step back and considering just how big a claim it is, especially coming from the usually coy Bonilla.

Equally, it's worth considering how these two leagues could be a lot more intertwined in the future.

The relationship between MLS and Liga MX has intensified following the March 2018 announcement of a strategic partnership between the two, much more so than during the SuperLiga summer tournament that was held between 2007 and 2010. It has so far given rise to the birth of Campeones Cup, a one-off game featuring the MLS champion and Liga MX's Campeon de Campeones, and a potential All-Star game to be played further down the line.

Last May, the next stage of the partnership was unveiled with the inaugural Leagues Cup, featuring four teams from both leagues and culminating on September 18 with Cruz Azul beating Tigres in the final in Las Vegas.

Reception to the tournament has been lukewarm -- particularly after MLS teams didn't field full-strength teams due to scheduling issues -- but the future of this partnership goes a long way beyond Wednesday's final in Las Vegas.

According to what MLS commissioner Don Garber told ESPN last month, the "ultimate dream" is "a league that is combined in some way." So far, nobody seems to be shutting the radical idea down. The opportunity and momentum for collaboration off the back of the joint 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada has started to gather pace.

In fact, after collecting a range of opinions from owners, GMs, coaches, players and those involved in negotiations between Liga MX and MLS, the will to push the partnership forward is striking.

Baseball providing inspiration for MLS, Liga MX

"Everything is possible in this world," Bonilla told ESPN FC in Liga MX headquarters in Toluca recently when asked about plans for a joint league.

First up, it's worth pointing out that there isn't anybody sitting in a darkened office drawing up potential plans of how a league with 50 top-flight teams -- 30 from MLS, 20 from Liga MX -- could work. But that doesn't mean that the concept of a league that "is combined in some way" isn't guiding the alliance.

One idea gaining some early momentum, according to ESPN FC sources, is some form of interleague play like in Major League Baseball. The question of whether Liga MX and MLS teams could play each other in the future in regular-season play, like baseball franchises from the American League and National League do in the U.S., has been raised.

In MLB, teams from the two leagues didn't meet in regular-season play until 1997, over 90 years after it was first suggested. Before that, MLB teams from the two leagues only met at the World Series, or in exhibition games.

Interleague play with real points at stake would guarantee competitive games that matter. It may sound like a huge jump and there's a long way to go before it is consolidated as a fully formed vision, but if a 16-team and then a 32-team Leagues Cup tournament -- which is the goal for 2021 or 2022, with Bonilla also adamant that some games will be played in Mexico -- proves logistically possible and commercially successful, transferring that into actual league play isn't a giant step. And the concept of a Leagues Cup winner wouldn't necessarily have to be ditched.

The advantage of interleague play as opposed to a united league is that each league's structure and regulations -- salary caps, relegation, split seasons (in Liga MX's case), etc. -- wouldn't have to be fully in sync to make happen.

The Campeones Cup between the champions of both leagues, in theory, would subsequently grow in importance as the rivalries develop between the teams and leagues, becoming a World Series of sorts for North American soccer. The TV audience for the most recent edition between Atlanta United and Club America reached 1.5 million -- three times bigger than the recent "El Trafico" between LAFC and LA Galaxy.

But while the idea of combined league play and even a united league is still a ways away, the focus right now is on developing, expanding and improving Leagues Cup to "test the waters," according to one source close to the negotiations. Next year, eight teams from each league will qualify for the competition and there is a belief that MLS clubs will, given time to prepare and knowing about the tournament before the preseason, be more willing to field their first XIs.

"I think the MLS teams will see the tournament in a different way, now they realize that we sent the best we have, they have to realize that they have to send the best they have," said Bonilla.

Why the partnership makes so much sense

To be one of the top leagues in the world has long been the unashamed goal for MLS, while Liga MX has largely existed in a bubble as one the strongest leagues in CONCACAF and one of the richest in the Americas. Liga MX's significant internal market -- Mexico boasts the world's 15th largest economy -- is bolstered by the natural foreign enclave of dollar-wielding fans spawned from migration to the United States, where close to 40 million people of Mexican heritage reside.

The North American market is complicated by the "big four" sports leagues in the United States: NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL. But changing demographics and habits in the United States see soccer as tied for the second-most popular sport to watch for 18-to-34-year-olds, according to a 2018 Gallup poll.

"As MLS is growing to 30 clubs and Liga MX is still the most-watched league in the United States, there's a lot of potential there for a massive audience in 5-10 years' time if [Liga MX and MLS] can capitalize on the momentum of the 2026 World Cup," said Scott Minto, director of the Sports MBA program at San Diego State University.

For MLS owners, the fact that Liga MX has the highest TV ratings in the United States is of huge appeal. A total of 4.8 million in the United States watched the Liga MX 2018 Clausura final between America and Cruz Azul. More people in the United States tune in to watch Liga MX each weekend than the Premier League, and while MLS has made gains, it's yet to meaningfully close the gap on either of the aforementioned leagues.

Another asset for Liga MX is the existence of historic superclubs like Chivas and Club America. Las Aguilas have a bigger social media following than the Dallas Cowboys, while Chivas have more than all but three NFL franchises and a superclasico friendly earlier this month had an attendance of over 61,000 fans in Chicago.

For Leagues Cup, the attendance in Houston for the quarter and semifinals -- 20,315 and 22,532 -- was higher than the Dynamo has managed for any MLS game this season.

On the other side of the partnership, owners of Liga MX teams understand the benefits of growing the league in the United States, a market with greater consumer power than Mexico. But they're also aware of the value that MLS franchises possess. LAFC and New England Revolution were valued higher in a 2018 Forbes report than Chivas, Club America and every other Liga MX club. Thirteen MLS clubs made the list of top 50 most valuable clubs in the Americas, compared to 11 Liga MX institutions. That may not sound like a vast difference, but the rise in value of MLS franchises has been meteoric due to the increased demand from ownership groups to be part of the league.

"Tactically and technically, [MLS clubs] may be one or two rungs below [Mexican clubs], but in questions of administration, organization, infrastructure and understanding sport as a business, I think that they are a lot more advanced than us," said Ricardo Zayas, director of the Johan Cruyff Institute in Mexico City.

The number of obstacles when considering a deepening relationship between MLS and Liga MX appear overwhelming. Building this "slowly but firmly," as Bonilla repeats, makes sense and entices owners.

Other roadblocks could be the different schedules that the leagues operate on, as well as getting the thumbs up from FIFA and CONCACAF, who would both have to be on board and grant approval. Add to that list the problems of a disaster club like Liga MX's Veracruz; potential resistance from some Liga MX fans, who perceive MLS as being a step down; the instability at times within Liga MX ownership; bringing the players' associations on board; the travel and associated costs; MLS' poor record in matchups on the field; keeping owners onboard; and how to introduce interleague play with the uneven number of teams in each league.

But while there are impediments, there is no single impediment to definitively end the project. And while that remains the case, the push toward an expanded Leagues Cup, potential interleague play and even a united league is set to march on.

"Playing out from the back," the principle whereby teams begin passing moves from deep in their defensive third, has become increasingly popular but has yielded mixed results.

There is risk attached to adopting the tactic, particularly against teams that are using a high intensity pressing game to nullify it, but there are myriad tactical reasons why playing out from the back can be advantageous.

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The main -- and most important -- is to produce a better quality of service into front players. For years, particularly in England, forwards fought to gain possession of passes hit toward them from some 60 yards away. It is much easier for front players to receive passes and make better runs when balls are played into them from shorter distances.

Starting moves from deep also allows teams to make the pitch "bigger." Coaches have long used that term in relation to width, but with players dropping so far to receive the ball from their goalkeeper, as well as strikers threatening space behind opposing defenders, making the pitch "big" is equally applicable to length. This makes it more difficult for defending sides to remain compact.

A further benefit is that teams are able to dictate the flow of the game and dominate possession, whether changing points of attack with switches of play or being more penetrative with forward passing. There is also the chance to draw in the opposition, then play beyond pressure and use space between their midfield and defenders. Tottenham, for example, achieved this several times in the first half against Arsenal recently.

There are two ways to play out from the back. The first, more obvious method is to pass through defensive lines. Under Frank Lampard, Chelsea have gone from back to front via their midfield with relative ease, particularly in the first half against Manchester United on the opening weekend of the season.

The second sees a defender break out with the ball, which creates a numerical advantage in midfield and unbalances the opposition's defensive shape. Manchester United's Harry Maguire exploits the space in front of him better than any other player, but can only do so if the midfielders ahead of him clear a path.

But is playing out from the back for everyone? Too many teams and, more importantly, managers, find it difficult and I am not convinced that all are entirely on board with the reasons for adopting this tactic. Because when it goes wrong, the effect can be disastrous.

Take Arsenal as an example. Earlier this season against Burnley, who were set up to stop the Gunners having easy possession from goal kicks, they continually gave the ball away in dangerous areas, and, on Sunday, conceded against Watford following a similar lapse, which proved manager Unai Emery had not learned anything. Will he continue to use this method in future matches?

Players are equally culpable. Some goalkeepers, including Hugo Lloris of Tottenham and Arsenal's Bernd Leno, do not have the ability or decision-making skills to always pick the right pass, while midfield players drop too deep and in doing so, clog space that is needed to play out.

Meanwhile, many centre-backs fail to recognise opportunities to run with the ball into space and the same defenders will also pass to their full-backs, who have no other option but to pass back to the goalkeeper, defeating the object of trying to attack from the back.

The most common fault, though, occurs when the chance has been created to be penetrative and cut through the opponents' defensive lines, only for players to turn away, preferring to keep possession by passing square or backward. Think of Tottenham's performance against Liverpool in the Champions League final.

The best team at playing out from the back -- their defeat to Norwich notwithstanding -- is Manchester City. When Pep Guardiola took over as manager, he had a clear vision of what was needed to be successful and central to that was a goalkeeper who excelled with the ball at his feet.

As such, Guardiola replaced Joe Hart first with Claudio Bravo, who was good in possession but made too many mistakes in other areas of his game, and then with Ederson, who is probably the best goalkeeper in the world when receiving back passes.

Even if the opposition push players high up the pitch to match City numerically, Ederson becomes a spare player and his range of passing is vast. If under pressure, he can go long into his front players or behind the opponents' defence -- he set up goals last season for Sergio Aguero and Raheem Sterling with long clearances -- and the Brazilian's decision-making is almost flawless.

But while it is true that you need good players, the most important aspect of playing out from the back is the manager's ability to understand how to create space and, by doing so in different ways, this is where Guardiola is at his best:

- When midfield players vacate the central area, passing avenues into front players are created.
- Emptying the same area allows full-backs to receive the ball unchallenged when they make a run into central midfield.
- By pushing full-backs infield at the right time, central defenders have clear passing routes into attacking wide players.
- Defenders have the option, when they are closed down in possession, to play beyond that pressure to a front three that know where the ball is going to be played.

By understanding how to create space and what they are trying to achieve, allied to decision-making, rarely do City look as though they are taking risks when starting moves from deep. Yet the mistakes against Norwich, particularly the third goal where Nicolas Otamendi was not aware he was being closed down, shows the need for precision and concentration.