International Soccer

Champions League Semifinal Matches Are Set

POSTED 4/24/2018

The UEFA Champions League tournament is down to its "final four."  Roma plays at Liverpool tonight in the first leg of their home-and-home matchup.  Tomorrow night reigning champion Real Madrid faces off against Bayern in Munich in their first leg.  Both games will be broadcast by Fox Sports, ESPN Deportes and others in the US.  Kickoff is at 2:45 PM Eastern Time.

Note: The away goals rule applies to these tournaments.  The away goals rule is a method of breaking ties when teams play each other twice, once at each team's home ground. By the away goals rule, the team that has scored more goals "away from home" will win if scores are otherwise equal.

UEFA Champions League Semi-finals - First Leg

POSTED 4/25/2018

Liverpool defeats Roma 5-2

Powered by a brilliant performance by ex-Roma star Mohamed Salah (2 goals and 2 assists), Liverpool defeated Roma in the first leg of their Champions League matchup 5-2.  The series now moves to Rome.  Roma still has a chance to move to the finals.  To do so, they would have to defeat Liverpool by 3 goals and not concede more than one.

"Liverpool's Mohamed Salah stole the headlines in Italy and England after his heroics at Anfield on Tuesday night against Roma, but there was still a warning -- greater in the Italian media than in the English papers -- that this Champions League semifinal tie still has some legs on it following a 5-2 win for the Reds.

The Sun: "There is no stopping Mo Salah. Surely there is no stopping Liverpool. If they can hold their nerve inside the Olympic Stadium next week, they will reach the Champions League final [in Kiev next month]. There will be doubts, some recriminations - and rightly so - after gifting Roma two late goals at Anfield. By then Liverpool had scored five, racing away with this first leg because Salah was at his compelling best. He scored two and made two in a remarkable -- and frankly ridiculous -- Liverpool performance. When Salah was substituted, Liverpool lost their rhythm."

La Gazzetta dello Sport: "It seemed like it was all over after Barcelona, but we all know how that ended. With a magnificent Roma able to go and get one of the most entrancing qualifications ever. It all seemed lost at 5-0 but a proud Roma, with some tactical modifications, took themselves the possibility of playing their chance in the return leg with Liverpool. Because while it is true that this is still a heavy defeat, Roma have shown once again that they are alive, they have the character in their coach and that they can punish any momentary relaxation of the English players who were anything but invulnerable."

Real Madrid defeats Bayern 2-1

"Marco Asensio came on as a second-half substitute [for Real Madrid] and scored the winner off the bench, with Real Madrid taking a 2-1 win over Bayern Munich in the opening leg of their Champions League semifinal matchup.  Joshua Kimmich had opened the scoring for Bayern, but Marcelo pulled Real Madrid even just before halftime to kick-start the reigning champions...Bayern found the breakthrough in the 28th minute, and it came from an unlikely source. Kimmich, the versatile right back, got in behind on the right channel and beat Navas with a powerful near-post finish, giving the hosts a 1-0 lead...Thomas Muller thought he'd given Bayern a 2-0 lead in the 43rd minute, when Rafinha took a lay-off pass from Franck Ribery and crossed to the right side of the box, only for Muller to have his powerful first-time effort blocked by Sergio Ramos.

"Real Madrid tilted the scales a minute later through, Marcelo, who more than made up for his lax defending on Kimmich's goal. His left-footed rocket from the top of the box beat Ulreich and leveled the score, and, more importantly, gave Real Madrid a vital away goal...Bayern nearly answered immediately on a free kick, with James's curled service finding Lewandowski on the doorstep, only for his header to bounce right into Navas's gut...Real Madrid took the lead in the 57th minute through Marco Asensio, who had entered the match at halftime for Isco. A giveaway by Rafinha sparked a Real Madrid counter, with Lucas Vazquez playing Asensio in position to finish with his left to make it 2-1."  (Sports Illustrated, Apr 25)

Real Madrid and Liverpool Advance to Champions League Finals

POSTED 5/2/2018

Two hard fought games in the second leg of the Champions League sent Real Madrid and Liverpool to the finals.  Both had a one-point margin in the aggregate score.

Real Madrid advanced after turning back a determined Bayern team in Madrid.  The 2-2 tie allowed Real Madrid to move on to the finals based on an aggregate score of 4-3.  Karim Benzema scored both of Real Madrid's goals.  Real Madrid is the defending champion of the Champions League.

At home, Roma defeated Liverpool 4-2, but fell short in the aggregate 6-7.  Another miracle comeback was not to be for the Italian team.  Liverpool moves on to its first Champions League final since 2007.  

UEFA Champions League Final

Ronaldo v Salah – the head-to-head set to define Champions League final 

POSTED 5/26/2018

UK Guardian, May 26: "Mohamed Salah, in the red of Liverpool, and Cristiano Ronaldo, in the white of Real Madrid, will be expected to score goals worthy of European football’s annual showpiece. In that sense the two men play the same role but in very different ways and with strongly contrasting personal styles."

"A 33-year-old Portuguese who has spent the last dozen years competing with Barcelona’s Lionel Messi for the title of the world’s best player, Ronaldo has preened and strutted like a superstar since he was a teenager. In big matches he celebrates his goals by removing his jersey to reveal an astonishing display of musculature, tanned, oiled and depilated to perfection; it is honed by a ferocious fitness regime involving exposure to temperatures reaching -200C in a cryotherapy chamber, high-pressure water massages and improbable numbers of one-armed press-ups...

"Salah, an altogether less self-conscious figure, spent an inconclusive season at Chelsea in 2014-15 before moving to Roma and rebuilding his career effectively enough to attract the interest of Liverpool’s manager, Jürgen Klopp. He returned to England a year ago for a fee of £36.9m ... and is now the idol of the red half of Merseyside and all of Egypt."

Real Madrid defeats Liverpool, 3-1, for third straight Champions League title

POSTED 5/27/2018

Real Madrid defeated Liverpool 3-1 in Kiev to take their third straight Champions League Final.  An incredible scissor-kick by second half Real Madrid substitute Gareth Bale, two errors by Liverpool goalie Loris Karius, and a game-ending injury at the 30th minute to Liverpool's scoring machine Mohamed Saleh sealed Liverpool's fate.

With Madrid's victory, the European 2017-2018 soccer seasons are over. The players on the national teams now prepare for the World Cup, which begins in Moscow on June 14. Links to the final standings of the major European leagues are given below.

Bundesliga  - Champion  Bayern München               La Liga - Champion Barcelona           Premeira Liga - Champion Porto    

Premier League - Champion Manchester City         Serie A - Champion Juventus              Ligue 1 - Champion Paris-Saint Germain

Champions League Quarterfinals Begin April 9

POSTED APRIL 2, 2019

The home-and-home series of the eight remaining teams in the Champions League competition begin Tuesday April 9.  

Real Madrid, the 2016,2017, and 2018 champions, will not be four-peating.  For the first time since May 2015 -- a run stretching 46 months -- Real Madrid is out of the Champions League.  They were eliminated by Ajax 5-3 on aggregate including a stunning 4-1 loss at home.

The quarterfinal draws are:

Tottenham v Manchester City

Liverpool v Porto

Manchester United v Barcelona

Ajax v Juventus

UEFA Champions League Quarterfinals

POSTED APRIL 11, 2019

The first leg of the Champions League Quarterfinals played out this week with Tottenham, Barcelona, and Liverpool posting wins and Ajax and Juventus playing to a draw.  The second leg will be played next Tuesday and Wednesday.  

Ajax, Barca, Tottenham, and Liverpool advance to Champions League semifinals

POSTED APR 17, 2019

Ajax (3-2 aggregate vs Juventus), Barcelona (4-0 aggregate vs. Manchester United), Tottenham (4-4 aggregate vs. Manchester City - Tottenham advances based on away goals) and Liverpool (6-1 aggregate vs. Porto) have made it to the UEFA Champions League semifinals.  Goal.com called the Manchester City - Tottenham match the 'most entertaining Champions League game ever'

The semifinals will pit Tottenham against Ajax and Barcelona against Liverpool.  The first leg will be played Tuesday April 30; the second leg, May 7.

Liverpool to play Tottenham in Champion's League Final

POSTED MAY 16, 2019

The UEFA Champions League final on Saturday June 1 will feature two English teams. In the semifinals, Liverpool advanced on a 4-3 aggregate against Barcelona; Tottenham, on away goals vs. Ajax (3-3 aggregate). The match will kick off at 21:00 CET (3 PM EDT) at the Estadio Metropolitano in Madrid.

Liverpool wins Champions League Final, defeats Tottenham 2- 0

POSTED JUNE 2, 2019

It was a fitting conclusion to Liverpool's 2018-2019 season.  They had lost only one game in the English Premier League but still came one point shy of taking that title.  After defeating powerhouse Barcelona in the Champions League semifinals, Liverpool defeated Tottenham 2-0 in Madrid, thereby winning bragging rights as the best team in Europe.  

Women's World Cup: knockout round of 16 starts Saturday

POSTED JUNE 20, 2019

Round of 16

Saturday, June 22

Germany vs. Nigeria, 11:30 a.m. ET, FS1

Norway vs. Australia, 3 p.m. ET, Fox 

Sunday, June 23

England vs. Cameroon, 11:30 a.m. ET, FS1

France vs. Brazil, 3 p.m. ET, Fox 

Monday, June 24

Spain vs. United States, Noon ET, FS1 

Sweden vs. Canada, 3 p.m. ET, FS1 

Tuesday, June 25

Italy vs. China, Noon ET, FS1 

Netherlands vs. Japan, 3 p.m. ET, FS1  

Women's World Cup: quarterfinals are set

POSTED JUNE 25, 2019

The knockout round of the Women's World Cup concluded Tuesday and the matchups for the quarterfinals are set.  Tournament favorites France and the US advanced and will face each other in the quarterfinals with the game kicking off at 3 PM Eastern Time Friday.  The complete quarterfinals schedule looks like this:

Quarterfinals

Thursday, June 27

Norway vs. England, 3 p.m. ET, Fox

Friday, June 28

France vs. United States, 3 p.m. ET, Fox

Saturday, June 29

Italy vs. Netherlands, 9 a.m. ET, FS1

Germany vs. Sweden, 12:30 p.m. ET, FS1

US Women Crowned FIFA World Cup Champions for 4th Time

POSTED JULY 7, 2019

The US Women's national soccer team captured its fourth world cup championship with a 2-0 victory over Netherlands.  FIFA instituted the Women's World Cup in 1991, and the US has now won half of the titles, an incredibly dominating record.  In the Men's World Cup, which has been running since 1930, only Brazil has achieved more finals victories (5) while Italy and Germany each have 4.  

Among the records achieved by the US team:

• Jill Ellis, the coach for the USWNT, became the first women’s coach ever to win two World Cup titles in soccer history. This feat has only been achieved by Italy’s men’s coach, Vittorio Pozzo, in 1934 and 1938.

• With two consecutive wins (2015 and 2019), the U.S. is now tied with Germany, who won in 2003 and 2007. Aside from the U.S. and Germany, no other team has won more than one Women’s World Cup title since the tournament began in 1991. 

• With 26 goals, the USWNT now has the record for making the most goals in a Women’s World Cup tournament, according to ESPN. 

• The USWNT’s victory breaks its own record for the most wins in the tournament’s history.  

Tournament Awards went to:

Golden Ball (outstanding player in the tournament): Megan RAPINOE (USA)

"I feel like I'm a mother watching all my little kids be so successful." That was the memorable phrase uttered by Megan Rapinoe ahead of the final, as she paid tribute to her team-mates.  Silver Ball (runner up outstanding player): 

Silver Ball (runner up outstanding player): Lucy BRONZE (ENG)

England's tournament was eerily reminiscent of their campaign at Canada 2015, featuring a run to the semi-finals, a set of thrilling games – and some exceptional performances from Lucy Bronze. The right-back was not only a core member of a defence that went 381 minutes without conceding, she also posed a constant threat further forward.

Bronze Ball (second runner up outstanding player): Rose LAVELLE (USA)

Rose Lavelle could justifiably lay claim to being the revelation of the tournament, but not everyone will see it that way. Just ask her coach Jill Ellis, who spotted her talent early on and promised her a bright future while she was still in high school. Lavelle was superb at France 2019, working wonders in midfield thanks to her speed, technique and physical condition.

Golden Boot: Megan RAPINOE (USA), 6 goals, 3 assists The Stars and Stripes forward also claimed the prize as top scorer after racking up six goals and three assists – the same tally as her team-mate Alex Morgan, but achieved in a shorter amount of time on the pitch..

Silver Boot: Alex Morgan (USA), 6 goals, 3 assists 

Bronze Boot: Ellen White (ENG), 6 goals 

Golden Glove (best goalkeeper): Sari van Veenendaal (NED) 

FIFA Young Player Award: Giulia Gwinn (GER) 

FIFA Fair Play Award: France Thanks to the first-class conduct of their players, as well as their positive attitude on and off the pitch, the host nation come away with the FIFA Fair Play Award. 

The greatest World Cup match of all-time

POSTED APRIL 21, 2020

Two of the best teams in the world faced off in the 1982 World Cup quarterfinals.  Favored Brazil had assembled one of the greatest teams of all-time and had won their three First Group Stage games by an aggregate of 10-2. Italy was renowned for its stifling defensive play, but its star striker, Paolo Rossi, had not yet scored a goal.  Brazil needed a tie to advance; Italy, a win.  The game has been called an "instant, indelible classic" and "one of the greatest football matches ever."  

Clockwise from the bottom left: the full match, highlights, Esquire article, and the highlights of Italy's victory over Germany in the 1982 World Cup Finals.

Footnote: Players from both the Brazilian and Italian 1982 World Cup teams are raising money to fight the coronavirus: “Italy and Brazil: rivals on the field but united against the coronavirus.” - Italy defender Franco Causio. 

UEFA Champions League Round of 16 is underway: first leg highlights

POSTED FEBRUARY 25, 2021

The UEFA Champions League pits the best soccer clubs in Europe against each other annually.  Some of the best play you will ever see happens during the tournament for, unlike the national teams, these teams have been playing together all season and often for several seasons.  The 2020-2021 Champions League play has reached the Round of 16, which is a home-and-home two game series with the winners moving onto the quarterfinals.  

The first leg of the Round of 16 is now complete. The winners of the first leg were Paris (4-1 over Barcelona), Liverpool (2-0 over Leipzig), Porto (2-1 over Juventus), Dortmund (3-2 over Sevilla), Chelsea (1-0 over Atlético), Bayern (4-1 over Lazio), Real Madrid (1-0 over Atalanta), Manchester City (2-0 over Mönchengladbach).  

The second leg of the Round of 16 will be played on March 9-10 and March 16-17.  In the US, second leg matches will stream on Paramount+ and air on CBS Sports Network and CBS All Access.  Two matches will b3e broadcast on cable channels to be announced.

Below is a link to the highlight reel from the first leg of the Round of 16, complete with expert commentary.

"That is why we love football!"

POSTED MARCH 19, 2021

The UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) Champions League is an annual competition that pits the best soccer clubs in Europe against each other.  Qualifying matches begin in the summer and proceed through group (October - December) and knockout (February - May) stages until the championship game, which is to be played this year on May 29.  

The 2020-2021 UEFA Champions League Round of 16 is complete.  The second leg matches are over and the field is down to 8.  Commentary and highlights of the games of the past two weeks are in the link below left.  

The Juventus - Porto second leg match (2:40 to 8:10 in the video) was an incredibly exciting, well-played game decided in overtime, with Porto moving on to the quarterfinals on the basis of away goals.   This "Championship League night for the ages" prompted the play-by-play announcer to exclaim, "THAT is why we love the sport!"     

For the first time since 2005, the UEFA Champions League Quarterfinals will have neither Cristiano Ronaldo nor Lionel Messi, the number 1 and number 2 all-time Championship League scorers, on the pitch as two of the most storied European clubs, Juventus and Barcelona, were eliminated in the Round of 16.  The quarterfinals will be played on April 6 and April 13.  Link below right is to the UEFA draws page with info and videos about the remaining eight clubs.

Reigning champion Bayern Munich (6 titles) drew Paris Saint-Germain in a rematch of the 2020 final.  Three English teams, including 6-time champion Liverpool, made the quarterfinals.  Liverpool drew 13-time champion Real Madrid.  Dortmund, with this year's current leading UCL scoring leader Erling Haaland, plays Manchester City, while Chelsea goes against Porto.

Champions League Quarterfinals Highlights

POSTED APRIL 16, 2021

The UEFA Champions League Quarterfinals have been completed.  Paris St. Germain, Chelsea, Manchester City and Real Madrid are moving on to the semifinals.  Highlights and post-match analyses of the second leg games are below.  Clockwise from the top left:

Manchester City eliminated Dortmund on aggregate 2-1.  Although Dortmund failed to move on, the play of their 17 year-old superstar-in-the-making Jude Bellingham was a highlight for the team.  

Porto also failed to move on, but the most amazing goal of the Champions League season was put in by Mehdi Taremi in the overtime of the second leg match.

In a matchup of two of the very best European clubs, Real Madrid (13 champion league titles) eliminated Liverpool (6 Champion's League titles) with a 0-0 shutout in the second leg.  

Paris Saint-Germain came away with a victory over its 2020 title game opponent, Bayern Munich on the basis of away goals.  

The first leg of the semifinals will be played April 27-28 and the second leg May 4- 5 as Real Madrid takes on Chelsea and PSG meets Manchester City.  The winners will play for the title on May 29.

Related posts: 

UEFA Champions League Round of 16 is underway: first leg highlights - Feb 25

"That is why we love football!"- Mar 19

Chelsea to face Manchester City in Champions League final

POSTED MAY 6, 2021

The Champions League final will be an all-English match.  Manchester City defeated Paris Saint Germain (2-0 with 4-1 aggregate) and Chelsea defeated Real Madrid (1-0-1 with 3-1 aggregate) to move on to the championship game, which will be played May 29 at Istanbul's Atatürk Olympic Stadium.   Highlights of the semifinals second leg games are below.  

Manchester City sits atop the English Premier League with a 13 point advantage over second place Manchester United, and they are favorites to win both the Premier League and the Champions League.  It will be Manchester City's first appearance in the UEFA Champions League final.  A victory there would cap their rise to football superpower status - a rise long in the making.

May 29 Champions League Final moved to Porto

POSTED MAY 16, 2021

UEFA has switched the all-English-Premier-League Champions League final between Chelsea and Manchester City from Istanbul to Porto.  UEFA opted to move the match to Portugal as the country is one of few places Britons can travel to easily amid Covid-19 restrictions.  Turkey, on the other hand, is on the UK's travel red list, meaning people are being actively discouraged from visiting the country.  UEFA said 6,000 fans of each club would be able to attend. [CNN]  

The final will be played at the Estadio Dragao in Porto on May 29 with kickoff slated for 3 pm Eastern Time. The match will be broadcast on the CBS television network and streamed on Paramount +. 

It will be the eighth "one-nation" Champions League final, the most recent being Liverpool's 2-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in 2019.    

UEFA presents a brief summary and highlights from the previous seven one-nation matches in the link below left.  

In the link below right, NBC Sports has a video previewing the game, discussing the two teams and their coaches, and reviewing the evolution of a more defensive game over the past years.  Chelsea and Manchester City held powerhouses Real Madrid and Paris St. Germain to a total of 2 goals combined in the four game semi-finals.

Chelsea defeats Man City 1-0 for Champions League title

POSTED MAY 30, 2021

Chelsea defeated Manchester City 1-0 in a match that was all a soccer fan could ask for.  From the opening kick, both teams played a wide open game from one end of the pitch to the other.  Brilliant defense by both sides made it clear early on that a single goal might be all it took to win.  That goal came off the foot of Chelsea's Kai Havertz on a breakaway at the 42 minute mark.  It was enough to give Chelsea its second Champions League title and deny Manchester City the one trophy that has eluded it.  

Manchester City's chances to breakthrough for a tying goal took a massive blow early in the second half when their star forward Kevin De Bruyne suffered a serious eye injury and nose bone fracture after a collision with Chelsea's Antonio Rudiger.  Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola was forced to sub De Bruyne off, and once the Belgian had made his way off the pitch he broke down in tears as he was consoled by assistant manager Juan Manuel Lillo.

Chelsea's victory was its third in six weeks against Manchester City, the 2020-2021 English Premier League Champions.  

Teams from Manchester and Chelsea have dominated the Premiere League in recent years.  Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City have captured a combined 16 of the last 20 English Premier League titles.

Highlights are in the link below left, and NBC Sports names Chelsea mid-fielder N'Golo Kante "Man of the Match" in the link below right.

Euro Cup 2020 Round of 16 Starts Saturday, June 26

POSTED JUNE 25, 2021

The UEFA European Championship (the 'Euro Cup') is a soccer competition between Europe's national teams.  Held every four years since 1960, the Euro Cup has seen nine different countries win the title, with Germany and Spain leading the way at three titles apiece.  

Delayed because of the pandemic, Euro Cup 2020 is now underway.  The Group Stage matches, which began June 11, are now complete.  [Final Group Stage Standings] 

The knockout stage begins Saturday June 26, culminating in the championship match on Sunday Jul 11.  In the US, matches are being broadcast live on ESPN and ABC [Where to watch Euro2020].  

Links to the highlights (and lowlights) from the Group Stage and a preview of the Round of 16 are below, as is the Round of 16 schedule.

Euro Cup 2020 Round of 16 Highlights

POSTED JUNE 30, 2021

The Euro Cup round of 16 has concluded, and what a round of 16 it was!  Four of the eight matches went to extra time, including one penalty shootout, and three matches were upsets.  Neither reigning world champion France nor Euro 2020 winner Portugal made it through to the quarterfinals.  France was upset by Switzerland in a game decided by a 5-4 shootout, while Portugal fell to FIFA #1 ranked Belgium's "Golden Generation", 1-0.  

The quarterfinals begin Friday with games broadcast on ESPN and ABC in the United States.

Scores and recaps from the Round of 16 (current FIFA world ranking is in parentheses). 

Wales (#17)  0 - 4 Denmark (#10)

Denmark entered the knockout stages on a wave of emotion after star midfielder Christian Eriksen collapsed after suffering a cardiac arrest during their tournament opener against Finland in Copenhagen.  Denmark dominated Wales 4-0.  

Italy (#7) 2 -  1  Austria (#23) 1 (extra time)

The match went to overtime at 0-0.  Italy scored twice in the overtime on goals by substitutes Federico Chiesa and Matteo Pessina to give the the Azzurri a nerve-racking 2-1 victory over Austria.  It was the Italian national team's 31st consecutive victory - a record for the country. (highlights below center)

Netherlands (#16) 0 - 2  Czech Republic (#40)

The first upset of the round of 16. Netherlands opened strong but the first half ended at 0-0.  Early in the second half the advantage swung decisively toward the Czechs when center-back Matthijs de Ligt was shown a red card.  Netherlands had to play a man down for the remainder of the game, and were unable to recover.

Belgium (#1) 1 - 0 Portugal (#5)

Belgium held Cristiano Ronaldo in check and won their match on a stunning long-range strike from Thorgan Hazard just before the end of the first half.  Belgium's victory came in spite of being outshot by Portugal 23 - 6.

Croatia (#14) 3 - 5 Spain (#6) (extra time)

Spain won the 8-goal thriller in overtime after Croatia had overcome a two-goal deficit at the 77' mark. (Highlights below left)

France (#2) 3 - 3 Switzerland (#13) (Switzerland wins on 5-4 penalties)

The second upset of the round of 16.  Switzerland knocked world champions France out of Euro 2020 in a penalty shootout after the match had ended in a 3-3 extra time tie.  The world champions, who were two goals up with nine minutes to go, were eliminated on penalties (5-4) by Switzerland when Swiss goalkeeper Yann Sommer stopped Mbappe's penalty. (highlights below right)

England (#4) 2 - 0 Germany (#12)

The jinx is over.  For the first time since 1966, England defeated Germany in a tournament knockout round.  Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane scored in the final 15 minutes to earn England a place in the quarterfinals.

Sweden (#18) 1-2 Ukraine (#24) (extra time)

The third upset of the round of 16.  Ukraine will be playing in its first Euro Cup quarterfinals as Ukraine substitute Artem Dovbyk headed his first international goal in added time at the end of extra time to sink ten-man Sweden. (Sweden had lost Marcus Danielson to a red card for a challenge on Artem Besedin in the first additional period.)  

Champions League Round of 16 enters second leg

POSTED MARCH 9, 2022

The Champions League tournament has reached the knockout round of 16.  The first leg of the home-and-home matches was played in February.  Manchester City, Paris Saint Germain, Liverpool, and Chelsea came away with victories over Sporting Lisbon, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, and Lille while the Salzburg-Bayern Munich, Villarreal-Juventus, Benfica Lisbon - Ajax, and Atletico-Manchester United matches ended in draws.

In matches played this week, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Manchester City and Real Madrid moved on to the quarterfinals.

• Inter Milan defeated Liverpool 1-0 at Merseyside, snapping Liverpool's 28-match home streak without a loss.  Liverpool moved on to the quarterfinals by an aggregate score of 2-1.  A controversial second yellow card to Inter's Alexis Sanchez resulted in his ejection and Inter had to play the last 30 minutes down a man.  Whatever the chances for a comeback victory on the road, the penalty sealed Inter's fate.   

• With Robert Lewandowski scoring the earliest ever Champions League hat-trick, Bayern Munich handily defeated Salzburg 7-1 after a disappointing draw in the first leg. 

• Playing at home, Manchester City scored a nil-nil draw with Sporting Lisbon.  Manchester City moves on to the quarterfinals by virtue of its 5-0 victory in the first leg.

• As their match against Paris St. Germain approached the 60th minute, Real Madrid were down 1-0 and down 2-0 in the aggregate thanks to a first half goal by PSG's brilliant 23-year-old superstar Kylian Mbappé, who had also scored the winning goal in the first leg.  But less than twenty minutes later, Real Madrid were up in the match and in the aggregate sparked by their veteran forward Karim Benzema who scored a remarkable 17-minute hat trick.   CBS Sports which has been televising the Champions League called it a "comeback for the ages." A link to extended match highlights from MSN and CBS Entertainment is below.

Next week, Manchester United plays at Atletico Madrid (aggregate tied at 1), Ajax visits Benfica (aggregate tied at 2), Juventus is at Villarreal (aggregate tied at 1), and Lille is at Chelsea (Chelsea up 2-0 in aggregate).  CBS and Paramount plus will broadcast and stream these second leg matches on Tuesday March 15 and Wednesday March 16, starting at 4PM EDT.

Real Madrid, Liverpool, Villarreal, and Man City move on to  Champion's League semifinals

POSTED APRIL 14, 2022

Two dynasties and two clubs without a Champion's League title will play in the  semifinals.  

In Tuesday's matches, two Spanish clubs emerged victorious.  [Below right]

• 13-time champion Real Madrid held on to defeat Chelsea on a 5-4 aggregate.  Real Madrid entered the match with a 3-1 first leg victory, then saw Chelsea score 3 unanswered goals.  Real Madrid evened up the aggregate in the 79th minute and went on to score again on a Benzema header in overtime to punch their ticket to the semifinals.  Highlights below left.

• Villarreal stunned perennial powerhouse Bayern Munich, battling them to a tie in the second leg after a first leg 1-0 victory.  Villarreal withstood a withering attack by Bayern who put up 20 shots to secure its spot in the semifinals.  Earlier in the tournament, Villarreal had eliminated Juventus in the Round of 16.

On Wednesday, two English clubs moved on to the semifinals:  6-time champion Liverpool and the team currently on top of the Premier League, Manchester City.  

• 6-time champion Liverpool set up a Champions League semi-final with Spain's Villarreal on the strength of Roberto Firmino's two second-half goals.  Liverpool had been 3-1 up on the night before the visitors struck twice late in the game. The  3-3 second-leg draw with Benfica was enough to ensure a 6-4 aggregate win over the Portuguese team and a spot in the semifinals.  [Below left]

• Man City, currently atop the Premier League by 1 point over Liverpool, were also victorious Wednesday night after holding off Atletico Madrid in a "fiery" 0-0 draw.  [Below right]

Champions League Semifinals are underway

POSTED APRIL 28, 2022

The world's best soccer  clubs are playing the final matches of the UEFA Champion's League.  Some of the best soccer you will ever see is on display in these games.  The sides have been playing together all season under the same coach.  They rarely disappoint.  The first leg of the semifinals got underway this week with the two remaining English Premier League squads, Liverpool and Manchester City, hosting Villarreal and Real Madrid from Spain's LaLiga.

In the interest of "no spoilers" for those who did not watch the matches,  post continues after the extended video highlights from this week.

The English clubs came away with victories in the first leg of the Champions League semifinals in two very different matches.  

On Tuesday, Manchester City went up by two goals three times only to see Real Madrid halve the lead each time in a match that was exciting from start to finish.  Man City 4, Real Madrid 3.  Sporting News' analysis of "one of the most incredible and memorable matches in recent Champions League memory" is below left.

On Wednesday, the Villarreal defense withstood the Liverpool attack for the entire first half.  Villarreal had already eliminated soccer powerhouses Juventus and Bayern Munich.  But another upset victory was not to be repeated: the proverbial roof caved in with Liverpool scoring two goals in a two minute span early in the second half.  Liverpool 2, Villarreal 0.  CBS Sports' analysis of the match and the steep road ahead for Villarreal to continue its Cinderella run is below right.

Next week the second leg will see Manchester City visit Real Madrid and Liverpool at Villarreal.  Games are televised by CBS.  The winners on aggregate goals will play in the final  on May 28 at the Stade de France in the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis.

Liverpool and Real Madrid advance to Champions League Final

POSTED MAY 5, 2022

Two perennial soccer powerhouses, Liverpool and Real Madrid, advanced to the Champions League Final, crushing the dreams of Villarreal for a first time appearance in the Final and of Manchester City for a second straight appearance in the Final.  Saint-Denis's Stade de France in Paris will host the Final on Saturday May 28.

Both victors scored comeback wins in the second leg of their Semifinal matches to secure their spots in the Final.  Both matches were ultimately decided by coaching moves. 

Liverpool 3, Villarreal 2 (5-2 aggregate)

In Tuesday's game, Villarreal were up by two goals at the half, shutting out Liverpool in the process and drawing even in the aggregate.  Villarreal, which ranks seventh in La Liga and had previously eliminated Serie A's Juventus and Bundesliga's Bayern Munich in stunning upsets, appeared to be on the verge of yet another improbable victory.    But, as in the first leg, Liverpool erupted in the second half scoring three goals in a twelve minute span.   The comeback was sparked by Liverpool coach Jürgen Klopp's introduction of Luis Díaz at left attacker at the start of the second half. Highlights and analysis are below.

Real Madrid 3, Manchester City 1 (6-5 aggregate)

At the 85th minute of the Real Madrid-Man City contest, I decided to stop streaming the match.  With just 5 minutes to play, Manchester City had what appeared to be an insurmountable 2 goal advantage in the aggregate, and Real Madrid had not had a single shot on target all night.  Fortunately, I changed my mind and decided to watch the remaining five minutes.  What happened next was an absolutely incredible literally last minute comeback.  

In a desperation move, Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti had put in a string of substitutes that saw 6 Real Madrid attackers on the filed. In the 90th minute at the end of regulation, one of those substitutes, twenty-one year old Brazilian star Rodrygo, scored.  Then in the first minute of added injury time, he scored again.  With the aggregate knotted at 5, the match went to overtime.  In the first overtime period, Karim Benzema, the leading scorer in this season's Champions League, drew a penalty and scored what was to be the match winner. 

Man City had numerous opportunities to put the match out of reach, and the outcome would have been different but for the goalkeeping of Real Madrid's Thibaut Courtois and an incredible clear off his own goal line by Ferland Mendy.

Highlights and analysis are below.  (Jack Grealish's run and Mendy's miraculous clear of the shot is at the 8:40 mark in the video.)

Preview of the Champions League Final

POSTED MAY 20, 2022

Liverpool and Real Madrid will play for the Champions League title at Saint-Denis's Stade de France in Paris on Saturday May 28.  Liverpool is currently a slight favorite in the matchup between two of European football's most storied franchises.  The game will air on CBS, Paramount+, and Univision starting at 3 pm Eastern time.

13-time champion Real Madrid secured its place in the final after one of the most thrilling runs  in recent memory.  6-time champion Liverpool won all of their Group Stage matches in the toughest flight and then went on to overpower their opponents in the quarterfinals and semifinals.  Times of Sports has a summary of their respective roads to the Final here.  (Or you could read more about it in the posts below from April 14,  April 28, and May 5.)

Two legendary coaches, Real's Carlo Ancelotti and Liverpoool's Jurgen Klopp,  face each other in the Final, and next weekend's chess match is sure to be fascinating.  Either could make football history with a victory.  Klopp's squad could become the first English side to win the quadruple (the capture of the European Cup, a domestic league trophy, a domestic cup and domestic league cup, during the same season).  Having already become the first coach to win all of Europe's 'big five' leagues, Ancelotti could now become the only manager to win the Champions League or European Cup on four different occasions.

Below left is a link to UEFA's match facts and below right is a link to Sporting News' preview.

Real Madrid takes 14th Champions League title with 1-0 win over Liverpool

POSTED MAY 29, 2022

Outplayed for the first half of the match, Real Madrid once more found a way to win.  Real claimed their 14th UEFA Champions League title, twice as many as any other club, as they edged out Liverpool 1-0 on a tension-filled night in Paris.  A 59th minute strike from Vinicius Junior was enough to secure the victory as Carlo Ancelotti became the first manager in Champions League history to win the title four times.

The game would have had a very different outcome had it not been for Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois who ended the night with nine saves, the most of any goalkeeper in a Champions League final since 2003-04.  Courtois's performance included some of the most remarkable saves I've ever seen.  Keep your eyes open: two of the best are at the 1:58 and 6:40 marks in the extended highlights below.

Real Madrid's Karim Benzema had a goal disallowed near the end of the first half.  I am a big Karim Benzema fan, and was upset at the ruling.  Benzema, who scored more goals (15) than anyone in this season's Champions League,  was flagged as offsides in a play that you don't see very often - when the goalie is the third-last opponent in front of goal.  Sportstar has a good explanation of the ruling.  You won't find it in the highlights, but at the end of the match Benzema went over to the officials and shook their hands.  

Overshadowed by Vinicius Jr.'s goal and Thibaut Courtois's goal-keeping were outstanding performances by Liverpool's Mo Salah, who broke free for 9 shots and got five on target, and by Real Madrid's center midfielder Toni Kroos, who along with Courtois kept Real in the game in the first half. By the halftime break, Kroos had the most touches of the ball (64) and made the most passes (57) of any player in the final.  The Sporting News has more statistics and facts in its excellent recap.

The Champions League Final is the Super Bowl of soccer.  The best football clubs in the world have been competing since September to make it here.  The final was the 13th Champions League match of the season for both Liverpool and Real Madrid, two of the most dominant clubs in European football.  One sees better play in the Champions League matches than anywhere else.  Unlike the national team competitions like the World Cup, the sides have been playing together throughout the season in their respective leagues, and thus they know their teammates well.  

Another thing I like about the Champions League is the internationalism on display.  Although this a tournament of European football clubs, the clubs are comprised of players from around the world. Jürgen Klopp, Liverpool's manager, is German; Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid's manager, is Italian.  Liverpool's starting lineup featured two English players, two Brazilians, a Spaniard born in Italy, and players from the Netherlands, France, Senegal, Egypt, Colombia and Scotland.  Real's starting lineup had just one player from Spain with three from Brazil, two from France, and players from Belgium, Germany, Austria, Croatia, and Uruguay.

The match was originally scheduled to be played in St. Petersburg, but Russia's invasion of Ukraine made UEFA change the venue to St. Denis's Stade de France.  Reflecting on this, Liverpool's manager Jürgen Klopp said, "That the game still happens and that it's not in Saint Petersburg maybe is exactly the message Russia should get. Life goes on even when you try to destroy it. We play this final for all the people, but as well for the people of Ukraine."

A final note: At several points in the broadcast, the announcers alluded to Real Madrid's attempted signing of Kylian Mbappe, the 23 year-old superstar striker of Paris-Saint-Germain.  Considered by many to be among the best players in the world, Mbappe described to CNN why he stayed with PSG: the “project” being built at PSG and his 5-year relationship with PSG.  Unsaid but also a factor was the money.  PSG topped Real's offer.  PSG matched the $140 million signing bonus and offered a much higher annual salary ($65 million).