Tomorrow the semi-finals of European Cup start. Four of the best teams in European football play each other twice over the next couple weeks. Tuesday at 1:45 p.m. on ESPN2 five-time European champions Liverpool take on Chelsea. These two clubs met last year in the final four last year with Liverpool going on to the final. The teams have met twice in the league thus far both ending in draws. (1-1 and 0-0, with Fernando Torres' first goal for Liverpool in their first meeting. These clubs also met at this same stage three years ago with Liverpool going through after a controversial that is still debated today. In short the teams are both stacked with talent as well as a mountainous disdain for each other. The games will be good and I invite you to watch.
In the other match-up, Wednesday at 1:45 p.m., two-time European champions Manchester United play Barcelona. Barcelona won the European Cup more recently (in 2006), but since then they've added the likes of French superstar, Thierry Henry to their squad. Manchester United won the title back in 1999 led by David Beckham, but they haven't got to the final game since. They went out at this same stage last year to the eventual champions, AC Milan. United has arguably the best player in Europe in Cristiano Ronaldo. Some of the best players in the world are in this game Ronaldo and Englishman Wayne Rooney for United. Barcelona have Henry, Ronaldinho (Brazilian), Leo Messi (Argentinian), and Spanish wonder-kid Bojan Krkic. Both match-ups are loaded with top-class players on historically great clubs, so the games will be great and heated. I do dare all who read this to watch the games, and see if you take something positive from it.
I don't tend to watch soccer much. It is a sport that I really have not gotten into. Probably because we never had it where I'm from. However, coming here to KU and actually going to a soccer game, it is kind of fun. So I'll take your word for it and may turn on the telly and watch a little bit of this game Wednesday.