The NBA Playoffs and the Stanley Cup Playoffs have been a joy to watch.
It’s hard not to be mesmerized as Golden State’s Seth Curry and Klay Thompson jack up threes at a stupidly high success rate, or as Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin finds a way to viciously dunk on anyone inside the three-point line.
Not to be outdone, the Stanley Cup Playoffs have provided plenty of drama already. Whether it was the Chicago Blackhawks’ triple overtime Game 3 triumph against the Nashville Predators or 23-year-old Blues right winger Vladimir Tarasenko carving up the Minnesota Wild for his first playoff hat trick, it has been must-see TV for viewers.
Although both playoffs deserve attention, the greatest ongoing sports drama has been unfolding since September and has taken place halfway across the world.
The UEFA Champions League includes the top soccer teams from leagues across Europe in one giant, epic competition. This season, the winner will earn its crown when the final takes place on June 6 at the Olympiastadion in Berlin. But the real winners are people who have been following along.
The first match day of the group stage occurred September 16 and the last quarterfinal wrapped up Wednesday. Everything in between those dates has been pure theater, a thrill for everyone who has tuned in.
If you haven’t watched a match since you pretended to care about soccer during the World Cup this past summer, don’t worry. Now is the perfect time to end the hiatus. Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Juventus remain in the competition, meaning Friday’s draw for the semi-finals will provide can’t-miss matchups.
The semifinals are separated into two legs, with each team playing a match at home and aggregate scoring used to determine which team advances. If the aggregate score is tied after two legs, the team that scored more away goals goes through to the next round. If the sides are still not separated, extra time and penalties loom. The first legs are scheduled for May 5-6 and the second legs are scheduled for May 12-13.
This is not March Madness. There are no Cinderellas left in the field. The teams remaining are European heavyweights, and global brands.
A Barcelona versus Bayern Munich semifinal would pit Bayern manager Pep Guardiola against his former side, the team he guided to 14 trophies in just four seasons. A Barcelona versus Real Madrid matchup would mean “El Clásico,” the name reserved for meetings between the fierce rivals, would take an even bigger stage.
The viewers will be the true winners of every match because not only will the matches be mouth watering, but each team has players who will go down as some of the best in history.
Barcelona boasts Argentine Lionel Messi who earned four straight Ballon d’Or awards from 2009-2012 for being the world’s best player. Messi just scored his 400th goal for Barcelona and is the top goalscorer in the history of Spain’s La Liga. Messi is the focal point of a Barcelona attack also featuring Neymar and Luis Suárez.
Real Madrid is the most expensive team in history. Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the most physically gifted players to ever lace up a pair of cleats, and Iker Casillas is one of the game’s most accomplished goalkeepers. Los Blancos feature stars such as James Rodríguez, Gareth Bale, Sergio Ramos and Luka Modric.
It isn’t just the remaining Spanish sides that have a monopoly on star players. Bayern Munich features seven World Cup winners and had 14 players in Brazil last summer, the most of any club.
Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has revolutionized the position, and Philipp Lahm is one of the most versatile players in the world. Arjen Robben and Franck Ribéry are lethal on the wings, Mario Götze scored the World Cup-winning goal and 25-year-old Thomas Müller has the chance to become the leading goalscorer in World Cup history with a realistic chance to play in the 2018 and 2022 installments.
Juventus has accomplished goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon between the sticks. Andrea Pirlo has the world’s best beard and pulls all the strings in midfield, and Arturo Vidal provides seemingly endless energy as he drives forward from the middle of the park. Paul Pogba is one of the game’s brightest young stars but faces a race to be fit in time to play alongside Pirlo and Vidal.
No matter how the draw pans out, each semifinal will feature so much talent that even those who are critical of the beautiful game will start to see the beauty after all.
Jack Woods is a 21-year-old mass communication junior from Ruston, Louisiana. You can reach him on Twitter @Jack_TDR.