The elegant English Soccer

It all started when this glorious sport was created in England. Maybe for many persons it was an act of vandalism, but got many others, it could be the beginning of one of the most acclaimed sports of all times. Moreover, at the beginning soccer was not as competitive as it is today, but it is still the portray of a great battle, where many people go to worship their team and just enjoy the beauty of the sport. That is precisely what happened last Sunday, where two teams as Manchester United and Arsenal confronted themselves in one of the traditional classics that always astonish the world with the great level of soccer they offer. Additionally, now days the English soccer has been underestimated as time passes, a very evident consequence for this fact is precisely the appearance of teams as Real Madrid or Bayern Munich. Still I will always think that this is the best league in the world, because a great match does not necessarily need great teams, we only need the drama and the passion that the players show throughout the match. The game the world witnessed on Sunday was a pretty good one, it was a very tight game that ended up with a close tie (1-1). I think that at the end, this is a very good entertainment for people, even though there are sometimes when violent conducts are seen, the sport that was created by the British people is now days the greatest sport in the world, and it will continue to be it.

Pulido 11b

The Final Four

After many exciting weeks of UEFA champions league matches, the end of the tunnel is in clear sight. The semifinals are right around the corner and it couldn't be any more exciting. The final teams are now set after a thrilling quarterfinal round. Briefly recapping, last week brought many exciting games: Real Madrid triumphed over Galatasaray, Bayern Munich over Juventus, Borussia Dortmund over Málaga, and Barcelona over PSG. The semifinal draws are now set. All four teams are extremely strong and will make any match up an intriguing one. The combination of extremely talented players and strongly managed teams will result in a week of epic matches. The first match up will be between Barcelona (Spain) and Bayern Munich (Germany). This will be one of the bests match ups of the year. Not only because they are good, but because they are the leaders of their respected leagues. They are the best of the best and they will be playing head to head during two games. A prediction will be difficult to make since they are both elite teams. Each of them has its own style of play. The German squad is a soccer machine, who attacks with tenacity. Barcelona is a team who plays the passing game but is dangerous when it gets into the scoring area. Anything can happen in this match up and both teams deserve to move on.

The next match up is between Real Madrid (Spain) and Borussia Dortmund (Germany). This will be another good match. Although some say that it's not evenly matched up, I think that this series will be very interesting. The Spanish merengues have been playing very well during their last couple of games. Their confidence will be very high and they will play a very strong match. Borussia cam off a lucky win against Málaga and they will look to be confident. The advantage that the team team has is that their team is conformed of very young players. This makes the team very strong and fit to beat the spaniards. On the other hand, Real Madrid has more experienced players who will help them to triumph. In conclusion, there is no clear winner in these two match ups. All four teams are the best of the best and they all have the same chance of winning and moving on. We must now wait and see how these events unfold this week.

A.C.P 

The Dissapointing Semi Finals

The time has come when everybody is excited because of the final stages of the UEFA Champions League. The tension can be felt and the joy is overwhelming. The last four teams are considered to be the best of the best because of how far tyhey have come in the tournament. The best quality of soccer is expected and it is the time of the year where the best players in the world shine and show their true skills. The level of skill and talent expected in these stages of the tournament by the fans is extremely high. They simply want the best and nothing less. It seems as if some of the team forgot that this was the semi finals and that it was their ticket to advance and play in the final. After last weeks matches, it can be clearly seen that some of the teams did not bring the high quality of soccer that they were expected to bring. Starting off on Tuesday was the match between soccer giants: Barcelona (Spain) and Bayern Munich (Germany). This was a very anticipated match because these two teams are considered to be the best in the world. It would be a match up between teams from the two best soccer playing countries (as ranked by FIFA). The public and the audience were stunned after what seemed to be a practice session for the german squad. They walked all over the tëam considered by most as undefeated and the best. The germans played with authority and with coordinated skills, and simply destroyed the spaniards. The match ended up 4 to 0 in favor of Bayern. Thsi was a major upset and the world was shocked to see that Messi could not do anything about it. The second match, on Wednesday, was another anticipated game between a Sapnish team and another German team. It was a show down between Real Madrid (Spain) and Borussia Dortmund (Germany). This match up was expected to be a better one and more exciting, after the dissapointing match played the day before. Real was confident and their best player, Ronaldo, was playing at his best. This all ended after a few minutes. The spanish team broke down and the events witnessed on the previous day started to repeat. The geramn squad, after starting off 1 goal down, began to score. They accumulated 4 more goals to win the match 4 to 1. The match showed how good the german teams were and how underrated they were perceived. The world saw the spanish teams fall down and hard. Over all, the quality of the german style of play was outstanding, but inorder for the game to be excellent, both teams have to do well. This was not seen in these two matches. We will now have to wait until next week to see how this semi final leg ends up. Although the results are already anticvipated, anything can happen. We must not forget that this is the CHAMPIONNNNSSSS!

A.C.P

Great turnovers at the UEFA Champions League

AC Milan - RC Deportivo La Coruña 4-1
RC Deportivo La Coruña - AC Milan 4-0
Quarter-final 2003/04
Walter Pandiani put Deportivo ahead on the scoreboard at San Siro, but that was forgotten after the good result achieved at the end of the Italian team, a game in which Kaka scored two goals. Before the second leg at the Riazor, Deportivo coach Javier Irureta dreamed of the comeback: "We know it will be very difficult, will be a challenge. Football But miracles happen, things you never think can happen."

Incredibly, his team was already ahead of the tie before the break thanks to goals from Pandiani, Juan Carlos Valeron and Albert Luque, while the substitute Fran Gonzalez became the fourth in the 76th minute. Irureta had promised to do the Camino de Santiago if he could pass: "I have to thank Santiago this victory.'ll Do the Camino de Santiago because a promise is a promise," explained Irureta.

Real Madrid CF - AS Monaco FC 4-2
AS Monaco FC - Real Madrid CF 3-1
Quarter-final 2003/04
It appeared that Monaco would fall in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League at the conclusion of the first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu on March 24, 2004. Four goals after the break, Real Madrid seemed to let the team of The Principality no options but then a goal from Fernando Morientes in 83 'left alive to visitors around. Coach Didier Deschamps would not admit defeat before the match will be played back: "If I thought that I would stay at home."

With 0-1 just seconds before halftime, Ludovic Giuly equalized, Morientes, who was on loan from Real Madrid, made it 2-1 while Giuly won the final would be 3-1. The triumph of Monaco thanks to the double value of the goals scored away from home could be gone if the shot from Raul Gonzalez had hit the crossbar in the closing stages. Morientes, meanwhile, did not celebrate the victory: "I am delighted for Monaco in Madrid but I have friends who are having a hard time."

Chelsea FC - FC Barcelona 3-1
FC Barcelona - Chelsea FC (T. P.) 5-1
Quarter-finals 1999/2000
Before the arrival of Roman Abramovich, Chelsea was not the European whirlwind which later became so the win in the first leg of the quarter-final against Barcelona by Louis van Gaal, with goals from Gianfranco Zola and Tore André Flo, surprised many. Still, the team Gianluca Vialli was placed 2-1 in the Camp Nou with seven minutes left after the goal but then appeared Flo Dani Garcia to make it 3-1 with which would lead to the extension. A penalty both Rivaldo and Patrick Kluivert likewise ended up giving the victory to the Catalans. Luis Figo said: "Tonight we made a perfect match."

"It was the most beautiful night of my life," he noted his partner Gabri García. "We lost in the first leg but we managed to turn the tie," said Figo. Meanwhile, Vialli made a good summary of what happened: "We have done everything that I wanted: to defend bad".

SSC Napoli - Chelsea FC 3-1
Chelsea FC - SSC Napoli 4-1 (T. P.)
Round of 2011/12
A coaching change certainly boosted Chelsea comeback. The last game of coach Andre Villas-Boas with the London club was in Naples, where despite Juan Mata ahead of the British, two goals from Ezequiel Lavezzi and Edinson Cavani over both left the tie very favorable for the picture Italian. "That away goal allows us to continue to have choices, we can trace", ventured Villas-Boas.

However, the Portuguese had already been replaced by Roberto Di Matteo in the leg. In London, goals from Didier Drogba, John Terry and Frank Lampard took the game into overtime, where Branislav Ivanović completed the feat with the 4-1 that would be final in 105 minutes. "I've lived other big nights but this may be the best in the club's history," said one Di Matteo did not know that the best was yet to come.

AC Milan - FC Barcelona 2-0
FC Barcelona - AC Milan 4-0
Round 2 of 2012/13

No team had recovered before two-goal deficit after the first leg without the benefit of double value of the goals scored away from home until he succeeded Barcelona at the Camp Nou. A brace from Lionel Messi leveled the tie while both David Villa very start of the second half put the Catalan side in virtually rooms.

Barca also had luck on their side, M'Baye crashed a ball on the stick, and it was not until the last minute when Jordi Alba sealed the win with the final 4-0. Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri said that Barcelona had played "extremely well" while Lionel Messi told UEFA.com: "This is the club that we and the fans want to see all the games." On Wednesday Barça need to make an equal or better performance.

Now, it´s Barrcelona´s time to make another great turnover with the bad result they had on Germany. Now, they are loosing 4'0, score from which no team has ever turned over, but I still believe in the great F.C. Barcelona, the one who won 6 important cups in matter of one year (Liga, Copa, Champions, Recopa, Supercopa Europea and the FIFA World Clubs Cup) only in 2009. Visca Barca, all together we´ll get again on Wembley!

By: Juan Diego Cardona

WINNABLE

Winnable. That´s the expression Mourinho used to show his optimism towards tuesday´s match against Borussia Dortmund. After the loss in Germany, 1 to 4, the Real Madrid has its honor "injured" and is willing to battle till end. All its players are sure that they can win the match, as it ocured in 1984 with Brutagüeño and even before with Santilla. I´m sure Real Madrid can do it, it is a team known to fullfill its fans´ dreams specially in the Santiago Bernabeu. 

As a "madridista" my only job is to support the team, to give it confidence, trust and speccially love, because that´s what football is about. I´m sure we can win 3 to 0 to the sencond best german team, a team that hasn´t lost any match in the whole Champions but, that´s what footbal is about, miracles (to know more about them, check this video: Miracles at the Santiago Bernabeu. 

I support and trust the team, guided by CR7 or Cristiano Ronaldo, we will be able to achieve victory.

They trust us as well: Real Madrid trusts its fans.

Sebastián Toro

Manchester Champions

Manchester united won Aston Villa 3-0 . This made the red devils champions of  the premier league.  The celebration in the dressing rooms was held in with great excitment, and the players made the United Fans really happy, since last year thebtitle was lost by a last minute goal from Manchester City.

The match against ASton Villa was an easy match for the United team, and Sir Alex Ferguson celebrated his thirtheenth championship with the Red Devils.

Finally on another topic, the Champions League held an incredible match yesterday, where Bayern Munich beat Barcelona 4 goals to 0. Surprisingly for the Catalan team it was a hard match, and a clear victory for the German team.

Yasin Naman M.

The Final Four

After many exciting weeks of UEFA champions league matches, the end of the tunnel is in clear sight. The semifinals are right around the corner and it couldn't be any more exciting. The final teams are now set after a thrilling quarterfinal round. Briefly recapping, last week brought many exciting games: Real Madrid triumphed over Galatasaray, Bayern Munich over Juventus, Borussia Dortmund over Málaga, and Barcelona over PSG. The semifinal draws are now set. All four teams are extremely strong and will make any match up an intriguing one. The combination of extremely talented players and strongly managed teams will result in a week of epic matches. The first match up will be between Barcelona (Spain) and Bayern Munich (Germany). This will be one of the bests match ups of the year. Not only because they are good, but because they are the leaders of their respected leagues. They are the best of the best and they will be playing head to head during two games. A prediction will be difficult to make since they are both elite teams. Each of them has its own style of play. The German squad is a soccer machine, who attacks with tenacity. Barcelona is a team who plays the passing game but is dangerous when it gets into the scoring area. Anything can happen in this match up and both teams deserve to move on.

The next match up is between Real Madrid (Spain) and Borussia Dortmund (Germany). This will be another good match. Although some say that it's not evenly matched up, I think that this series will be very interesting. The Spanish merengues have been playing very well during their last couple of games. Their confidence will be very high and they will play a very strong match. Borussia cam off a lucky win against Málaga and they will look to be confident. The advantage that the team team has is that their team is conformed of very young players. This makes the team very strong and fit to beat the spaniards. On the other hand, Real Madrid has more experienced players who will help them to triumph. In conclusion, there is no clear winner in these two match ups. All four teams are the best of the best and they all have the same chance of winning and moving on. We must now wait and see how these events unfold this week.

A.C.P