European Soccer...so let me get this straight

[GGGG]

So Barcelona and Real Madrid, considered the two best teams in the world, far atop La Liga standings...both came home needing to overcome a one goal deficit in the second leg...both overcame the deficit in the first half of their games....and both couldn't hold their leads.  Barcelona loses to a 10-man Chelsea side.  Real manages to get the game into a shoot-out where they completely GAK! by making one penalty shot sending Bayern home to Munich for the final.

Oh and neither Bayern nor Chelsea can win their league title this year...and Chelsea may need to win the final even to qualify for Champions League next year.

[MUfan12]

I've seen a lot of crazy things in soccer... but these semifinals are right up there behind the Istanbul final in 2005. They were both incredible to watch.

Speaking of drama... The two Manchester clubs play Monday afternoon, with the league title essentially on the line.

[jesmu84]

I love the drama of european soccer. Promotion, relegation. Makes for a lot of fun.

[MUFC9295]

Chelsea can actually do a double by winning the FA Cup and the CL.  An FA Cup win will put them in the CL, but with a lose, they may not make the Europa League.

[seinfeld]

It was beautiful to see the Barca divers lose. Also sweet to see that they kept to their 'pretty' style while Chelsea bunkered down. Spent the last 30 minutes of the game showing off their beautiful footwork and useless check down passes. I guess the concept of crosses is beneath them. They could have spent the second half bombarding the penalty area with crosses and eventually one of them would have connected or at least drawn a penalty. kudos to Real Madrid for beating them over the weekend also.

[reinko]

Chelsea can actually do a double by winning the FA Cup and the CL.  An FA Cup win will put them in the CL, but with a lose, they may not make the Europa League.

Winner of the FA Cup does not qualify for CL, they qualify for Europa.  If winner of FA Cup already qualified for CL, runner up gets the Europa spot.

[MU111]

Chelsea can actually do a double by winning the FA Cup and the CL.  An FA Cup win will put them in the CL, but with a lose, they may not make the Europa League.

A Chelsea win in the CL final would give them a spot in next year's CL, regardless of whether they finish top 4 in the Premier League.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

I've seen a lot of crazy things in soccer... but these semifinals are right up there behind the Istanbul final in 2005. They were both incredible to watch.

Speaking of drama... The two Manchester clubs play Monday afternoon, with the league title essentially on the line.

I remember the 2005 final.  I was in Hong Kong at Murphy's Pub watching the game and eating dinner.  I was blowing off steam and enjoying a burger & "chips" after 2 weeks in mainland China.   I had a flight home the next day.