COLUMN: UEFA Champions League spices up sports world after Super Bowl
Now that the Super Bowl is over and the Giants are NFL Champions once again, it’s time to look forward to what else we’ve got to look forward to in February.
As much as I’m looking forward to the return of “Pysch: Season 6,” I’m a little bit more excited, as is the sports world, the UEFA Champions League — Europe’s premier soccer club competition — starts next week.
After a break of just over two months, it will be back with us on Valentine’s Day. The group stages are over, and it now it’s down to the final 16 teams in the knockout stages.
It’s going to be thrilling, as usual, and Barcelona will be looking to advance to the final in Munich and become the first team in Champions League history to win back-to-back championships. They’ll be up against it, though, as top clubs from Italy, England, Germany and their fellow Spaniards, Real Madrid, will look to knock Barcelona off its perch.
In honor of the Champions League return and some great European soccer, let’s look at the top-five people to watch for in the knockout stages.
1. Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho.
Mourinho is the most fascinating coach I’ve ever seen. His brilliance has been proven with Champions League triumphs with FC Porto and Inter Milan, and of course three consecutive English Premier League titles with Chelsea.
However, his recent antics at Real Madrid — and not-so-recent antics from everywhere else — have brought him criticism from all over the world, not to mention his teams’ inability to defeat Barcelona. That being said, if Mourinho can get his team to play some defense they’ll be quite a formidable opponent.
2. Mario Gomez.
The tantalized striker for Bayern Munich has been on great goal-scoring form as of late, and if Bayern wants to make it back to the finals for the second time in three years, then Gomez has got to keep it up. In 33 games this season he’s scored 32 goals. The only player with a better goals-to-games ratio left in the Champions League is a certain winger named Cristiano Ronaldo.
3. Napoli.
I know, I know, it’s not an individual, but we’re going to make an exception and put them here. If there’s a team that’s flying under the radar, it has got to be this Italian side. They’ve got the potential to pull off quite a run.
Already this season they’ve knocked off Inter Milan twice, AC Milan once, Manchester City once, and they managed a draw against Bayern Munich, and Serie A-leaders Juventus. If star-striker Edinson Cavani stays on form, then Chelsea had better watch out in the Round of 16.
4. Lionel Messi.
Much has been said about the diminutive striker for Barcelona, and, if he stays in top form, it’s going to be tough for anyone to knock the Catalans off their throne. Even without his partner up top, David Villa, Messi makes Barcelona as formidable as ever.
5. Cristiano Ronaldo.
If there’s a player that has the potential to lead his team past Barcelona, it’s got to be Ronaldo. In his last 40 games this season he’s scored 42 goals. Incredible, especially considering he’s a winger. It’s in large part because of this that Real Madrid has the top spot over Barcelona in la Liga.
Once again, if Mourinho can get his squad to start playing some defense and Ronaldo stays in top form, then I’d tip Real Madrid to lift the Champions League trophy May 19 in Munich.
– Spencer Wright is a sophomore majoring in broadcast journalism. He supports Manchester United and hopes to live long enough to watch the Cubs win a World Series. Send any comments to eliason.wright3@aggiemail.usu.edu.