SOCCER INTERNATIONAL ARTICLES

Germany and France is a rivalry as old as time itself. The neighboring nations have met on the battlefield numerous times over the course of their history, but these days relations have been more civil, so they meet on the pitch instead. ... 

Although the World Cup concluded last weekend, the sun never sets on the world’s most popular sport. This Friday, the International Champions Cup kicks off in the United States, and two of the biggest clubs in the world will square off in the Windy City. ... 

The Champions League Final between Liverpool and Real Madrid could be one of the highest scoring finals we have seen in a long time. Both of these teams have plenty of goal scoring options, while defending has been a bit of an adventure for both teams this year. ... 

Olympique Marseille will be fighting history when they take on Atletico Madrid on Wednesday. Spanish clubs have dominated this tournament recently, with five of the last eight titles being won by Spanish teams. Additionally, no French team has ever won the tournament. Eleven other countries have seen clubs win the Europa League in the tournament’s history, but French clubs are 0-4 at this stage. Marseille was responsible for two of those losses, and they will try to keep from going 0-3 in Europa League Finals. ... 

What happens this Thursday will determine which two teams meet in the Europa League Final in Lyon, France on Wednesday, May 16. After the first leg’s results, Atletico Madrid and Olympique Marseille are the favorites to meet in the final. However, neither club has an insurmountable lead and there is still a chance that both Arsenal and Red Bull Salzburg make it through. The latter two clubs need to be at their best this week in order to make it though. ... 

The Champions League Final will be a rematch of the 1981 final, but Liverpool and Real Madrid bear little resemblance to their predecessors. Those were the dark ages of international soccer when goals were a rarity. It was the middle of a 10-year period where there wasn’t more than one goal scored in the Champions League final. ... 

Real Madrid can taste it. The club with the most Champions League titles is in good position to pick up their fourth in fifth years. Real Madrid was able to score a victory in the first leg of their tie with Bayern Munich and a result of any sort will send them to the Champions League Final in Kyiv. ... 

It will take a long time to forget one of the most explosive Champions League Semifinals we have ever seen. The first leg of the tie between Liverpool and AS Roma was exhilarating. There were plenty of goals, incredible moments, and everything else you could possibly imagine. ... 

As with the Champions League, we saw the two remaining heavyweights drawn against each other in the Europa League semifinals last Friday. Arsenal and Atletico Madrid were the two big favorites to hoist the Europa League Championship, but one of the two will not make it to the final. Atletico is the favorite to take down the tournament now and get the advantage of hosting the second leg. ... 

Bayern Munich was the last non-Spanish side to win the Champions League five years ago and would love to win their sixth Champions League crown this season. They have already won the Bundesliga, are massive favorites in the DFB Pokal, and getting past Real Madrid in the semifinals would make them favorites in the Champions League Final. ... 

Some in the United States are already calling the upcoming Champions League Semifinal between AS Roma and Liverpool the Boston Derby. Liverpool is notably owned by Fenway Sports Group, a group of businessmen led by John Henry who first purchased the Boston Red Sox before diving into the Premier League. Meanwhile, Roma is partially owned, and chaired, by James Pallotta. Pallotta is from Boston as well and is also the co-owner of the Boston Celtics and eSports organization Fnatic. ... 

There weren’t really any surprises in the first leg of the Europa League Quarterfinals. Every home team took care of business, notching a victory and putting pressure on their opponent to even the score on their home turf this week. ... 

Real Madrid is looking to achieve another record. Los Blancos have won three of the last four Champions League titles and have a great chance to make it four of their last five. They are probably considered the favorite at this point after dismantling Juventus in the first leg of their Quarterfinal tie earlier this week. Juventus has a massive task ahead of it if the club is going to somehow find a way to advance to the semifinals after losing 3-0 in Turin.... 

European success has largely eluded Bayern Munich this century. For as good as the club has been and as unbeatable as they have been domestically, the club has just one Champions League title in the past 15 years. Bayern was the last non-Spanish team to be named winners of the Champions League back in 2013, and they are in a great position to get to the semifinals of the competition this year. Sevilla is looking to stop them and keep its dream run alive, but the Spanish club will be hard-pressed to do so after losing 2-1 at home in the first leg of their Quarterfinals tie.... 

Barcelona look set to be back in the Champions League semifinals after a dominant display in the first leg of their tie against AS Roma. Although the legendary Lionel Messi failed to get on the scoresheet at Camp Nou, his teammates, and some unfortunate Roma defenders, were able to give Barca a nice lead heading into the second leg in Rome. A Barca goal at any point in this match will likely snuff out any chance Roma has at pulling off a miraculous comeback.... 

Manchester City has run roughshod over the Premier League this season. The Citizens have already pretty much clinched a Premier League title and have only one blemish to their name in league play on the year.That loss was to Liverpool in Anfield, and the place gave Manchester City another nightmare on Wednesday. The Reds picked apart the Citizens in the first half, scoring three goals in a 20-minute stretch and now take a commanding lead into the second leg of the tie in Manchester. Unlike other teams that are well-behind though, the citizens at least have a decent shot of coming back and advancing based on how they performed at home this year.... 

This is where things get interesting in the Europa League. For all the complaining that certain top flight clubs do about it, winning the Europa League is still a prestigious thing. It’s a piece of hardware that fans can point to in order to say their club has had a successful season. Perhaps more importantly, it clinches a club’s berth in the more heralded Champions League. That means the world to teams that have struggled in domestic play and gives proud organizations one last chance to save some face. ... 

For the first time ever, Manchester City and Liverpool will meet in European competition. The two sides are extremely familiar with each other and are the only teams from the same league that were drawn together for the Champions League Quarterfinals. That will guarantee at least one English side through to the Semifinals, but it will also mean that one side will not be advancing further. Both sides are in excellent form heading into this one, and this should be an exciting clash. ... 

Getting to the Champions League Quarterfinals is starting to feel like a birthright for Bayern Munich at this point. The most storied club in German history has now made it to this stage in seven straight campaigns, but now they are hungry for more. Bayern Munich has not won the Champions League since 2013, and they are looking to claim the crown once again after Spanish clubs have dominated it over the past four years. ... 

If you haven’t been paying attention to the Champions League so far, you may be thinking you have a little déjà vu. Juventus and Real Madrid are set to clash for what feels like the umpteenth straight year. The two sides met in the Champions League final in Wales last season with Real Madrid getting the better of things in a 4-1 win. The victory gave the Merengues their record 12^th European title. Now, Juventus will look to settle the score. ... 

Barcelona is looking to avoid the Quarterfinals curse that has plagued its Champions League ambitions recently. Barca has been knocked out in the Quarterfinals in three of the last four seasons, but this time the Catalan club has a very favorable matchup. ... 

Wigan Athletic are looking to recreate the magic from five years ago. Wigan captured England’s attention during its incredible FA Cup run and captivated the country as it claimed the 2013 FA Cup.... 

Let’s be honest, Bayern Munich are through. Barring the miracle of all miracles, Bayern Munich are set to play in the Champions League Quarterfinals. The German superpower trounced Besiktas in the first leg of this matchup, and all Besiktas can really hope for is some respect after this tilt. ... 

Chelsea knows it has its work cut out for it. The Blues are behind the eight-ball heading into their matchup with Barcelona. They cannot sit back and hope to hold Barcelona scoreless after a 1-1 draw in Stamford Bridge, and now must score in one of the most difficult venues in all of soccer. ... 

Manchester United are looking to become the third English team to punch their ticket to the Champions League Quarterfinals. Liverpool and Manchester City were able to do it last week and United are looking to join them this week. ...