The French. They are so often the object of opprobrium, at least from a certain sector of American politics. Yet their contribution to world soccer (not to mention love, fine pastry and other stuff) is undeniable.
It began in the sport with the founding of FIFA — its official name is the Fédération Internationale de Football Association after all — in Paris in 1904. Fifty years later, it was Gabriel Hanot, the editor of the French sports newspaper L'Équipe, who conceived the European Champion Clubs' Cup — the European Cup — in 1955, in Paris, of course.
But it took the dominant club team of the time, Real Madrid, to claim not only the first title in the 1955-56 season, but the first five. They often say that every sport needs a dynasty (see, the New York Yankees, the Montreal Canadiens, the Boston Celtics, the Green Bay Packers and Manchester United) to pump up interest. Real Madrid did that for what is now the premier club competition not only in Europe, but the world. They were the Galaticos before Sputnik.
On Wednesday in Dortmund, Germany, visiting Madrid opens its two-game UEFA Champions League (the tournament's name since 1992) semifinal series against Borussia Dortmund, the two-time (but dethroned) champion of Germany's Bundesliga, in the Westfalenstadion. Madrid is seeking its record 10th title, La Decima, but its first since 2002.
But before Real Madrid can start thinking of playing for its 10th continental title on May 25 at Wembley Stadium in London, it must scoot past a Dortmund club that is swift, skillful and deadly on the counterattack. A team a lot like Los Blancos.
With another shot at seeing his team play in the final, Real Madrid Manager Jose Mourinho is pursuing a most unique triple — a chance to win the Champions League's big-eared trophy with his third team in a third country (Porto/Portugal and Inter/Italy came before). Yet Mourinho's tenure in Madrid has been everything but peaches and cream for the self-anointed Special One. With Madrid failing to overhaul Barcelona in the league, Mourinho has been said to be looking for an exit (to Paris St.-Germain, maybe, or possibly a return to Chelsea).
Cristiano Ronaldo again is playing second fiddle to Barcelona's Lionel Messi, second in goals scored in La Liga with 31 to Messi's 43. All the talent, from Iker Casillas, through Sergio Ramos and Fábio Coentrão in the back, Mesut Özil and Michael Essien in the middle, and Gonzalo Higuaín, Karim Benzema and of course Ronaldo up front will only matter if Madrid can win La Decima.
On the eve of the match, Dortmund's fans were stunned by the news that the attacking midfielder Mario Götze, 20, a member of the club's youth academy system from age 8, will leave the club at the end of the season — for Bayern Munich.
"Mario Götze and his agent informed Borussia Dortmund a few days ago that the player would like to trigger his release clause and move to Bayern Munich on July 1," the club said on its Web site. The German news media reported Bayern Munich paid a transfer fee of $48 million for Götze, a record for a German player.
After losing the Japanese midfielder Shinji Kagawa to the new Premier League champion Manchester United, Dortmund is also in danger of losing the Polish international Robert Lewandowski during the summer transfer period. But that is, perhaps, a story for another day. Lewandowski, who picked up a thigh injury in a 2-0 win over Mainz last weekend, is expected to play against Madrid. He is Dortmund's leading scorer in the tournament with six goals and two assists.
Both Real Madrid and Dortmund failed to defend their domestic titles this season (after the match in Germany, Real faces Atlético this weekend in the Madrid derby and the prospect of being tied of points with a loss), and while Real Madrid is seeking its 10th continental crown Dortmund is attempting win the title for the first time since 1997.
"This is the biggest game so far that my boys will have to play," Dortmund Manager Jürgen Klopp told reporters. "We are ready to give it everything we have against the biggest club in the world because if you reach the semifinal then you obviously want to get into that final."
Check back later for updates and analysis from Times reporters, editors and others. Kickoff in Dortmund is scheduled for 2:45 p.m. Eastern (FX).
Via: - Japanese j-League
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