AC Milan are the champions of Europe! We look back on their victory over Liverpool and discuss all of the noteworthy talking points: should Inzagi's first goal have been disallowed since it seemed to be an obvious handball? Would additional refs watching the goallines have made a difference? What was up with ref not giving a full 3 minutes of extra time? How did Liverpool do in efforts to keep Kaka in check? Who should be the man of the match (if anyone)?

Also, has the Champions League gotten too big? Plus a discussion
of European teams playing preseason warmups abroad, and a potential new home for US midfielder DaMarcus Beasley.

A big thank you from us to our listeners for supporting us in our first Champions League season on air. We hope you will continue to listen in over the summer, send in e-mails with your opinions/questions/suggestions to scpodcast@gmail.com, and please join us in the fall for Champions League 2007-08!

Cheers,
Scott and Bill

It's all come down to this. AC Milan. Liverpool. The brilliant Olympic Stadium in Athens. One will leave as UEFA Champions League champions for 2006-07. Who will it be? Scott and Bill go over final pointers and analysis to get you set for the big game.

If the Champions League final is as good as the UEFA Cup final last week, then we are in for a treat. The Sevilla-Espanyol clash in rainy Glasgow provided high drama, great goals, stellar saves, an extra time comeback, and the nailbiting event that is penalty kicks. We review all the action.

Also: a listener e-mail about the Brazilian nat'l team; adding referees to watch the goallines; Bob Bradley becoming permanent head coach of US national team: good or bad?; the turnover at Newcastle United, including US defender Oguchi Onyewu.

Links
-The 4 thrilling goals from the UEFA Cup final with English commentary (links for all goals are at the right side of this page)
-EPL Talk podcast

US Soccer announced today that Bob Bradley has been named coach of the national team on a permanent basis.

This fan's opinion? Ehh. Disappointing they couldn't get someone with international experience, but not unexpected. We'll see how the team does in the upcoming CONCACAF Gold Cup and Copa America tournaments.

Perpsective on this decision, as well as a recap of the all-Spanish UEFA Cup final, and of course a preview of the Liverpool-AC Milan Champions League final grudge match, on our next episode, to come out May 20 or 21.

--Scott

Heerenveen's Afonso Alves, who we profiled in Episode 22, set up the only goal as the Frisians beat Ajax today in the first leg of their Champions League qualification playoff semi-final.  The Brazilian also hit the cross-bar with a 30 meter free kick.

Soccer Champions' listener Tom Lewis e-mailed us with a link to Alves' stats.  Perhaps the folks at UEFA were also listening to Soccer Champions Episode 22, as they published a story today on UEFA.com regarding the Eredivisie's top scorer.

It looks like we'll be hearing Afonso's name (as well as his namesake,  Sevilla's Daniel Alves) linked with many clubs during the summer.

   -  Bill

While Manchester United clinched the English Premier League title in effect yesterday, and Inter Milan and Lyon will become Italian and French domestic league winners (respectively) with ease, the Spanish and German league titles are still up for grabs.

In Spain, Barcelona hold a two point advantage over Real Madrid, with Sevilla in third place 4 points behind the leaders, followed by Valencia 6 points out with 5 games to go. Yesterday surging Real Madrid--winners of 6 of their last 7 La Liga matches--overcame a 1-0 deficit to Sevilla and then outlasted the UEFA Cup Final contenders to win 3-2. This game not only featured entertaining play (including a beautifully struck goal off a volley by Sevilla's Enzo Moresca) and a riveting, tense atmosphere, but the bizarre occasion of a Sevilla substitute getting a red card...while on the bench, and a Real player getting a red card purely for excessive celebration! A second Sevilla player was actually sent off for an on-field incident for good measure. :) Sounds like a great game!

In Germany's Bundesliga, Schalke is hanging onto first place by a thread, with Stuttgart just 1 point back, and Werder Bremen hanging around in third place only 2 points out of first with only 2 games remaining. Now that Bremen are out of the UEFA Cup, can they make a run at the title?

Should be some great contests in these leagues down the stretch. Hopefully you'll get a chance to see some of them. And let us know your thoughts! Who do you think will come out on top in Spain and Germany? Who are you pulling for? E-mail scpodcast@gmail.com.

 

It's setting up to be a fantastic final in Athens, with a rematch of the unforgettable '05 affair from Istanbul, with Liverpool once again the underdog facing Italian giants AC Milan. But before we get to the championship festivities, it's time to look back on the semifinals, and see how the Reds outlasted Chelsea, and the Rossoneri soundly dispatched Manchester United.

Also, a preview of the all-Spanish UEFA Cup final, with David-like Espanyol matched with the Goliath of Sevilla, this competition's defending champions.

Plus a listener e-mail concerning young Brazilian phenom Afonso Alves, who tore up the Dutch Eredivisie this season.

Want to have your question or opinion read on a future episode? E-mail us at scpodcast@gmail.com

Links
Here's a compilation of Afonso Alves goals from the 06-07 campaign, set to some funky music!

Add Andriy Shevchenko to Chelsea's injury list.  The Ukrainian's groin strain means that the Blues will likely go with an all-Ivory Coast front line of Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou. 

So this is the moment (err, matchday) of truth: who will advance to the championship, and the chance for Champions League or UEFA Cup glory, and who will come up just one game short? Scott and Bill get you caught up for the semifinal second legs, and we'll discuss whether or not the first leg results changed our minds about the overall outcomes of the UCL and UC.

Also, turmoil at Bayern Munich; where should the World Cup be held in 2018 and why this discussion should sound familiar; and the exciting conclusion to the Dutch Eredivisie season. Plus a listener e-mail!

Want to have your e-mail discussed on the show? All you have to do is send us your opinion, suggestion, question, or just which team you want to see get to Athens or Glasgow, to scpodcast@gmail.com.