Interested in learning more about the Champions League and European soccer, but a little unclear as to what's going on? This is the episode for you! Bill and Scott discuss the major aspects of Euro soccer, to help explain how it works. After listening to this episode, you should (hopefully) be ready to dive in to the excitement and drama that is the Champions League, just before the 07-08 season really gets going.

Have a friend, co-worker, relative, etc. that you've been trying to get involved in soccer? Please recommend this episode to them, and then have them tune in throughout the season!

Web sites/cable channels mentioned in the episode:
Uefa.com
Soccernet.com
Fox Soccer Channel
ESPN Deportes
Gol TV
101greatgoals.com
The Guardian (newspaper)

As we prepare for the start of a new Champions League season, Bill and I are working on a special episode. As we get great enjoyment out of following the Champions League, we want to help introduce others to the competition, and to European soccer in general.

In our next episode, to be posted this week (assuming no technical difficulties), we're going to talk about the main concepts and structure of European soccer and the Champions League, in a way that will hopefully allow new fans to better understand what's going during the season, and in later podcast episodes!

So if you know anyone--friends, co-workers, neighbors, relatives, spouses, friends of neighbors, neighbors of friends, etc. etc.--who's been trying to follow the Champs League but isn't sure how things work, or who is curious about Euro soccer and looking to learn more about it, this is the episode for them! But we think seasoned fans will have something to listen to as well, as we will discuss some of the more interesting questions/issues brought up by our overview of the Champs League. Stay tuned...

...and after Labor Day, Bill and I will break down all of the Champions League groups to get you ready for Matchday 1 on Sept. 18. Finally, our e-mail box is always open, so get in touch with us at scpodcast@gmail.com.

 

While rumors have persisted for a while that Chelsea is interested in up-and-coming Sevilla defender Daniel Alves, the Blues instead acquired Brazilian Juliano Belletti from Barcelona.

And just in case you thought Real Madrid hasn't spent enough money this offseason, the Spanish league defending champions made two more significant additions today. They picked up veteran Man United defender Gabriel Heinze and young Dutch star Arjen Robben (from Chelsea). Concurrently Real announced its Brazilian defender Cicinho has signed a contract with AS Roma.

In case you've lost track, that brings Real Madrid's summer spending to 120 mil euros, or about $167 mil. But as we've seen in the past, just paying the most for the best players doesn't necessarily guarantee wins, in soccer or baseball or any other sport. Real's former coach Fabio Capello has criticized the team for waiting too long in the summer transfer window to start making moves, and the club's preseason form has ownership and fans quite worried: most recently Real Madrid got battered 6-3 on aggregate by Sevilla in the Spanish Super Cup (an exhibition mind you, but one featuring the previous season's league and domestic cup winners). Consensus is that Real has looked disjointed and sluggish throughout the preseason.

Meanwhile, across town, Atletico Madrid spent sparingly in the summer and by accounts are looking in fine form. While the departure of Fernando Torres to Liverpool was certainly a blow, the striker pairing of experienced new arrival Diego Forlan with young Argentinian Sergio Aguero worked out beautifully in Atletico's 3-0 win in UEFA Cup qualifying last week in which both scored. The third goal was scored by Aguero's countryman Maxi Rodriguez, who scored that incredible volley goal vs. Mexico in last year's World Cup.

So who does Atletico play in their first La Liga game of the season this Saturday? Real, in a Madrid derby at the Bernabeu. Should be quite an interesting matchup.

The 2007-08 campaign is underway in several European countries, including England, Scotland, Germany, and France among others. Sadly, early action has brought serious injuries to two powerhouses of note. Lyon lost captain and defender Cris for six months due to a torn ligament in his knee. The French champions are also without keeper Gregory Coupet for four months. In England defending champs Man United will be without Wayne Rooney, who has a fractured foot, for about 2 months. Keep these developments in mind if you're going to be playing Champions League fantasy football.

One new signing of note: Real Madrid continued their busy summer by grabbing young Dutch international Wesley Sneijder from Ajax.

Speaking of new signings, Bill and I talked in our last episode of how we were impressed with Bayern Munich's recent moves. Well, their new additions paid immediate dividends over the weekend in the first Bundesliga match of the new season: granted it was against newly promoted Hansa Rostock, but new arrival Miroslav Klose netted 2 goals, and fellow summer signing Luca Toni added a third as Bayern cruised to a 3-0 victory. Hopes are certainly high this year in Munich...

In addition to domestic leagues, the third round of Champions League qualifying starts this week. It features: last year's finalist Liverpool along with Arsenal; 2-time defending UEFA Cup champs Sevilla and fellow Spanish side Valencia; Scotland's 2 entrants (and usual suspects) Celtic and Rangers; Freddy Adu's new team, Benfica; and the now Klose-less Werder Bremen.

Who are you rooting for to make the group stage? Let us know at scpodcast@gmail.com, and you'll have a good chance of hearing your message read on a future episode!

Bill and Scott discuss a litany of summer transfers, from Germany to Spain to England and beyond. Which teams fared the best, which teams did well to get rid of players, and which players you should look for to make an impact in their new homes.

Have an opinion on transfers? E-mail scpodcast@gmail.com