For some people, soccer is a boring game. 'It's like watching paint dry', a friend once told me. Although I grew up watching soccer with my family and ended up loving it, most matches now bore me too. But sometimes, the beautiful game is just that. If this week's Champions League quarter-final ties are anything to go by, well, you would have to say that soccer still is the greatest game ever. After last week's first-leg matches, everyone was pretty confident that giants manchester city and Barcelona would advance to the semi-finals, joining Real Madrid and Bayern Munich in the process.
Experts predicted no surprises and were merely hoping for entertaining matches. No one expected the level of drama and sheer exhilaration we got this week. On Tuesday, Liverpool knocked out what Juergen Klopp called 'the best team in the world' and Roma made mincemeat of giants, Barcelona. On Wednesday, Juventus staged an incredible comeback against Real Madrid only to be denied a spot in the semi-final by a last minute Cristiano Ronaldo penalty. Bayern progressed after an ill-tempered victory against Sevilla. The draw for the semi-finals will take place on Friday.
Roma eliminates Barcelona
Having lost the first match by four goals to one, even the most optimistic fans gave Roma little chance of getting through.
But after Dzeko's sixth and De Rossi's fifty-eighth-minute goal the tide had most certainly turned. When Manolas scored the third goal in the eighty-second minute, the Italian fans went crazy. Incredible scenes following awesome soccer drama.
No one could have anticipated that Roma could withstand the awesome Barcelona strikers and keep a clean sheet.
Manchester City lose against Liverpool - again
Even though Liverpool had beaten Manchester City by three goals to nil at home, the team and manager knew the tie was still wide open. Manchester City has been wowing fans and opponents all season, but Pep Guardiola's side transpired to be beatable after all. The team had a bad few days.
First, they lost three nill to Liverpool in the first leg of the Champions Leauge Quarterfinal. Then, arch-rivals Manchester United came from two goals behind to beat them three-two at the weekend, thus preventing them from lifting the Premier Leauge Trophy. When City scored within the first few minutes of the second leg match, everyone expected them to march on, but Salah's second-half goal had Liverpool soldier on to victory.
Liverpool went on to beat Manchester City five-one on aggregate.
Heartbreak for Juventus and Buffon - glory for Ronaldo once again
Having scored three goals against Real Madrid, Juventus had managed to turn its three-nil first-leg defeat around. This was legendary Italian goalkeeper Buffon's last European game.
Unfortunately, it ended in tears. Buffon couldn't contain his temper when the referee awarded Real a last-minute penalty, eye-balled him and was sent off.
This was a sad end to an illustrious European soccer career. Ronaldo scored from the penalty spot, proving once again that he is the man for the big occasion.
Bayern progress against Sevilla with a scoreless draw
After beating Sevilla in the first-leg encounter, Bayern Munich was happy to play out a scoreless draw. No drama here apart from the sending off of Joaquin Correa.
