The Best of the Best: The Champions League
Real Madrid posing after winning the 2022 Champions League
June 9, 2023
The UEFA Champions League stands tall as the pinnacle of European club football, captivating millions of fans worldwide with its spectacular matches, breathtaking goals, and memorable moments. Since its inception in 1955, this prestigious tournament has evolved into a sporting phenomenon, showcasing the best clubs from across Europe. This year, the 2023 Champions League final will take place on June 10th, featuring Inter Milan vs. Man City.
But how did these teams arrive here? First, to participate in the UEFA Champions League, clubs must first qualify through their domestic leagues, made out of 20 teams. Following a 38 game season, the top 4 teams in these leagues (8 leagues in total) will qualify for the champions league group stage. These 32 teams will then be divided up into 8 groups of 4, (labeled groups A-H) and will be randomly grouped based on seeding. All teams will then play 6 games within their respective group (2 games against each team). The top 2 teams will advance to the round of 16, and continue in that format until the final (Bleacher Report). The 2023 season has been filled with blissful matches, and has drawn the eyes of millions of viewers. In fact, estimates show that last year’s Champions League final featuring popular clubs Real Madrid and Liverpool pulled worldwide viewership of up to 700 million (ASTV). To put this in perspective, U.S. superbowl viewership in 2022 was estimated at 200 million, making the champions league final over 3 times as viewed.
As 2023 steamed ahead, only eight teams remained (Benfica v. Inter, Madrid v. Chelsea, Man City v. Bayern, and Milan v. Napoli), coming into the quarter finals dating back to early April. In countless hard fought matches spanning over a two-game, winner-takes-all format, four teams (Inter, Madrid, City, and Milan) came out victorious. The Semi finals, which took place over the month of May, limited it down to the final two teams. Inter Milan, who faced off against rivals AC Milan in the semis, dominated both games, winning by a score of 2-0 in the first game, and 1-0 in the second, dropping their enemies off in a 3-0 aggregate score, sending them to the finals (SkySports). When asked about the loss, AC Milan fan and student Antonio Cascio stated, “Although the loss against Inter was devastating, we must look past this and see this season as a step closer to success. No one expected us to make it this far, and I see this run as a foundation upon which we can build a successful future.” On the other side, powerhouse teams Real Madrid and Manchester City faced off, each seeking that coveted finals spot. After a 1-1 tie in an extremely close first game, Man City showed up in the second, winning 4-0, and beating Madrid in a 5-1 aggregate score, allowing them a place in the big show (SkySports).
This coming June, both teams will play a one game final in order to determine a final victor. When asked about the upcoming game, Italian teacher and soccer enthusiast Prof. explains, “I will be watching and rooting for Inter Milan in the final. Although I’m not an Inter fan, there are three Italian teams in each of the UEFA cup finals, and I would like to see the three trophies come to Italy. This would also put five Italian teams in next year’s champions league.” For any interested in tuning in for the match, the game will be available to watch on CBS and is sure to be a thrilling event.
Sources
https://olympics.com/en/news/uefa-champions-league-ucl-winners-list-football-club-teams
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2819840-uefa-champions-league-explained-how-the-tournament-works
