When the draws for the semi-finals were made, the world held its breath! It seemed as if the Champions League, the topmost club football in the world, was destined for another el-clasico. Messi was already dreaming of playing Madrid while Ramos looked forward to the rivalry. Many pundits gave it to the Spanish duo of Barcelona and Madrid. Wembley, here comes Spain.
All that fairy tale has cracked like a fireball thrown against the wall. So much energy but so little result. The first leg of the semi-finals has come and gone. The tiki-taka world-class Barca and the Galacticos worth €300 million were all humiliated in the German enclaves of Bayern and Dortmund. Barcelona with coach Titinova recovering from cancer treatment in the US watched helplessly as the Bavarian outfit tore at its defence like a hot knife through butter. Despite having 67% of possession, Barcelona only managed two feeble shots at the opposite keeper, Emmanuel Neuer.

Fans of the Madrista were over the moon as their arch-rivals were taken to the cleaners. 4-nil. They forgot the saying that he who laughs last laughs the best. Despondent as they were, Barca fans in Nigeria had their own turn at full-throated laughter the following day. The super star-studded Madrid billionaires were reduced to mere mortals. ‘LEWANDOSKI 4-MADRID 1’ read the headline on goal.com immediately after the match. Facebook faithful came up with their title: GERMANY 8-SPAIN-1. Some keen football analyst came up with the cost of the star-studded Madrid vs. that of Borussia Dortmund. The whole starting XI of Dortmund cost less than the €29 million Kaka the former world player of the year, cost Madrid. The football world was really shocked to the bone marrows. Stun was an understatement.

When the draws for the semi-finals were made, the world held its breath! It seemed as if the Champions League, the topmost club football in the world, was destined for another el-clasico. Messi was already dreaming of playing Madrid while Ramos looked forward to the rivalry. Many pundits gave it to the Spanish duo of Barcelona and Madrid. Wembley, here comes Spain.
All that fairy tale has cracked like a fireball thrown against the wall. So much energy but so little result. The first leg of the semi-finals has come and gone. The tiki-taka world-class Barca and the Galacticos worth €300 million were all humiliated in the German enclaves of Bayern and Dortmund. Barcelona with coach Titinova recovering from cancer treatment in the US watched helplessly as the Bavarian outfit tore at its defence like a hot knife through butter. Despite having 67% of possession, Barcelona only managed two feeble shots at the opposite keeper, Emmanuel Neuer.

Fans of the Madrista were over the moon as their arch-rivals were taken to the cleaners. 4-nil. They forgot the saying that he who laughs last laughs the best. Despondent as they were, Barca fans in Nigeria had their own turn at full-throated laughter the following day. The super star-studded Madrid billionaires were reduced to mere mortals. ‘LEWANDOSKI 4-MADRID 1’ read the headline on goal.com immediately after the match. Facebook faithful came up with their title: GERMANY 8-SPAIN-1. Some keen football analyst came up with the cost of the star-studded Madrid vs. that of Borussia Dortmund. The whole starting XI of Dortmund cost less than the €29 million Kaka the former world player of the year, cost Madrid. The football world was really shocked to the bone marrows. Stun was an understatement.

As the Spanish and German teams get ready to battle it out enroute Wembley in May, the jinx is yet to be broken. Spanish teams just cannot crack the juggernaut that German teams, with their tactical and technical perfectionism and reputation, have built over the years. Their football academies are sprawling with talents. Their training facilities and motivation for FUSSBALSPIELEN are bearing fruit. They have perfected the art and science of controlled demolition: controlled demolition of football super powers; controlled demolition of the UEFA-favoured conspiracy of an El-Clasico dream final. While Titinova and Mourinho are licking their wounds, Jurgen Klopp and Jupp Heknckes are smiling themselves to stupor. The job is only half done. They have an unfinished job at the Bernabeu and Nou Camp respectively.

Last year, at the Alianz Arena as Bayern Munich hosted Chelsea FC in the final, a big banner sprawled across the stadium. UNSERE STADT.UNSERE STADION.UNSERE CUP. That may well be modified thus: IHRE STADT. IHREM STADION. UNSERE CUP, meaning: THEIR CITY. THEIR STADIUM. OUR CUP.
Whether the never-say-die Bayern or the clinical Dortmund, the trophy with two large ears is heading to Germany. I bet my money on Borussia Dortmund to be crowned as Champions of Europe. They play splendid well-coordinated football that is pleasing to the eye. They remain the only team in Europe not to lose a match in the championship. They are truly kings of the demolition exercise, Kings of Europe.

by Lawrence Wakdet

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EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: GERMANY’S CONTROLLED DEMOLITION!