European Champions League Matchday 8 – Football giants expelled

It came without warning. Many football analysts and fans were totally surprised. But by the time the matches were over, some of the big teams in this year’s competition had been unexpectedly sent off.

Real Madrid FC, Barcelona FC and Arsenal FC, clubs that are soccer giants in Europe, had lost to teams they were expected to defeat.

When the draw for the Champions League round of 16 matched Barcelona and Liverpool, everyone expected an easy path for the former. After all, they were the reigning champions and one of the best teams in Europe in their current form.
But a two-to-one defeat on home soil meant they had to win by two unanswered goals in the second leg at Liverpool.
However, they could only score a single goal and that meant they lost the away goals rule.

Barcelona fans and many other soccer fans around the world were stunned by this result.
Many expected the Barça team to reach at least the final of this season’s competition. They were one of the best teams in the area and had put in very good performances all year. Unfortunately, however, they had lost to a club that was smaller in comparison.

Although Liverpool were European champions in 2005, no one expected them to turn a corner by beating Barcelona, ​​at least on paper.

After the game, some analysts attributed the shock loss to the recent turmoil in the team. The scorer of the only goal at Anfield, Eidur Gudjohnssen, in a post-match press interview, made comments that seemed to corroborate the fact that all was not well with the team, as was widely speculated.

Now, the Barcelona team can only realistically hope to aim for the Spanish league title and the Copa del Rey.

They still have a good chance of winning as they are still top of the league, ahead of second placed Sevilla on goal difference.