G Goal in Limassol,” roars a broadcaster, as if at this XXL summit of Europe’s football elite the culmination of what is supposed to be a decisive evening has finally arrived. It is 4-1 in the 87th minute in Cyprus between the home side Pafos FC and Slavia Prague. The anxious question remains whether the Cypriots might still reach the group stage of the Champions League, thereby qualifying for the Round of 16.
What exactly it depends on is known only to those who at the same time keep the live table of Europe’s 36 top teams in sight. But even if one has grasped that, the next shout of a goal will once again throw everything into disarray.
For the second time, the Champions League is already played in the seemingly arbitrary league format that ends after eight matchdays. This is made possible by the early clashes between top teams such as Real Madrid and Manchester City, and it makes a clear, decisive sporting competition impossible.
On the final eighth matchday, football fans are swept from one venue to another across Europe by the glow of their screens in a kind of blind flight. And despite the loud uproar everywhere, a later glance at the final table reveals that essentially nothing has happened. Among the eight teams that secure a direct place in the Round of 16, five—no great surprise—come from the wealthiest English Premier League. Among the twelve teams eliminated early, there is likewise little surprise. All others linger in the broad middle ground, which still leaves room for any amount of imagination.
When the shouting stops elsewhere
And yet there is one great moment on this final matchday, when only a single game remains in progress. Benfica Lisbon, in front of its home crowd, leads Real Madrid, the record winner of the competition, 3-2, and wrongly believes it has already qualified for the knockout stage before the Round of 16.
Apparently those in charge have lost track of what is happening at the 17 other venues. There is still a goal needed to advance. The goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin is sent from the bench for the last offensive push, and when this is noticed, his header sends the entire stadium into ecstasy. Since no one else can score elsewhere, the result stands.
Who would have thought: football in the Champions League can be so gripping this early in the competition. It simply demands more patience, until the fog over the possible outcomes of the other games lifts and fate rests solely in the feet of the teams on the pitch.
