The scale of the UCL and the competition it brings with itself can hardly be matched by
any sporting event in the footballing world. Yes, FIFA is what every person with slightest
idea of football is hooked to when the time arrives after every four years but with UCL
we get to witness epic drama every year. Be it the Barcelona’s La Remontada against PSG
in 2017 or the Liverpool’s drama against Barca a year ago, those moments just can’t be matched.
What UCL has also given is the rise of the underdogs each and every year. Atleast
a single team from each year’s competition have the backing from many a fans around the globe.
2020 was a step ahead with Atalanta, Leipzig and Lyon all turning heads. Atalanta appeared
in the UCL for the first time this year and were just minutes away from securing a semi-final berth
but PSG had other plans. Leipzig, created only in 2009 and in just second appearance in European
competition reached the semis while Lyon qualified in the semis for the first time since 2009-10 season
and with their sizzling attack against Bayern in the first 17 minutes, the game could have gone either
way until Bayern ensured none other than them should get the ticket to the finals.
Well, its not that underdogs are a rarity. Who can forget the young Ajax team who gloriously
knocked out holders Real Madrid and Ronaldo’s Juventus with their beautiful brand of football and
were just moments away from a final until Lucas Moura spilled cold water over their hopes.
The year before Monaco were ruthless with full of talented youngsters like Mbappe, Bernardo Silva,
Lemar, Falacao, Fabinho, Moutinho.
With heavyweights always having a large number of fans backing them each season, it goes beyond
saying that underdogs have a special kind of support and every football fan has a soft corner for them.
.
What hurts is that the all underdogs team cannot perform more than one season largely due to the
demand of the players which are lured away to big clubs and the team have no choice but let go of
their prized players. Until then we can just hope and relive the adventures of many previous ones
and wait for many a new ones.
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