The soap opera that is sports always rivets for what takes place on the battle field. But often times the stories that take place far away from the pitch are just as unique and special. They make for some interesting conversation and add an element to the world of sports that moves into the social, political and economic realm.
This year featured a number of off-pitch events that continued to elevate the dynamics of soccer and add new elements that are rarely discussed. As part of our Best of 2014 feature series, writer David Salazar and Edwin Molina look at two off-pitch events that really brought the soccer conversation to a new level.
Chelsea maintains their lead in the English Premier League (EPL) after 1-1 draw against fourth-place Southampton while second-place Manchester City and third-place Manchester United fail to make up ground in the standings. Arsenal managed to creep into the top five with a key victory on the road against West Ham United.
Lionel Messi made history when he scored his 70th and 71st career UEFA Champions League goals helping Barcelona beat Ajax Amsterdam 2-0, helping the Spanish club advance into the Round of 16. Barcelona will be joined by Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich, Ligue 1 champs Paris Saint-Germain and Primeira Liga club Porto in the next phase of the tournament.
After going through a rough patch in UEFA Champions League, the Capital One Cup and English Premier League (EPL) action, defending champions Manchester City bounced back defeating crosstown rival Manchester United in the "Manchester Derby." Also, Tottenham Hotspur turned things around thanks to Harry Kane's late-game heroics to defeat Aston Villa.
Robin van Persies late goal in stoppage time helped Manchester United salvage a point at Old Trafford to eke out a 1-1 draw against English Premier League table leader Chelsea, playing without their lead scorer Diego Costa.
