Soccer Watch

The Austin Aztex will host a preseason party at 5pm, Sunday, April 22, at the Lion & Rose Pub (in the Village at Westlake, 701 Capital of Texas Hwy. S.), shortly after the Eberly's Army annual general meeting at 3pm. Drop in to meet team members, possibly hear a bit about their plans, and maybe catch a preview of the new uniform design. The Aztex's season starts May 5 in Houston; the home opener is May 19.

With everyone drooling over a possible Barcelona vs. Real Madrid clasico in the European Champions League Final, the results of this week's semifinal first-leg games cast some doubt: Bayern Munich 2, Real Madrid 1, and Chelsea 1, Barcelona 0. The return legs, both in Spain, are this Tuesday-Wednesday, April 24-25, 1:45pm on Fox networks... Mexico's Monterrey and San­tos Laguna decide the CONCACAF Champions League title Wednes­day, April 25 (7pm, FSC); first leg is happening as we go to press... The EPL game of the week on ESPN2 (6:30am, Satur­day) should be a corker: London derby Chelsea at Arsenal, with a Champions League spot possibly on the line. Then at 1pm on Gol and ESPN Deportes is the La Liga version of the clasico, Real Madrid at Barcelona, with Barca needing a win to have a chance of catching their rivals for the title. Both those seasons end May 13, as do most of the Euro seasons; then the European Champion­ship kicks off in Poland and Ukraine, June 8-July 1.