It could be considered fitting that Real Madrid and Chelsea will play the first leg of their Champions League semifinal on Tuesday, as European soccer sorts through the repercussions of the volcanic formation and rapid collapse of the Super League. After all, the start of the penultimate round of the sport’s most prestigious club competition features two of the 12 clubs involved in the effort to break away from it.
Chelsea, in the semifinals for the first time since 2014, is seeking its second Champions League title. Real Madrid is seeking to add to its record haul of 13 continental championships by winning its first since 2018, which is the last time it advanced this far in the tournament.