Messi vs. Ronaldo. Giggs vs. Ra?l.

On one hand, we have two of the most exciting young players in the world competing in one of soccer’s greatest rivalries. On the other hand, we have two of the game’s most seasoned veterans leading their teams in a battle of contrasting styles.

Although these two UEFA Champions League semifinal matchups will provide excitement in ways unique to themselves, both promise to showcase the best soccer Europe has to offer this year.

Let’s take a closer look at the matchups.

Manchester United vs. Schalke 04

This semifinal provides an interesting matchup, as Manchester United has had a stellar club season while Schalke has struggled immensely. United sits comfortably in first place in the English Premier League with a 21-10-3 record, but Schalke has found itself in the bottom half of Bundesliga with an 11-7-13 record. Despite this disappointing campaign in German league play, Schalke has managed to find its form in the Champions League and knock off last year’s champion Internazionale with a 7-3 combined score in the quarterfinal round. Manchester United has a definitive edge in terms of experience, though. They won the Champions League in 2008 and finished as runner-up in 2009. This year marks the first time Schalke has advanced past the quarterfinal stage.

There will be several stars taking the field in this matchup; however, each team possesses one elite player with a vast amount of experience, and in games this big, experience can be the deciding factor.

Thirty-seven-year-old Ryan Giggs has played his entire career at Manchester United, and his knack for keeping his composure and delivering key assists in crucial games has helped propel United this season. Ra?l, a former Real Madrid star and current Schalke leader, has appeared in more Champions League games (142) and scored more Champions League goals (71) than any other player in the world. He has been the heart and soul of this Schalke side, and he’ll need to play his best soccer to give Schalke a shot at beating Manchester United.

Prediction

Schalke embodies everything typical of a German team. They are physical and tough, while also maintaining the ability to score in masses, as seen by their seven goals in two games against Inter Milan. However, they have struggled with teams like Manchester United in recent years, winning only one of their last six games against English clubs.

United will be without leading goal-scorer Dimitar Berbatov in the first game due to a groin injury, but they still have plenty of firepower. With strikers Wayne Rooney and Javier Hern?ndez in a rich form, United boasts one of the deadliest attacks in the world. Hern?ndez has scored 8 goals in his last 13 games, and Rooney is always dangerous. Schalke has made an incredible run this year, but look for Manchester United to put an end to their Cinderella story and advance to the finals for the third time in four years.

Barcelona vs. Real Madrid

This matchup will showcase one of soccer’s most heated rivalries, as Spain’s top two club teams will battle for a spot in the finals. These two sides have squared off 211 times, with Real Madrid winning 86 of the matches, Barcelona winning 82 and the remaining 43 resulting in a draw. Real Madrid has traditionally been the better side, claiming nine Champions League titles, more than any other club in the world.

This year, Real Madrid is under the reign of Jos? Mourinho, the man who led Inter Milan to a Champions League title last season. Barcelona, however, has enjoyed more recent success than its rival, winning the Champions League in 2006 and 2009.

Unlike the other semifinal matchup, where veterans like Giggs and Ra?l carry the load, both of these teams rely on the star power of younger players.

Barcelona’s 23-year-old Lionel Messi is the most skilled player in the world, leading La Liga with 31 goals in 30 games this season and winning the FIFA World Player of the Year award in both 2009 and 2010. But Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo is not far behind. He won the FIFA World Player of the Year award himself in 2008 and has netted 29 goals in 30 games this season. This game could very easily be decided by the play of Messi and Ronaldo, as both players possess the pure skill, creativity and explosiveness to take over a game with one strike.

Prediction

On paper, this game could go either way. Barcelona and Real Madrid have played three times this season, each winning one game and drawing the third. Real Madrid relies on a more direct style of play that creates chances for its Portuguese superstar, Cristiano Ronaldo. Barcelona, however, plays with a unique style that involves a lot of passing and possession.

Many of their current players were members of the Spanish national team that won both the Euro Cup in 2008 and the World Cup in 2010, so this group knows how to win big games. This semifinal is going to be a dogfight, but Barcelona’s superior team chemistry should get them into the finals.

Although only time can tell which two teams will advance to the finals, one thing is for certain: die-hard fans from all over the world will pack the stadiums in these semifinal matches, and each game will provide a type of atmosphere that gives most soccer fans goosebumps.

Writer’s note

For those that don’t follow soccer avidly, the Champions League is a competition between the top club soccer teams of Europe. It allows teams from different European leagues to play against each other, and the winner is generally regarded as the best club team in the world. In the knock-out stages (like this semifinal round), each team plays a home game and the winner is decided by aggregate score.