Learn English Through Football

In this football language podcast we look back at some of the language that described the four first-leg quarter finals of the Champions League which are all delicately poised as all eight sides feel they still have a chance of qualifying for the semi-finals. You can read the transcript for this podcast below, while you can also check out our glossary of footballing phrases here and visit our site to access all our previous posts and podcasts. If you have any suggestions or questions then you can contact us at admin@languagecaster.com.
 
Learn English Through Football Podcast: Delicately Poised – 2024 Champions League Quarter Finals
DF: Hello everyone. You’re listening to languagecaster.com’s football-language podcast – the show for everyone who wants to improve their English and who loves the beautiful game of football. My name is Damian and I am one half of the Languagecaster team – the other of course is Damon who is based in Tokyo, Japan. I’m in London where the weather is a little more spring-like – the sun is shining and the birds are singing – maybe they are excited as we approach the business end of the season!  
Now on today’s show we will be looking back at those wonderfully exciting last-eight first-leg matches in the [2024] Champions League in which all four matches are delicately poised. And this phrase means that none of the games are decided yet – all eight of the teams still think they can qualify for the semi-finals. The phrase ‘delicately poised‘ means that something is balanced but the smallest touch or movement might change this situation. So, for example, in football, none of these ties from the Champions League have been decided yet with all eight sides in with a chance of making the last four. It means that we cannot really predict the winners in any of the matches – or at least with any certainty! So, we will go through each of the four quarter-final first legs and choose a phrase that sums up the fact that they are all delicately poised – the ties are all delicately poised.
Stinger: You are listening to languagecaster.com (in Spanish).
Vocabulary
So, here are some of the expressions that we are going to look at from each of the four quarter-final ties:

* Far from over
* Hanging in the balance
* Hold a slender lead/advantage
* Nothing to choose between the sides

PSG v Barcelona: Tie is far from over 
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Paris Saint Germain hosted Barcelona in their first-leg match...