Consider it karma for Jose Mourinho. The Special One used boring tactics to beat Liverpool on Saturday and tried similarly cynical tactics on Tuesday for Manchester United vs Sevilla. This time, the result was a stunning 2-1 defeat, the Red Devils going out in the Champions League Round of 16.
AS Roma did just enough to overturn their deficit against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League Round of 16 on Tuesday, Edin Dzeko scoring the lone goal in the 52nd minute to put Roma through via the away goals rule, 2-2 on aggregate.
Shakhtar went about their business professionally in the opening 45, looking dangerous on the counter and assured in possession while Roma struggled to generate any chances of note.
Footballers aren't like regular humans. They live different lives, and operate in completely different planes of existence. To wit: in my capacity as a professional soccer jokester, I have never had to take to social media to deny wiping a booger on the shirt of a professional colleague. Not even at the company Christmas party.
Dani Alves, however . . .
Tottenham had this. For 60 minutes of play, Tottenham deserved this ... but Juventus aren’t here for your sentimental nonsense.
Spurs landed five shots on target in the first half — nobody does that to Juventus. Son Heung-min looked razor sharp. Harry Kane was bossing Giorgio Chiellini. Paulo Dybala was about to get roasted on the spit of a thousand different hot takes. Only Andrea Barzagli was doing fun, wily veteran things.
Was this a red card for Barzagli?
RT for Red Card
Here is the play that most sums up the Manchester City-Basel Champions League tie:
Claudio Bravo, ladies and gentlemen. pic.twitter.com/awBrddu0JR
— Man City Brazil (@ManCityBrazil) March 7, 2018
Paris Saint-Germain was always going to be facing an uphill battle. After allowing three unanswered goals in a 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid at the Bernabeu, a comeback became even more unlikely when Neymar injured himself right before his sister’s birthday. But the Brazilian really missed by PSG vs Real Madrid in the Champions League was not Neymar but experienced defender Dani Alves.
No player has appeared more in the UEFA Champions League than FC Porto goalkeeper Iker Casillas. Today, the 36-year-old shot-stopper made his 167th appearance in the competition in Porto’s 0-0 draw with Liverpool (ultimately a 5-0 aggregate win for the Reds).
Casillas also holds the Champions League clean sheet record, a mark he improved to 59 today.
In the 77th minute of PSG’s routine 3-0 victory over Marseille Sunday night, a seemingly innocuous moment led to Neymar remaining on the ground while play continued around him. 10 seconds later, with Neymar still writhing in agony and in clear discomfort, PSG played the ball out so their Brazilian star could receive treatment.
Neymar was then stretchered off the field while crying inconsolably. For many, the world’s most expensive player had clearly just suffered a serious injury (perhaps a broken ankle), calling into question his participation at the World Cup.
Lionel Messi is the second-highest goalscorer in Champions League history, trailing only Cristiano Ronaldo. Messi has scored 98 Champions League goals in his career so far, and we were wondering which countries he has done the most damage against. So, we went through all of Messi's goals and figured out the countries that house the clubs Messi has scored the most goals against.
Fred (No not that Fred. The other Fred. The good Fred.) set Shakhtar Donetsk down the path toward Champions League quarterfinal qualification with a well-placed free kick that gave Shakhtar a 2-1 victory over Roma. The second leg is still to be played of course, and Roma have an away goal, but let's not think about such things right now because all the focus should be on Fred's goal.
It takes something special to beat Roma goalkeeper Alisson when he's on his game, and Fred's goal absolutely qualifies as something special.