Neymar’s performance against Real Madrid — for all the end product it obviously lacked — did little to quell the notion that he's the world’s best dribbler. He managed 13 successful dribbles against Madrid, more than any other player has completed in a Champions League game this season.
Barcelona opened a 10-point lead at the top of La Liga with a 2-0 victory over Eibar, although Atletico Madrid can again reduce the gap when they host Athletic Bilbao Sunday. The game-winner was scored by Luis Suarez — his 17th in 21 league matches — in the 16th minute after the Uruguayan striker was played through by an inch-perfect ball from Lionel Messi.
The Newcastle Jets and Western Sydney Wanderers played to a 2-2 draw in Australian A-League play today. Newcastle salvaged a point thanks to this outside-of-the-boot curler from 25-year-old Australian Andrew Nabbout in the 68th minute.
While Nabbout has never been capped by Australia, he now has nine goals in 20 A-League appearances this season to go along with six assists. That total makes Nabbout the leading goalscorer among Australians in league play. 33-year-old Brazilian striker Bobo leads all players with 20 goals for Sydney.
Next Tuesday, Chelsea and Barcelona will renew one of the greatest footballing rivalries of the 21st century. Beginning in 2000 and ending with that Fernando Torres goal scored almost six years ago, Barca and Chelsea met 12 times in the Champions League, including the 2000 quarterfinals, the 2005 and 2006 Round of 16 and the 2009 and 2012 semifinals.
WATCH THIS: Greatest Games, 2009 UCL Semifinal
Neymar, the world’s most expensive footballer, had a match to forget as his PSG squad lost to Real Madrid on Wednesday. He was widely mocked for not showing up in his biggest match of the season after his big money move to Paris, while Cristiano Ronaldo stole the show.
In an individual matchup that was billed by many as the past of football versus the future, it was Cristiano Ronaldo — seven years the senior — who once again delivered while Neymar’s myriad of mazy dribbles led to naught.
In the age of the meme, the superstars of Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain delivered pretty on-brand performances.
Ronaldo struggled mightily in the opening 44 minutes, putting a free kick from just outside the box over in the 26’ before wasting a wonderful opportunity only two minutes later.
After Gonzalo Higuain scored twice in the first 10 minutes for Juventus, it looked like this Champions League knockout tie was done and dusted. However, after Higuain missed a good chance on the counter to make it 3-0, Harry Kane made it very much a game.
Would you believe me if I told you Manchester City hammered an opponent with an assist from Kevin De Bruyne, a goal from Sergio Aguero and 75 percent possession? Yes, Aguero got his 29th goal of the season, De Bruyne his 19th assist and City out-passed Basel 779-211 at St Jakob-Park en route to a routine 4-0 Champions League Round of 16 first leg victory.
Tottenham Hotspur are in a pickle after conceding two goals via set pieces in the first 10 minutes against Juventus.
For the first, Juventus ran a pick play and Spurs switched off mentally, giving Gonzalo Higuain all the time he needed to score.
Bad defending, sure, but what a finish. https://t.co/0we1lkhSez