Spain

The transformation of the 2018 Copa Libertadores Final from one of the most anticipated club matches of the calendar year to an absurd sideshow was complete when the second leg’s staging at the Santiago Bernabéu was confirmed — a decision that turns the Superclásico into nothing more than the “most costly friendly in history,”

After 10 years of nothing but Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, Croatia and Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric has become the first player since Kaká back in 2007 to wrest football’s biggest individual accolade from the two behemoths of the modern game: The 2018 Ballon d'Or winner is Luka.

We’re not saying this is the metaphorical equivalent of Ronaldinho assisting Lionel Messi for his first league goal back in October 2004, but Messi’s feed for Carles Aleñá’s first LaLiga goal today was pretty special. 

While most of Europe (but not the U.S.) was fixated on PSG-Liverpool on Wednesday, Lionel Messi was creating his usual magic in the Netherlands. 

Barcelona failed to score in the first hour against PSV Eindhoven, which had just one point through four Champions League matches coming into Wednesday. Then Messi took over and before you knew it the Blaugrana had a 2-1 victory. 

Thierry Henry finally got his first win as Monaco manager over the weekend, edging Caen in Ligue 1.

Back in the Champions League on Wednesday, it was more of the same for the Arsenal legend turned coach.

Atlético Madrid scored less than two minutes into the match and it was 2-0 in the 24th minute through a lovely finish from Antoine Griezmann. But what will give Henry and his side nightmares was the run by Ángel Correa to set up the second goal, one that dumped center back Jemerson to the floor with frightening ease.

Real Madrid has had its ups and downs — mostly downs — this season since the departure of what’s-his-name. Fortunately for Los Blancos, their biggest competition in the Champions League group stage is having an equally tough go of it this season, which was perfectly embodied by a pitiful AS Roma miss from close range on Tuesday in Rome.