Champions League

Monterrey gave Liverpool all it could handle in today’s FIFA Club World Cup semifinal in Qatar. The two sides exchanged early goals through Naby Keïta and Rogelio Funes Mori, but it was the substitute Roberto Firmino who scored the dramatic winner in second half stoppage time to book Liverpool’s place in the final, where they’ll meet Copa Libertadores champion Flamengo. 

The Champions League draw on Monday created some tantalizing matchups for the knockout rounds. Now the question is: When does Champions League Round of 16 start in 2020? 

For the first time ever, UEFA held a draw for the UCL Round of 16 only with clubs from the biggest five leagues on the continent, so we knew we were in for some big games from the start of the knockout rounds. The draw confirmed our expectations and then some.

Ajax, semifinalist last time around, has been eliminated from the UEFA Champions League at the group stage following a heartbreaking 1-0 defeat to Valencia in Amsterdam. 

Heading into the day as Group H leaders, Johan Cruijff ArenA fully expected a celebratory affair given the fact that Ajax had previously crushed Valencia 3-0 at the Mestalla back on Oct. 2, but Rodrigo’s goal in the 24th minute — coupled with Chelsea’s 2-1 victory over Lille — sent Ajax crashing down to third and into the Europa League.

Inter Milan is the best team in Italy through 15 Serie A matches.

And the Nerazzurri are now headed to the Europa League.

Barcelona’s B team, with Lionel Messi not even bothering to suit up, beat Inter 2-1 on Tuesday at the San Siro behind a late winner from record-setting 17-year-old Ansu Fati. The defeat consigned the Serie A leaders to the Europa League knockout stage.

The UEFA Women’s Champions League is the premier continental club competition in the sport. But there are currently so many problems with the Women's Champions League format right now that even the most devout of fans struggle to follow anything more than the last couple rounds.

Fortunately, UEFA recognized its own shortfalls and hopes to address them with a revamped Women's Champions League format to take effect in the 2021-22 season (unfortunately it won’t start next season). 

Seeing Lionel Messi dive is about as rare as seeing the Argentine pick up a red card. It might happen from time to time, but not enough for anyone to legitimately call Messi a flopper.

Don’t tell that to 36-year-old referee Clement Turpin, who officiated Barcelona’s Champions League match against Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday at the Camp Nou.

Ajax loves to score pretty goals. The Dutch club’s first against Lille in the Champions League on Wednesday was no different — with some American flair.

Hakim Ziyech scored about 90 seconds into the match after some wonderful team play, started by none other than recently cap-tied USMNT fullback Sergiño Dest.

Christian Pulisic had his run of three-straight Premier League games with a goal snapped on Saturday against Manchester City. So on Wednesday he started a new streak, this time scoring in the Champions League — with some help from the VAR.

Pulisic scored his third career Champions League goal to help Chelsea earn a 2-2 draw against Valencia on Wednesday at the Mestalla. 

Tuesday’s Champions League Group A encounter between Real Madrid and PSG at the Santiago Bernabéu was pretty much meaningless. Both teams entered the match with Round of 16 qualification secured, and even a Real victory would do little to wrest top spot from PSG due to the Parisians’ perfect record thus far.