Europe

Bayern Munich's Alphonso Davies has been named the 2020 Canadian Player of the Year, Canada Soccer said on Thursday, on the back of a remarkable season with the Bundesliga club.

The 20-year-old left back, who also claimed the honor in 2018, enjoyed a stellar year in which the German club won five trophies, including the Champions League. Davies earned the highest voting score from Canadian media and coaches, finishing just ahead of Christine Sinclair's record set in 2012, Canada Soccer said.

Barcelona's interim president Carlos Tusquets feels the club should have cashed-in on Lionel Messi during the summer transfer window.

Messi was heavily linked with a move to Manchester City and sent a recorded delivery (Burofax) letter stating his intention to leave. He later said the decision was due to being disillusioned with the direction the now former board had taken the club. Ex-Barça president Josep Maria Bartomeu resigned in October rather than face a vote of no confidence, with Tusquets taking temporary charge until January's elections.

UEFA Champions League Group H has three teams level on nine points heading into next week’s final matchday after PSG defeated Manchester United 3-1 at Old Trafford on Wednesday. Neymar’s early goal was canceled out in the first half by Marcus Rashford, but PSG captain Marquinhos turned home a nice 69th-minute winner to hugely complicate things for United before Neymar’s late tap-in. 

The UEFA Champions League is where the best of the best in men’s soccer compete: Ronaldo, Messi, Mané, Lewandowski — and a whole bunch of Yanks. This week, the fifth match day of the 2020-21 competition, featured more Americans in Champions League action than ever before.

With Konrad de la Fuente coming on as a substitute for Barcelona in the 80th minute on Wednesday, a record seven Americans appeared in the UCL this week. 

The Finland women’s national team scored a ridiculous last-minute goal against Scotland on Tuesday to win 1-0 and keep its dream alive of qualifying for the 2022 UEFA Women’s Championship. A 95th-minute Amanda Rantanen Finaldn goal vs Scotland could be one of the crucial moments that sends the Nordic country to its first major tournament since 2013.

Inter Milan lives! (Along with every other team in Champions League Group B heading into next week’s final matchday.) 

After Shakhtar Donetsk denied Real Madrid a place in the Round of 16 by winning 2-0 at the Olimpiyskiy earlier in the day, Inter caused more disruption on Tuesday after defeating Borussia Mönchengladbach 3-2 at Borussia-Park.

As things stand, Real Madrid is out of the Champions League. Shakhtar Donetsk, for the second time, has defeated Real, this time by a scoreline of 2-0 at the Olimpiyskiy. 

Although now level on seven points in Group B, Shakhtar holds the head-to-head tiebreaker. Borussia Mönchengladbach could win the group later Tuesday by defeating Inter at Borussia-Park, an outcome that Real would probably accept at this point since Los Blancos could then host a disinterested Gladbach side on the final matchday. 

Wednesday's Champions League Group F match promises to be an exciting one, as Dortmund and Lazio have scored nine and eight goals, respectively, through the first four games of group play.