Europe

Located on the Basque threshold, the range between the Cantabrian and Pyrenees mountains, is the historical port city of Bilbao and its corresponding club, Athletic Bilbao. An evolving service city that has experienced a massive boost in tourism thanks to the opening of the Bilbao Guggenheim Museum – a stunning museum of modern and contemporary art designed by Frank Gehry – Bilbao is a fascinating crossroads of deep-rooted history and progressive renewal.

There's not much we can say about Mario Balotelli that hasn't already been said. He set his house on fire by lighting fireworks off in his bathroom. He was arrested on suspicion of robbing his own house. He has crashed innumerable fancy cars.

That said, there's not much evidence of him doing horrible things to other people. Until now.

Often I wonder what would happen if high-profile, top-spending managers were forced to manage for small, budget-minded sides. Wouldn’t this be a fun exercise? I see it in my dreams: Louis van Gaal slumming it in on a Thursday night in Ligue Deux, scouting unknowns like Riyad Mahrez instead of delivering briefcases of cash to PSV-Eindhoven for lab-sculpted Memphis Depay. Arsene Wenger taking over recently-bankrupt League 2 side Portsmouth and trying to teach the boys about the benefits of going to the French opera.

Everyone knows the names of the greats who have taken the field for FC Barcelona over the years, from Messi to Cruyff, from Ronaldo to Iniesta, from Luis Suarez (both of them!) to Neymar, just to name a few. But all too few know the name of the man to whom these legends and all fans of Barcelona owe a huge debt of gratitude: Patrick O’Connell.

Probably the most commonly-used word to describe Zlatan Ibrahimovic is "antics." Both on and off the field, the big Swedish striker's antics are at the forefront, and have made him both loved and hated among football fans.

Porto were mostly a dud Wednesday, drawing 1-1 with beatable Rio Ave side in the Premeira Liga, but at least they got this Hector Herrera golazo to soften the disappointment.

Hector Herrera Golazo

Check out this goal from #FCPorto's Hector Herrera against Rio Ave. Not bad skill!! pic.twitter.com/7fjFlHQflI

Benfica obliterated Maritimo Wednesday, winning 6-0 in the Premeira Liga match. One of the six goals was scored by 24-year-old Mexican forward Raul Jimenez, and another was assisted by him.

Raul Jimenez Goal

Raul Jimenez makes it 3-0 for Benfica pic.twitter.com/Vzz3I43mKo

— Mexicanfut (@mexicanfutcom) January 6, 2016

Paul Pogba’s life has become increasingly centered around all things dab. Introducing the goal celebration to Italy’s Serie A simply wasn’t enough for the 22-year-old Juventus midfielder, and now he’s gone and stenciled the word into his haircut.

It is incredible to think that, with athletes across sports getting bigger, faster and stronger each and every the year, the two players most dominating their respective sports are not "big guys" at all. The two players are, of course, Messi and Curry (a.k.a. Lionel Messi and Steph Curry).