UEFA Champions League

So Barcelona may not have gotten the result against Bayer Leverkusen they would have wanted, but Lionel Messi once again showed that him 1 on 1 with a goal keeper is absolutely no contest.

In the 20th minute, Ivan Rakitic played a perfectly timed diagonal ball that connected with Messi in a defense spitting play. It was beautiful, and left Messi in so much space I wondered if he would call an old friend and “catch up on old times” before he scored. Instead, he just scored.

It's no shame to be eliminated from the Champions League by the current best player in the world, who hapens to be one of the greatest of all time. That's what happened to Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez and Bayer Leverkusen Wednesday, when they were eliminated by Lionel Messi and Barcelona.

Raul Jimenez is sometimes lost in the shuffle, with the likes of Chicharito, Miguel Layun and Tecatito Corona blowing up Europe these days.

Heck, even Carlos Vela gets more press than Jimenez, but that might be due to the "will he ever reach his full potential?" factor.

That fact is, Raul Jimenez is pretty dang good. He's been effective for Benfica pretty much whenever he's played. Tuesday, he came in off the bench in Benfica's Champions League loss to Atletico Madrid (Benfica went through anyway) and got himself a class assist.

What a way to end the Champions League group stage (yes, we know the Champions League group stage isn't technically over yet): Anthony Martial and Manchester United wages a desperate battle against Wolfsburg while Andres Guardado and PSV waged an equally desperate battle against CSKA Moscow. 

Separated in the table by just a point, neither team could afford to lose, and what transpired was an insane ten hours of soccer.

Andres Guardado's PSV Or Anthony Martial's Man U?

Anthony Martial got Manchester United off to a hot start in the 10th minute.

So, Ronaldo looks to be back to his old self, extending his record for Champions League goals and setting the record for goals in a Champions League group stage (11) Tuesday against Malmo.

Cristiano had an absurd four goals in thereabouts 20 minutes across end of the first half and beginning of the second half.

Cristiano Ronaldo's free-kick pic.twitter.com/FlA2VdysaI

A few weeks ago, Wolfsburg played Chelsea in the round of 16 of the UEFA Women’s Champions League - which, yes, is a glorious thing that exists albeit in relative obscurity - and Swiss midfielder Vanessa Bernauer went all Paul Pogba and unleashed this scowling, dipping boomer:

It’s been a season of stunning upheaval in the EPL. Leicester City have sat proudly astride the Premier League in November and boast the most lethal striker in the division in Jamie "chat s*** get banged" Vardy. The Chelsea team that won the league at a canter last season have become so accustomed to the bottom half of the Premier League table that they’re thinking of releasing a Drake-inspired charity single called "Started At The Top, Now We’re Here (In 14th)." But at least in this swirling maelstrom of change, we can rely on one anchor of stability: Arsenal are fourth.

Despite having been at Porto only for a few months, Miguel Layun appears to have taken up a leadership role at the Portuguese club. 

The Mexican defender/midfielder took to the media Tuesday after Porto were defeated 2-0 by Kiev Dinamo in the Champions League, calling for his teammates to move on from the defeat and have courage.

Raul Jimenez inspired a Benfica comeback in their Champions League encounter with FC Astana by scoring two goals for the Portuguese side. 

Jimenez’s goals in the 40th and 72nd minutes kept Benfica on course for the tournament’s round of 16. The Eagles find themselves atop Group C for the time being, with Atlético Madrid and Galatasaray still to play.  

Astana had taken a two-goal lead before Jimenez propelled Benfica back into the match with a powerful header and a predatory finish. 

Raul Jimenez goal in the 40th minute: