Last October, Borussia Dortmund and German international Marco Reus delivered a heartbreaking statement when speaking with GQ, saying that he “would give all (his) money away” to be free of injuries and return to fitness after his latest setback, a devastating ruptured cruciate ligament in the 2017 DFB-Pokal Final.
Neymar’s performance against Real Madrid — for all the end product it obviously lacked — did little to quell the notion that he's the world’s best dribbler. He managed 13 successful dribbles against Madrid, more than any other player has completed in a Champions League game this season.
Barcelona opened a 10-point lead at the top of La Liga with a 2-0 victory over Eibar, although Atletico Madrid can again reduce the gap when they host Athletic Bilbao Sunday. The game-winner was scored by Luis Suarez — his 17th in 21 league matches — in the 16th minute after the Uruguayan striker was played through by an inch-perfect ball from Lionel Messi.
The Newcastle Jets and Western Sydney Wanderers played to a 2-2 draw in Australian A-League play today. Newcastle salvaged a point thanks to this outside-of-the-boot curler from 25-year-old Australian Andrew Nabbout in the 68th minute.
While Nabbout has never been capped by Australia, he now has nine goals in 20 A-League appearances this season to go along with six assists. That total makes Nabbout the leading goalscorer among Australians in league play. 33-year-old Brazilian striker Bobo leads all players with 20 goals for Sydney.
Next Tuesday, Chelsea and Barcelona will renew one of the greatest footballing rivalries of the 21st century. Beginning in 2000 and ending with that Fernando Torres goal scored almost six years ago, Barca and Chelsea met 12 times in the Champions League, including the 2000 quarterfinals, the 2005 and 2006 Round of 16 and the 2009 and 2012 semifinals.
WATCH THIS: Greatest Games, 2009 UCL Semifinal
Neymar, the world’s most expensive footballer, had a match to forget as his PSG squad lost to Real Madrid on Wednesday. He was widely mocked for not showing up in his biggest match of the season after his big money move to Paris, while Cristiano Ronaldo stole the show.
Would you believe me if I told you Manchester City hammered an opponent with an assist from Kevin De Bruyne, a goal from Sergio Aguero and 75 percent possession? Yes, Aguero got his 29th goal of the season, De Bruyne his 19th assist and City out-passed Basel 779-211 at St Jakob-Park en route to a routine 4-0 Champions League Round of 16 first leg victory.
Hector Herrera went the full 90 in Porto’s comprehensive 4-0 away victory over sixth-place Chaves on Sunday, registering an assist on the final goal scored by Sergio Oliveira.
It was Herrera’s third assist of the campaign for the league leaders, who’ve opened up a two-point gap on both Benfica and Sporting while maintaining a game in hand.
While things are going well for the 27-year-old midfielder and his club in Portugal’s Primeira Liga, they now must prepare to host English power Liverpool in Champions League Round of 16 action on Wednesday.