Champions League

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.

When Cristiano Ronaldo joined Juventus, he immediately became the team’s No. 1 free-kick taker, despite the fact the Old Lady already had a couple world-class free kick takers. 

Ronaldo has proven himself to be one of the best at spot kicks, but the numbers show he hasn’t brought that prowess with him to Italy. 

Galatasaray, the reigning champion of Turkey, finally scored its first goal of the Champions League group stage, a couple days before Turkey Day in the United States. Adem Büyük scored one of the most unique goals you will ever see to keep Galatasaray’s hopes of reaching the Europa League alive with a 1-1 draw against Club Brugge on Tuesday.

But what Club Brugge did after its late equalizer made the match a perfect playoff for the Europa League.

Things did not go well on Manchester City’s visit to the San Siro to face Atalanta on Wednesday. But they could’ve been a lot worse if not for Kyle Walker.

Walker, a right back by trade, played the final 10 minutes in goal for City, which held on for a 1-1 draw and inch closer to the Champions League knockout rounds.

And Walker looked pretty decent in goal, becoming the first English keeper to make a save in the Champions League since 2016.