UEFA Champions League

Thierry Henry finally got his first win as Monaco manager over the weekend, edging Caen in Ligue 1.

Back in the Champions League on Wednesday, it was more of the same for the Arsenal legend turned coach.

Atlético Madrid scored less than two minutes into the match and it was 2-0 in the 24th minute through a lovely finish from Antoine Griezmann. But what will give Henry and his side nightmares was the run by Ángel Correa to set up the second goal, one that dumped center back Jemerson to the floor with frightening ease.

Jose Mourinho likes to call himself the Special One and pump up his accomplishments. But right now, he’s just the Lucky One. 

He’s lucky to have David De Gea in goal making otherworldly saves. He’s lucky to not have VAR in the Champions League or Premier League, helping his club score late goals. And he’s lucky that water bottles are not sentient beings who fight back.

Much like the Imperial AT-ST Walker trod across the Endor forest floor, crushing the skulls of small Ewoks beneath its step, so is the Juventus Galactic Empire squeezing the life out of its opponents faces. 

We’re only a third of the way through the season, but an eight-point lead in Serie A feels pretty unassailable for the back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back Italian champions, and Tuesday's 1-0 win over Valencia in Turin at Allianz Stadium secured passage to the Champions League Round of 16 for the fifth straight season.

Real Madrid has had its ups and downs — mostly downs — this season since the departure of what’s-his-name. Fortunately for Los Blancos, their biggest competition in the Champions League group stage is having an equally tough go of it this season, which was perfectly embodied by a pitiful AS Roma miss from close range on Tuesday in Rome.