Champions League News and Analysis

Five Real Madrid stars make The Best FIFA Men’s XI for 2024

18Dec

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Champions League, Features

Five Real Madrid stars make The Best FIFA Men’s XI for 2024

Real Madrid were the best team in the world during the 2023/24 season, dominating LaLiga and conquering the Champions League for the second time in the last three seasons. Naturally, Real Madrid dominated the XI of the season at "The Best" awards presented by FIFA, with Vinicius Junior, the best player in the world at their award ceremony, headlining the lineup. Rivals Manchester City, who won the Premier League and took Real to their limits in the quarterfinals of the Champions League, had three stars make the XI, but no team had as many players in the lineup as Real Madrid. Here were the picks: Defense: GK Emiliano Martinez, Aston Villa, LB (CB) William Saliba, Arsenal, CB Ruben Dias, Manchester City, CB Antonio Rudiger, Real Madrid, RB Dani Carvajal, Real Madrid Midfield:...

2024/25 Ballon d’Or Power Rankings after Vinicius Jr. dazzles in return from injury

13Dec

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Champions League, Features

2024/25 Ballon d’Or Power Rankings after Vinicius Jr. dazzles in return from injury

Real Madrid got back to winning ways in the Champions League with a 3-2 triumph over Serie A leaders Atalanta, and Vinicius Junior played a starring role upon his return from injury with a goal and an assist from out of nowhere to turn a 1-1 game into a decisive 3-1 lead for the Merengues. After Vinicius Jr. felt snubbed by the Ballon d'Or voters in the 2023/24 season, he is out for his revenge in 2024/25 with the path cleared after reigning winner Rodri suffered a season-ending ACL tear. Where does Vinicius Jr. rank among the Ballon d'Or favorites right now? Do any Real Madrid players join him? And could the prestigious award be headed back to Barcelona amidst their attacking outburst under Hansi Flick? Here are the updated top 10 rankings after 6 Champions League Matchdays have ...

2024/25 Champions League Power Rankings: Where do Real Madrid stand after beating Atalanta?

12Dec

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Champions League, Features

2024/25 Champions League Power Rankings: Where do Real Madrid stand after beating Atalanta?

Another week of Champions League action is in the books, and there were two particularly enthralling games fought by both LaLiga giants. First, Real Madrid outlasted Atalanta 3-2 on Tuesday night to get their first win in the Champions League since October, while Barcelona outgunned German giants Dortmund - finalists last season - in another 3-2 result. There were plenty of other big fixtures elsewhere, too, such as Juventus sending 2022/23 champions Manchester City further into a tailspin with a 2-0 victory and Liverpool squeaking by LaLiga underdogs Girona 1-0. Let's take a look at where Real Madrid stand among the favorites after finally getting back in the win column, while also objectively taking stock of all the other Champions League contenders in 2024/25. 8. Bayer Leverkusen...

3 stars and 1 flop from Real Madrid’s 3-2 victory vs. Atalanta

11Dec

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Champions League, Features

3 stars and 1 flop from Real Madrid’s 3-2 victory vs. Atalanta

After terrible losses to AC Milan and Liverpool in the Champions League, Real Madrid made a vital statement on Tuesday night in Bergamo by beating the best team in Italian football this season, Atalanta, 3-2. It was a nail-biting match, with Atalanta nearly equalizing in the dying minutes. But Real Madrid held on with more heroics from the superstar duo of Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior, overcoming an injury to early-goal hero Kylian Mbappe. Here are the biggest stars and flops for Real Madrid from their latest Champions League performance. Star: CM Jude Bellingham The biggest star of the night was definitely Jude Bellingham. He wore the No. 5 kit proudly in northern Italy and produced a sublime all-around midfield performance that is typical of what he can do as the modern-da...

3 biggest takeaways as Real Madrid edge past Atalanta 3-2

10Dec

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Champions League, Features

3 biggest takeaways as Real Madrid edge past Atalanta 3-2

Real Madrid came into Tuesday's match against Atalanta needing to make a statement in the Champions League after two awful results against AC Milan and Liverpool, which followed up their season-defining 4-0 loss to Barcelona in El Clasico. Since then, there have been palpable improvements made by Real Madrid, who are back within shouting distance of their eternal rivals in the league lead. Although Tuesday's 3-2 win over Atalanta wasn't without hiccups and a potential last-minute equalizer from La Dea, it was, overall, a very successful night in Bergamo for the Merengues. So let's take a look at the three biggest takeaways from the game for Real Madrid. Jude Bellingham is back to his best Jude Bellingham has been in vintage form recently, reminding everyone around the world that he...

Ranking the 10 best U21 players in the 2024/25 Champions League season

28Nov

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Champions League, Features

Ranking the 10 best U21 players in the 2024/25 Champions League season

From Aston Villa's Jhon Duran to Manchester City's new winger Savinho, a couple of Premier League stars made the cut of the list of the best U21 players in the Champions League. A couple of rising stars in the Bundesliga from Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund joined them, but nobody has more great young talent to watch in European football's premier competition than PSG and Barcelona. It wasn't easy to rank all the players, and there were a number of standouts, such as Endrick and Arda Guler, who haven't gotten enough chances to merit a spot in the top 10. But here is a ranking of the 10 best U21 players in the Champions League here in the new-look 2024/25 campaign, with the list based on a mix of overall ability and success in the current season. 10. Aston Villa ST Jhon Duran Jh...

Champions League Power Rankings: The top contenders after Matchday 5

28Nov

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Champions League, Features

Champions League Power Rankings: The top contenders after Matchday 5

Is there anyone who can beat Liverpool? Are Bayern Munich back among the favorites after beating PSG? How far can Arsenal go in the competition this year? Should Atletico Madrid and Atalanta be getting more love? And where do Inter Milan rank after another quality Champions League victory? After another wild week of Champions League action, let's rank the best eight teams in the competition after five matches played. 8. Atletico Madrid Atletico Madrid turned Sparta Prague into mincemeat, winning 6-0, and while you have to say that this result was nothing less than expected, you have to consider Atleti one of the Champions League contenders right now on the strength of their resume in the competition this season. Los Rojiblancos own quality wins over PSG and RB Leipzig, and they've ...

27Nov

By Joe SorianoNo Comments

Champions League, Features

7 non-UCL teams in 2024/25 who could make the Champions League in 2025/26

There are few things better than a good comeback story, and one of those few things is a good underdog story. In that spirit, let's take a look at seven teams that failed to qualify for the Champions League in the 2024/25 season but are currently in a position - or within striking distance - of Champions League qualification next season. Of course, there are much more than just seven teams in Champions League contention for 2025/26 who missed out this season, but since seven is a lucky number and my fingers - and possibly your brains - are uninterested in an even lengthier list, we'll settle on lucky number seven (as an homage to Mariano Diaz, if you'd like). Chelsea Chelsea aren't so much of a feel-good story as they are an "Empire Strikes Back" kind of vibe. The Blues actually went ...

The Real Madrid star who would benefit most from Trent Alexander-Arnold’s injury

23Nov

By Joe SorianoNo Comments

Champions League, Features, LaLiga

The Real Madrid star who would benefit most from Trent Alexander-Arnold’s injury

Real Madrid and Liverpool will square off on Wednesday night in the Champions League in the latest iteration of the two clubs going at it on a European night. Beyond the famous finals in 2018 and 2022 - Real won both - they also went at it in the Champions League quarterfinals in 2020/21 and in the 2022/23 group stages. But this time, Liverpool look like the favorites. Whereas Real Madrid are six points behind Barcelona in La Liga coming into this weekend, the Reds are in a commanding first in the Premier League under new coach Arne Slot. Like Real Madrid, though, Liverpool are dealing with injuries of their own, and one of their most prominent going into Wednesday night's fixture is to right back Trent Alexander-Arnold. The 26-year-old is enjoying another productive season here i...

UCL Power Rankings: Aston Villa, Barca rise; Real Madrid stand tall; Don’t sleep on Monaco

24Oct

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Champions League, Features

UCL Power Rankings: Aston Villa, Barca rise; Real Madrid stand tall; Don’t sleep on Monaco

8. Monaco Sure, it was only Red Star Belgrade and then they couldn't even beat Dinamo Zagreb before that, but, looking at the bigger picture, Monaco have all the ingredients of a Champions League sleeper. Ligue 1 has quietly become a lot more competitive this season with a legitimate battle at the top of the table fought among PSG, Monaco, and Marseille, and in league play at least, Monaco look like the most complete side. There are familiar names to diehard football fans like former Liverpool attacker Takumi Minamino, ex-Arsenal American striker Folarin Balogun, former Chelsea and Juventus midfielder Denis Zakaria, or 2018 World Cup hero Aleksandr Golovin. However, the biggest gems for Monaco are the next generation of stars who have yet to make it big in the mainstream. Eliesse...