The knockout round of the Champions League began Tuesday — a reminder of the absolute glory of the European competition, and a few matchups stood out against the rest.
Last weekend, all eyes turned to a rescheduled fixture at Goodison Park as Everton and Liverpool played in the final ever Merseyside Derby at the 132-year-old grounds. Liverpool entered at the top of the table, looking to expand its lead during its chase for a second-ever Premier League title.
To start the weekend, third-place Nottingham Forest hosted mid-table Brighton & Hove Albion. Both teams entered the match off losses — Forest was coming off a 5-0 thrashing from AFC Bournemouth, while Brighton lost 1-0 on a penalty to Everton.
The new Champions League format means more teams, more games and more exciting matchups — and it all starts today.
So, what matches should fans pay close attention to?
A new season has arrived and so have many changes in the footballing world. The summer is a chaotic time, with transfers, managers being sacked and fans having renewed hope, no matter how bad or good their last season was.
Since the end of the World Cup, Arsenal has continued building upon a historic season and the transfer market has changed the landscape of football around the globe.
In this week's edition of The Mezzala, Benjamin Lee covers France Football's annual awards and their validity, including the Ballon d'Or, Yashin Trophy and more.
In this week's edition of The Mezzala, Benjamin Lee covers a much-needed rebound win for Liverpool, as well as a decisive victory for Real Madrid in El Clàsico.
In this week's edition of the Mezzala, Benjamin Lee highlights a thriller in Der Klassiker, a controversy in the Arsenal-Liverpool match and Ronaldo's 700th club goal.
Benjamin Lee gives highlights of the past week in European football, including near-upsets, firings, fan emergencies, and more in his first edition of The Mezzala column.
