It’s tough being a soccer fan, sometimes. You spend all your effort and energy trying to keep an eye on two tantalizing Champions League Round of 16 matches and then the best goal of the day is scored in a league match in France. But damn, did you see that Angel Di Maria free kick?
Legendary American wide man DaMarcus Beasley began his 20th year as a professional on Tuesday, and the 36-year-old started with an almighty bang.
You know what they say, ridiculous backheel flicks usually come in threes. This past weekend, we were treated to three outlandish finishes of the tacquito sauce variety — one in Amsterdam, one in Nuevo León and one in Poland.
Let’s take a look at all three in descending order.
#3. Kasper Dolberg (Ajax vs. NAC Breda)
In the lead-up to Manchester City’s fifth-round FA Cup match with Newport County, Pep Guardiola said his team of superstars would “suffer” against a team in 15th place in EFL League Two.
Just before the match, Newport coach Michael Flynn told Guardiola he is a “genius.”
"It's a pleasure to see you, you're an absolute genius."
It’s been a good week for Hungary. On Thursday, the country was included in the landmark strategy game series Civilization the first time. On Saturday, an 18-year-old kid reminded the world they can still play some football in Hungary.
With Cristiano Ronaldo joining the side, Paulo Dybala’s goal scoring has dried up a bit in Serie A. The Argentine scored 22 goals in 33 league appearances in 2017-18, but had just two in 20 heading into the weekend. We got a not-so-subtle reminder of what the 25-year-old can do when he looks for goal with this incredible Dybala goal vs Frosinone on Friday.
Juventus was never likely to struggle playing at home against Frosinone, 47 points back of Juve in 19th place, even with a Champions League match with Atlético Madrid to look forward to on Wednesday.
Paris Saint-Germain was without Neymar. Without Edinson Cavani. Without Thomas Meunier. But Kylian Mbappé is still very much a fast, fast man.
Whoever comes through the Real Madrid-Barcelona matchup will be the favorite in the 2019 Copa del Rey Final, but if you didn’t know, that match is being staged at the Estadio Benito Villamarín in Seville, home of Real Betis, and the Béticos are using that inspiration to power through the competition.
In physics, quantum tunneling explains how particles can pass through otherwise impenetrable barriers. It’s how quantum computers work, how the sun produces energy and, most importantly, the only reasonable explanation for this Lionel Messi goal vs Valencia on Saturday.
I’m no physicist, so here’s a proper explanation of quantum tunneling.
Now back to the football.
Gonzalo Higuain received his first Chelsea start on Wednesday, a bystander as the Blues were stomped by mid-table Bournemouth. Given another chance against Huddersfield Town on Saturday, the Argentine showed he may actually be the man Maurizio Sarri needs to turn Chelsea’s season around.