Barcelona

Time Magazine has released its annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world, and there is a footballer on it. It's not Messi, or Ronaldo. It's Neymar. 

I agree with this. Neymar has had a great year: he won gold at the Rio Summer Olympics, got a bit part in xXx: the Return of Xander Cage, did some cool soccer stuff and kept things in perspective, if this tweet is to be believed.

It’s been more than a month since Barcelona manager Luis Enrique announced that he would not be renewing his contract (which expires after this season). At this moment, Barcelona sit three points behind Real Madrid in La Liga (Real also have a game in hand), they’ve been dumped from the Champions League by Juventus but they could give Enrique the perfect sendoff by winning the Copa del Rey title. 

Sunday’s El Clasico falls on a very lovely Catalan holiday known as Sant Jordi’s day (Saint George is the patron saint of Catalonia). This day, celebrated on April 23, is similar to Valentine’s Day except exceptionally better. Instead of overcomplicating matters and piling pressure on sweethearts to make it the best Valentine’s ever, Sant Jordi’s day simply calls for the mutual exchange of roses and books.

It’s come to light that the best opportunity Barcelona had to snatch a goal to begin their famous comeback against Juventus wasn’t squandered by Lionel Messi but by Luis Suarez at kick off.

Juventus defender Dani Alves was off the pitch, shaking hands with his old coaching staff (one coach playfully holding his hand long enough to incur a slap from Alves) while Luis Enrique beckoned the Brazilian to take a seat next to him.

For all the talk regarding what it would take for Barcelona to, once again, turn around a seemingly insurmountable lead, the difference between this return leg and the one against PSG was made immediately evident upon kickoff. Juventus played higher up the pitch, they made Barcelona entirely uncomfortable, they were sophisticatedly physical and they were capable of stringing passes together.

The war of words between Gerard Pique and Real Madrid reached ESPN FC comment section levels of villainy with Sergio Ramos taking the time to respond to Pique’s latest trolling effort.

Pique has previously insinuated that Real always get an easy draw in the Champions League, that Real’s expulsion from the Copa del Rey last season was hilarious and that Alvaro Arbeloa is a cone — this is pretty much a regular thing from him.