SEVILLE – If Roma miss out on Serie A’s top three for the first time in five years, Monchi will be apportioned most of the blame. Giallorossi owner James Pallotta accused the sporting director of lacking a plan B this season and therefore leaving the club hamstrung by injuries and the supposedly ineffectual coaching of…

SEVILLE – In the modern era, fans tend to view splurges in the transfer market as proof of their club’s ambition. Real Betis haven’t shied from such investments since Lorenzo Serra Ferrer took over as sporting director in 2017 and, in the aftermath of Saturday’s 3-2 defeat to Gran Derbi rivals Sevilla, it was no…

SEVILLE – Listicles covering the world’s best young players often contain a glaring omission. Naturally, Kylian Mbappe tops most rundowns, where he rules over the likes of Matthijs de Ligt, Jadon Sancho, and Kai Havertz. Spanish-based players who regularly rank highest are Vinicius Junior and Ousmane Dembele. But Diego Lainez rarely makes the cut. “I…

SEVILLE – Jese Rodriguez wore the expression of a fatigued flamenco dancer in bad shoes when he scurried to the bench after 74 minutes. The Real Betis attacker fluffed a number of inviting opportunities in Saturday’s match, and risked two quickfire yellows for dissent late in the first half. His composure was razed by the…

And then there were eight. The Champions League field has once again been whittled down, with a rousing round of comebacks and surprises leaving some of Europe’s marquee clubs – including the three-time reigning champions – by the wayside. Heading into the quarterfinals, there looks to be a clear divide between the four tournament favorites…

Zinedine Zidane knew when to leave and, it turns out, when to come back. It was clear last May that Real Madrid weren’t as indomitable as they let on. Winning a third consecutive Champions League title didn’t hide the fact that Madrid – at least in Zidane’s eyes – lagged behind the competition in its…

If there was any question Real Madrid’s squad requires a massive overhaul, those doubts were dispelled Tuesday in the Spanish capital. An inspired and insatiable Ajax side ripped the three-time defending Champions League winners to shreds in a frenzied affair that made one thing abundantly clear: Real are in need of large-scale change. A failure…

From the very first whistle, Ajax made it clear that Real Madrid wouldn’t have it easy. February’s first leg was a blur of motion. Ajax gave their esteemed opponents little time to breathe or think, pressing high up the pitch with a ferociousness that only grew in the second half. There were times when Madrid…

Barcelona’s last-16 rendezvous with Lyon was destined to be an exercise in disparity. The dependable Lionel Messi distinguished himself from his perpetually frustrating central creative counterpart, Memphis Depay, and a Barcelona side rich in continental pedigree was juxtaposed against a Lyon squad littered with young and inexperienced players. Of all the differences on display Tuesday,…