Barcelona take a commanding 3-0 lead into the second leg of their Champions League semi-final against Liverpool after a dominant performance at home.
Donny van der Beek scored the lone goal as Ajax topped Spurs 1-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final.
The ESPN FC panel don’t have a bad word to say about Liverpool’s performance but are in awe of the way Lionel Messi almost single-handedly beat them back.
Steve Nicol, Craig Burley and Alejandro Moreno talk Coutinho’s struggles at Barcelona as the former Liverpool man was subjected to jeers by his own fans on Wednesday.
Gab Marcotti was more impressed with Ajax’s maturity and ability to manage a 1-0 result away from home than with their attacking prowess.
The FC’s crew agree that an off-the-pace midfield was a bigger worry for Tottenham than missing key players in their loss to Ajax.
The Exploding Heads introduce UEFA’s newest product, Vlarsses, clear and obvious greatness at the low cost of your enjoyment.
The week’s two Champions League semifinal first legs were very different matches, but both offered plenty of tactical intrigue. Here’s a key tactical talking point from each.
Barcelona 3-0 Liverpool: Left-backs make inroads
On one hand, this home win was all about Lionel Messi. But in a tactical sense, Liverpool managed to deny him space effectively: He found himself in the right position for a fortunate rebound in front of an open goal, and then curled in yet another majestic free kick.
On…
After another dominant first-half performance against Barcelona, the FC crew attribute Real Madrid’s defeat to poor finishing and defensive lapses.
Harry Winks scored with the final kick of the game to lead Tottenham past Fulham after losing Dele Alli to injury late on. 
Ousmane Dembele and Lionel Messi both found the net for Barcelona who enjoyed a comfortable win at the Camp Nou. 
Given Inter’s draw with PSV and Barcelona having nothing to play for, Craig Burley says everything lined up for Tottenham to reach the UCL last 16.
After headlining the papers all week, Ousmane Dembele delivered for Barcelona. Stewart Robson examines how he influenced their draw at Atletico. 
Jordi Alba is back in the Spain squad after being omitted by Luis Enrique for international breaks in September and October.
Raheem Sterling ended a three-year goal drought for England with a pair of first-half goals, propelling the Three Lions to a 3-2 win against Spain. 
Craig Burley breaks down a one-sided Clásico and praises Luis Suarez for shining in Lionel Messi’s absence.