The race for the 2026 Ballon d’Or honors has officially heated up with the unveiling of the nominees for the prestigious Club of the Year awards. Back-to-back European champions Paris Saint-Germain are looking to defend their men's crown against a resurgent Arsenal and a dominant Bayern Munich side, while a treble-winning Barcelona enter the women's category on a fierce mission to reclaim their throne.
The road to Madrid begins this week as the league phase gets under way - but which teams are currently looking in the best shape to go on and lift the European Cup?
NEC manager Dick Schreuder has admitted he is not entirely impressed by the recent Champions League makeover at De Goffert. The Dutch coach revealed that the stadium modifications and logistical changes have even left him feeling somewhat irritated.
The European club season drew to a dramatic conclusion on Saturday, with Paris Saint-Germain defeating Arsenal on penalties to retain their Champions League crown. Not since Real Madrid nearly a decade ago had anyone successfully defended the title, making his a truly momentous night for Luis Enrique's men. However, defeat shouldn't take any of the shine off Arsenal's historic campaign, with the Gunners having won the Premier League for the first time in 22 years.
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