Chelsea winger Pedro Neto has escaped a ban for pushing a ball boy in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie with Paris Saint-Germain, according to reports. The incident occurred during a frustrating night in the French capital where the Blues were comprehensively beaten 5-2, leaving their European ambitions hanging by a thread.
Legendary former Newcastle United striker Alan Shearer has doubled down on his comments regarding Anthony Gordon's absence from the starting XI against Barcelona. After Gordon strongly denied suggestions he was unwilling to play, labelling the claims as "nonsense", Shearer has publicly stood by his initial criticism of the winger.
Chelsea captain Reece James will miss several games after picking up a new injury. James has enjoyed a fine 2025-26 season and was expected to be named in England's squad later this week for the upcoming March internationals but he is now set for an extended period on the treatment table with a hamstring problem.
Dominik Szoboszlai has issued a blunt wake-up call to both his team-mates and the Liverpool faithful following a damaging 1-1 draw against Tottenham. The Hungarian midfielder, who opened the scoring at Anfield, expressed his deep frustration with supporters who opted to leave the stadium before the final whistle. With Liverpool's Champions League hopes hanging by a thread, Szoboszlai insisted that a fractured atmosphere is actively hindering the team’s performance.
Pep Guardiola has made a surprising admission when explaining why he has given his Manchester City players the day off 24 hours before facing Real Madrid in their Champions League last-16 second leg. City lost the first leg 3-0 in Madrid and are hoping to become only the fifth team in the competition's modern history to overturn a deficit of three goals or more.
Current title holders Real Madrid are miles ahead of any other club in Europe's most prestigious competition, having gone all the way whopping 15 times – more than twice the number of titles lifted by any other club.
How many teams are in the Champions League?
The newest format, introduced ahead of the 2024-25 season, features 36 teams, four more than in the previous format. The competition was known as the European Cup at the time of its inception in 1955 before being rebranded to the UEFA Champions League ahead of the 1992-93 season. In its inaugural edition in 1955-56, only 16 teams contested.
Who has made the most Champions League appearances ever?
Cristiano Ronaldo sits at the top of the appearance-making charts, having played in 183 Champions League games, representing Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus.
Who is the all-time top scorer of the Champions League?
No surprises here! It's Mr. Champions League, Cristiano Ronaldo, who is the leading goalscorer in the Champions League with an astonishing 141 goals to his name!
Who has the most assists in the history of the Champions League?
Cristiano Ronaldo is not just a prolific goalscorer, but also has a keen eye for his team-mates as his record 42 assists in the Champions League prove.
Who is the oldest player ever in the Champions League and how old was he?
Former Italian goalkeeper Marco Ballotta holds the distinction of being the oldest player ever in the Champions League. Playing for Lazio against Real Madrid in the 2007-08 season, Ballotta was aged 43 years and 252 days.
Who is the youngest player ever in the Champions League and how old was he?
Borussia Dortmund prodigy Youssoufa Moukoko is the youngest player ever to feature in a Champions League game. He set the record on December 8 2020, in Dortmund's group stage fixture against Zenit St. Petersburg, aged 16 years and 18 days.
Which famous players have played in the Champions League?
Gianluigi Buffon, Raul, Robert Lewandowski, Ronaldinho, Clarence Seedorf, Arjen Robben, Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos, Toni Kroos, Zinedine Zidane, Paolo Maldini, Lionel Messi, and Mo Salah, to name a few, are some of the greatest and most famous footballing faces to have graced the Champions League over the decades.
Which famous managers have managed in the Champions League?
Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho, Jurgen Klopp, Carlo Ancelotti, Rafael Benitez, Frank Rijkaard, Unai Emery, Thomas Tuchel, Zinedine Zidane, Sir Alex Ferguson, and Arsene Wenger are some of the most famous managers to have coached a club in the Champions League.