“The Champions League gets serious this week as the round of 16 begins. To get to this point, 160 games have been completed — now there are just 29 left to play. But those 29 are the most consequential matches of the competition, the moments when each team’s key players must step up and perform. But who should we be keeping an eye on? The superstars, sure, but you can’t land the European Cup with stellar names alone. Who are the key figures who have been excellent in the 2024-25 season without generating as many headlines as they should have? (And yes, let’s acknowledge that if you play in probably the most prestigious club football competition in the world, you are hardly obscure.) …”
NY Times/The Athletic