We’re at the halfway point in the league phase — a new term — of the UEFA Champions League, which will extend into January before the field will be reduced from 36 teams to 24 for the knockout phase.

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Paul Kennedy edited Soccer America for 41 years (1985-2026). He began writing for SA in 1974. He started writing for France Football in 1978 and has served on in Ballon d'Or jury since 2007.