It's rare for a Europa League round-of-16 series to generate lots of passion, but the Liverpool-Manchester United series is different. Both clubs are shadows of their former selves, but bragging rights still mean a lot in one of English soccer's great rivalries. And Liverpool had a lot to brag about. For once.

In a career during which he is as well known for his outlandish statements as his scoring prowess, Zlatan Ibrahimovic could be given the benefit of the doubt for a little boasting after Paris St. Germain beat Chelsea, 2-1, for a second time, this time at Stamford Bridge and advanced to the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League. But he was surprisingly grounded after achieving one of the greatest triumphs of his international career.

The job security of Arsene Wenger is once again front and center in London. With the Premier League title slipping through his fingers, again, and Arsenal headed for a 12th consecutive season without sipping the champagne of English champions, only one thing is certain, the Frenchman will not waver.

Another internal and costly ($4 million) investigation into a major international soccer scandal ended with another highly unsatisfactory verdict. No evidence of vote-rigging in the awarding of the 2006 World Cup to Germany was found. Sounds like 2010, and 2018 and 2022?

Give Charlie Stillitano credit for setting out the case for and against a closed European Champions League. The Relevent Sports chairman, the architect of the International Champions Cup, says England's big five clubs -- Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United -- discussed the issue when he met with them on Tuesday in London. But getting the clubs themselves to openly discuss the issue is another thing.

There isn't a place on earth where a little girl or an old man wearing a Barcelona jersey would raise an eyebrow anymore. Barcelona and Lionel Messi have captured the world's imagination unlike any team since Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls. A fusion of individual and cumulative genius extending beyond sport, gender and demographics, blurring lines to create a living, breathing drama starring James Dean in cleats, soft-spoken and constantly scoring.

Real Madrid's La Liga hopes are fading fast, and Cristiano Ronaldo is unhappy. Following a 1-0 loss to rival Atletico Madrid that dropped Real Madrid 12 points behind Barcelona and four points behind second-place Atletico Madrid, Ronaldo said the problem was that all of his teammates weren't up to his level.