It's now exactly nine years since Pep Guardiola last laid hands on the trophy he most cherishes: the Cup With The Big Ears -- which the champions of Europe have hoisted to the sky every year since 1956. That was at Wembley, May 28, 2011. And for Manchester City fans, I guess there's some retrospective schadenfreude that not only was his triumph against the otherwise all-conquering Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United, it was what Fergie called "a hiding."

Not for Guardiola. In the modern history...

The Champions League made José Mourinho and, perhaps, for a generation of soccer fans, José Mourinho also helped to make the Champions League. For the best part of a decade he dominated the narrative around this competition like no other manager could. From his first triumph, with Porto, in 2004, through to the last of his three consecutive semi-final defeats at Real Madrid, in 2013, how many of the most memorable moments were his?

First came the charge down the sideline at Old Trafford,...

They are the two most dramatic Champions League finals of the modern era: Manchester United's stoppage-time victory against Bayern Munich to seal the Treble in 1999 and the so-called "Miracle of Istanbul," when Liverpool overturned a 3-0 half-time deficit against AC Milan to win their fifth European Cup in 2005. One was achieved by a team -- United -- that recorded their club's finest hour; the other was a story of a team -- Liverpool -- defying the odds to beat one of the great club sides...

Barcelona forward Lionel Messi said that the stoppage in play due to the coronavirus pandemic may help the club address some of its issues on the pitch.

- Stream new episodes of ESPN FC Monday-Friday on ESPN+
- Stream every episode of 30 for 30: Soccer Stories on ESPN+

Speaking to Spanish outlet Sport, the Argentina captain said: "Maybe this stoppage will end up benefiting us, but let's see if the competitions we're in can get started again first. Then we will be able to see the level we are...

Atletico Madrid have tweeted a response after referee Mark Clattenburg admitted rivals Real Madrid's crucial opener in the 2016 Champions League final should have been ruled out for offside.

The club tweeted a "thinking face" emoji alongside images of various Spanish newspaper reports detailing the admission on Thursday.

🤔 pic.twitter.com/8t8DF2IfEX

— Atlético de Madrid (@Atleti) May 14, 2020

Clattenburg's comments have made headlines in Spain, where Atletico fans have long felt that Sergio Ramos' 15th minute goal -- in a game that Real Madrid went on to win 5-3 on...