Champions League holders Chelsea get their knockout campaign started on Tuesday as the defence of their crown enters an altogether more challenging stage.
Thomas Tuchel's men may feel they have dodged a bullet or two by getting this draw, with their next opponents Lille struggling to match the highs of their Ligue 1 title victory from last season in 2021-22.
Tuesday's other encounter sees Juventus travel to Villarreal, with Massimiliano Allegri looking to improve on the knockout exploits of Maurizio Sarri and Andrea Pirlo before him.
Here, Stats Perform delves into the Opta data to pick out the key statistical narratives and subplots ahead of Tuesday's games.
Chelsea v Lille
Much of the attention at Stamford Bridge will be on Romelu Lukaku, whether the Belgian plays or not.
The big-money signing's struggles this season have been well-publicised, but he hit a new low on Saturday as he touched the ball just seven times in the win over Crystal Palace – that is the fewest by any player to feature for 90 minutes in a single Premier League game since at least 2003-04.
On the other side of the contest is a striker aiming to emulate Lionel Messi. Jonathan David may not have scored a Ligue 1 goal since December but the talented Canadian impressed in the second half of the group stage.
He scored one goal in each of his last three appearances in the competitions, meaning if he scores on Tuesday he will be the second-youngest (22 years, 39 days) non-European to score in four successive Champions League games after Messi (21y, 155d in November 2008).
That is not to say Lille are a high-scoring side. Many will be wondering who let Les Dogues out of Group G, given their haul of seven makes them the lowest-scoring group winners since Leicester City and Atletico Madrid (seven each) in 2016-17. In fact, no team from that section scored more than eight.
The omens are, perhaps unsurprisingly, overwhelmingly in Chelsea's favour here. Only Manchester City (15) and Bayern Munich (14) have won more Champions League games than the holders since the start of last season, while Lille are appearing at this stage for just the second time ever.
Further to that, Tuchel boasts a fine record in Champions League knockout ties, having progressed from/won (including finals) eight of his previous 11 (73 per cent), a success rate bettered by only three managers (minimum 10 knockout ties): Vicente del Bosque (80 per cent - 8/10), Jupp Heynckes (86 per cent - 12/14) and Zinedine Zidane (88 per cent - 14/16).
Villarreal v Juventus
Sarri and then Pirlo were both tasked with establishing a new era at Juventus, but when Allegri returned after a two-year break in pre-season, he picked up the pieces of a side that had regressed significantly.
There remain plenty who feel Allegri never should have been re-hired, but this tie at least gives him an opportunity to point to a degree of progress – at least in the context of the Champions League.
After all, neither Sarri nor Pirlo got beyond the last 16. Allegri, on the other hand, was only eliminated at this stage once in five seasons, and that was to Pep Guardiola's excellent Bayern side.
His counterpart on Tuesday, Unai Emery, has something of a point to prove as well, but his has more to do with his own personal record.
While something of a specialist at Europa League level, having won the competition four times including last season, he has won only one of six knockout games in the Champions League.
Much of Emery's hope will be pinned on Arnaut Danjuma.
The Dutchman – who recently returned from two months out and scored a hat-trick at the weekend – had a hand in five goals in the group stage, which is already a joint-club record for the club in the competition.
By no means are the Yellow Submarine a one-man team, however. Young winger Yeremi Pino caught the eye in the group and is plotting to become only the fourth Spanish teenager to score in the knockout stages of the Champions League after Bojan, Cesc Fabregas and Raul.
World number one Novak Djokovic has praised Rafael Nadal for his "incredible" triumph by winning last month's Australian Open after his own deportation forced him to miss the event.
Nadal moved beyond Djokovic with his record-breaking 21st Grand Slam title in Melbourne with a five-set victory over Daniil Medvedev in the final.
Djokovic was unable to compete in Melbourne due to his vaccination status, deported amid an ugly saga after arriving in Melbourne expecting to be permitted to play.
The Serbian, who returned to the ATP Tour on Monday with a 6-3 6-3 win over Lorenzo Musetti at the Dubai Tennis Championships, was gracious in praising Nadal, who had a nagging foot injury dog him late last year.
"I think it was four, five months ago that he was on the crutches and now he's winning a slam. It's incredible," Djokovic told reporters after beating Musetti.
"I've got tons of respect for him. I don't want to take anything away from his victory, me not participating in the tournament regardless."
The Serbian was pressed on missing the Australian Open and added: "Of course, it wasn't a pleasant feeling for me leaving the country the way I did and watching the tournament from far away."
Djokovic will play either Karen Khachanov or Alex de Minaur in the second round in Dubai, while Nadal is competing at the Mexican Open, with a match against Denis Kudla on Tuesday.
World number one Novak Djokovic has praised Rafael Nadal for his "incredible" triumph by winning last month's Australian Open after his own deportation forced him to miss the event.
Nadal moved beyond Djokovic with his record-breaking 21st Grand Slam title in Melbourne with a five-set victory over Daniil Medvedev in the final.
Djokovic was unable to compete in Melbourne due to his vaccination status, deported amid an ugly saga after arriving in Melbourne expecting to be permitted to play.
The Serbian, who returned to the ATP Tour on Monday with a 6-3 6-3 win over Lorenzo Musetti at the Dubai Tennis Championships, was gracious in praising Nadal, who had a nagging foot injury dog him late last year.
"I think it was four, five months ago that he was on the crutches and now he's winning a slam. It's incredible," Djokovic told reporters after beating Musetti.
"I've got tons of respect for him. I don't want to take anything away from his victory, me not participating in the tournament regardless."
The Serbian was pressed on missing the Australian Open and added: "Of course, it wasn't a pleasant feeling for me leaving the country the way I did and watching the tournament from far away."
Djokovic will play either Karen Khachanov or Alex de Minaur in the second round in Dubai, while Nadal is competing at the Mexican Open, with a match against Denis Kudla on Tuesday.
World number one Novak Djokovic has praised Rafael Nadal for his "incredible" triumph by winning last month's Australian Open after his own deportation forced him to miss the event.
Nadal moved beyond Djokovic with his record-breaking 21st Grand Slam title in Melbourne with a five-set victory over Daniil Medvedev in the final.
Djokovic was unable to compete in Melbourne due to his vaccination status, deported amid an ugly saga after arriving in Melbourne expecting to be permitted to play.
The Serbian, who returned to the ATP Tour on Monday with a 6-3 6-3 win over Lorenzo Musetti at the Dubai Tennis Championships, was gracious in praising Nadal, who had a nagging foot injury dog him late last year.
"I think it was four, five months ago that he was on the crutches and now he's winning a slam. It's incredible," Djokovic told reporters after beating Musetti.
"I've got tons of respect for him. I don't want to take anything away from his victory, me not participating in the tournament regardless."
The Serbian was pressed on missing the Australian Open and added: "Of course, it wasn't a pleasant feeling for me leaving the country the way I did and watching the tournament from far away."
Djokovic will play either Karen Khachanov or Alex de Minaur in the second round in Dubai, while Nadal is competing at the Mexican Open, with a match against Denis Kudla on Tuesday.
Australian Open semi-finalist Madison Keys was bundled out of the Abierto Akron Zapopan in Guadalajara on Monday after a shock three-set loss to Harmony Tan.
Frenchwoman Tan, who is ranked outside the top 100, toppled the second seed in one hour and 46 minutes, winning 6-4 1-6 6-1.
In a seesawing battle, Tan's shotmaking and deft touch was a highlight, helping her steady after emphatically dropping the second set, before winning the first five games of the final set.
The win was Tan's first-ever victory against a top 30 player, qualifying her for the second round where she will play China's Wang Qiang who won 6-2 6-1 over Lauren Davis.
American sixth seed Sloane Stephens did not have such problems in her first-round encounter with qualifier Brenda Fruhvirtova, triumphing 6-2 6-2.
The 14-year-old Czech had enjoyed a good qualifying run but was thwarted by the 2017 US Open champion in 58 minutes.
Fruhvirtova had become the youngest player to compete in a WTA Tour main draw match since Keys in April 2009 at Ponte Vedra Beach.
Fifth seed Nuria Parrizas Diaz bowed out 6-1 6-4 to Slovakia's Ana Karolina Schmiedlova in one hour and 10 minutes. Schmiedlova will face Anastasia Potapova who progressed 6-4 2-2 after Lesia Tsurenko retired.
Japanese seventh seed Misaki Doi also exited, going down 4-6 7-5 6-4 to Marie Bouzkova in the late match, setting up a second-round date with qualifier Lucia Bronzetti who edged American wildcard Caty McNally 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-3.
Zheng Qinwen was another seeded casualty, with the Chinese eighth seed going down 6-3 2-6 6-2 to Anna Kalinskaya.
Phoenix Suns' All-Star guard Chris Paul will be sidelined for six to eight weeks due to an avulsion fracture in his right thumb, according to ESPN.
The 36-year-old sustained the injury in Wednesday's 124-121 win over the Houston Rockets yet played two minutes for Team LeBron in Sunday's All-Star Game.
Paul has been a key part of the ladder-leading Suns who have a 48-10 record, averaging 14.9 points, 4.5 rebounds and an NBA-best 10.7 assists.
The NBA regular season ends on Sunday April 10, meaning Paul may be out until the playoffs commence, with the Suns well placed for a high seeding.
"We've dealt with a lot already this year," Suns head coach Monty Williams, who led Team LeBron on Sunday, told reporters after the game.
"We've lost multiple guys due to injury this year, and we've had things outside of basketball invade, so to think you're going to go through an NBA season and not have adversity, it's silly.
"You hate it, but you're prepared for it. This is different, because it's Chris. But with that in mind, it's also an opportunity to strengthen our team and give other guys confidence in certain areas, and when he does come back, I think we'll be that much better."
He added: "We're just gonna take it day by day, and see how he heals up as we go forward."
The Brooklyn Nets are set to be bolstered for the final stretch of the NBA regular season with the signing of experienced free agent guard Goran Dragic.
The 35-year-old Slovenian, who has an outstanding postseason record, had interest from several sides including the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks and Chicago Bulls.
Dragic's agent Billy Duffy told ESPN that the Nets have won the race for his signature, joining for the rest of the season.
The 2018 All-Star offers the Nets capable backcourt size and backup to Kyrie Irving, who is currently only permitted to play road games due to New York City's vaccination mandate.
Dragic played five games for the Toronto Raptors this season before being traded to the San Antonio Spurs upon the deadline, before they went on to buy out the former Miami Heat star's contract.
Brooklyn will waive guard Jevon Carter to open up a spot for Dragic their roster.
Former world number one Andy Murray did not like how Novak Djokovic was treated in Australia but says the 20-time major winner must live with the consequences of his decisions.
Murray and Djokovic both progressed through the first round at the Dubai Tennis Championships on Monday.
The Serbian's 6-3 6-3 win over Lorenzo Musetti marked his first on the ATP Tour in 2022, coming in the wake of his deportation from Australia due to his vaccination status ahead of the first major of the calendar year.
It remains unclear if Djokovic will be permitted to compete at this year's other majors - the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open - given he remains unvaccinated.
"Like I said at the time, I don't agree with his decision. I think it would be a lot easier for him, obviously, if he was to get vaccinated," Murray told reporters after beating Australian Christopher O'Connell 6-7 (4-7) 6-3 7-5 in Dubai.
"But I also didn't like seeing him in the situation that he was in Australia as someone that I respect and have known since I was a child. I didn't like seeing that.
"There is consequences to the decisions he's made just now. He obviously has to accept that. But I don't think it's great for tennis if our best player is not competing in the major events."
Djokovic admitted after his win over Musetti that, as it stands, he cannot enter the United States to compete at next month's prestigious Indian Wells Masters, let alone the US Open.
The world number one added that he was hopeful the situation may change "in the next few weeks".
Novak Djokovic has said he cannot currently enter the United States, putting his participation in next month's Indian Wells Masters in doubt.
Djokovic won his first match back on the ATP Tour since missing the Australian Open on Monday, beating Lorenzo Musetti in the round of 32 at the Dubai Tennis Championships.
The men's world number one had not played a competitive match since early December and was last month deported from Australia on the eve of the Australian Open.
That decision was a result of Djokovic opting not to join the majority of his tennis peers in getting vaccinated against COVID-19 and amid controversy over how he handled getting the virus himself in December.
He showed no signs of rust as he eased to a 6-3 6-3 win over Musetti in just 74 minutes in his first match of 2022, hitting five aces, winning an impressive 71 per cent of his second serves (17 out of 24) and saving all seven break points he faced against his Italian opponent.
However, at a press conference following his victory, Djokovic admitted he is currently unable to enter the United States, and is therefore on course to miss March's prestigious Indian Wells Masters tournament.
"As of today, not. I can't go, I can't enter the United States," he said.
"As of today I'm not able to play. But let's see what happens. I mean, maybe things change in the next few weeks."
Djokovic has been included on the entry list for Indian Wells despite the tournament requiring all players are vaccinated against COVID-19.
Images of Djokovic do not appear in any of the tournament's build-up social media posts nor on the website's promotional announcement, while his entry-list inclusion was little more than a footnote – though did include him.
The statement read: "A power-packed line-up of ATP top-10 players will join [Rafael] Nadal in looking to put together a breakthrough performance in Tennis paradise.
"2021 US Open champion and 2022 Australian Open finalist Daniil Medvedev (world no. 2), 2021 ATP Finals winner Alexander Zverev (world no. 3), and 2021 French Open finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas (world no. 4) will each be in search of their maiden title in the desert.
"Reigning BNP Paribas Open champion Cameron Norrie (world no. 13) will look to replicate his extraordinary 2021 title run, in which he won his first Masters 1000 crown.
"World no. 1 and five-time Indian Wells champion Novak Djokovic is also on the tournament entry list."
Novak Djokovic won his first match back on the ATP Tour since missing the Australian Open, beating Lorenzo Musetti in the round of 32 at the Dubai Tennis Championships.
The men's world number one had not played a competitive match since early December and was last month deported from Australia on the eve of the Australian Open.
That decision was a result of Djokovic opting not to join the majority of his tennis peers in getting vaccinated against COVID-19 and amid controversy over how he handled getting the virus himself in December.
On Monday, he eased to a 6-3 6-3 win over Musetti in just 74 minutes in his first match of 2022, hitting five aces, winning an impressive 71 per cent of his second serves (17 out of 24) and saving all seven break points he faced against the Italian.
"All in all, it's a straight-sets win, so of course I have to be satisfied with my tennis, especially after not playing for two-and-a-half, three months," Djokovic said on court after the win.
"Of course, there were moments when I played great, there were moments when I made a couple of unforced errors in a row uncharacteristically. But it's normal to expect that [in my] first match after a while."
Djokovic will play the winner of Karen Khachanov against Alex de Minaur in the last 16.
Andy Murray is also through after a 6-7 (4-7) 6-3 7-5 win against Australian qualifier Christopher O'Connell. The Scot edged a tough match that lasted almost three hours, saving seven of eight break points faced. He will play either Alejandro Davidovich Fokina or Jannik Sinner next.
Elsewhere, Jiri Vesely overcame Marin Cilic 6-4 7-6 (7-3), while Filip Krajinovic beat Malek Jaziri 6-7 (4-7) 6-2 6-4 and Taro Daniel eliminated David Goffin after a 6-3 7-6 (7-5) win.
Elina Svitolina and Simona Halep both fell in the first round of the Qatar Ladies Open, while Garbine Muguruza and Anett Kontaveit eased through on Monday.
Former world number one Halep, champion in Qatar back in 2014, was off the pace as Caroline Garcia claimed just her second win in nine meetings against the Romanian with a 6-4 6-3 triumph.
Number 10 seed Svitolina also suffered an early exit after ending up on the wrong side of an almost three-hour slog, with Tereza Martincova eventually succeeding 6-7 (2-7) 7-5 7-6 (7-5).
But fifth favourite Muguruza – a two-time finalist, including in 2021 – did not have much as trouble as she outfought Sorana Cirstea 7-6 (7-4) 6-1 in a second-round contest, with Kontaveit coasting through to round three in similar fashion with a 6-2 6-3 win over Ana Konjuh.
Jelena Ostapenko, who is a former finalist in Doha and champion in Dubai last week, managed a sixth consecutive victory in the Middle East as she downed Oceane Dodin 6-4 6-2 to reach the second round, while 11th seed Elena Rybakina fell at the first hurdle to Jacques Cristian in a 6-4 6-3 loss.
Angelique Kerber, the 13th ranked player at the tournament, was another surprise first-round loser as she fell 4-6 6-3 6-2 to Jil Teichmann.
Cori Gauff secured her spot in the second round with a straightforward 6-2 6-3 victory over American compatriot Shelby Rogers, while 16th seed Elise Mertens battled to a 6-3 2-6 7-5 win over Jasmine Paolini.
Meanwhile, defending champion Petra Kvitova had no trouble easing past Irina-Camelia Begu 6-3 6-1, and Daria Kasatkina edged out Ajla Tomljanovic 6-4 6-7 (4-7) 6-2.
Jean-Philippe Gbamin has left Everton to join CSKA Moscow on loan until the end of the season, the Premier League club have confirmed.
Gbamin joined the Toffees from Mainz in 2019, but the Ivorian midfielder has made just three starts for Everton following a number of injury issues since arriving at Goodison Park.
Although the transfer window for most of Europe closed at the end of January, Russian Premier League sides are allowed to sign players until February 22.
CSKA are in fourth place in the Russian league, eight points behind leaders Zenit Saint Petersburg.
Ajax and Abdelhak Nouri's family have agreed a €7.85million (£6.54m) settlement as compensation for "inadequate" medical treatment that left the midfielder with brain damage.
Nouri suffered a cardiac arrest during a pre-season friendly against Werder Bremen in July 2017 that resulted in serious permanent damage to the brain.
Ajax have paid for his treatment and care ever since, and will continue to do so, after accepting responsibility that the medical attention provided to Nouri was "inadequate".
The reigning Eredivisie champions announced on Monday that they had reached an amicable agreement, instead of going to the KNVB Arbitration Committee, after Nouri's family sued the club.
Edwin van der Sar general manager AFC Ajax said on the settlement: "It is good that an agreement has been reached, so that we can conclude this.
"We all realise that the suffering for Abdelhak and his loved ones is not over. It remains a very sad situation, that's how we feel here at Ajax too.
"We greatly appreciate the way the family takes care of Abdelhak day and night with a lot of love and attention. When I visit him, I am always welcomed with open arms by the family.
"That also applies to other Ajax colleagues and we appreciate that enormously. The bond between Ajax and the Nouri family will always remain.
"Not only because of the Abdelhak Nouri Trophy, which the family hands out annually to the greatest talent of our education.
"Also because we have decided to give the number 34 to the Nouri family. At Ajax, the number 34 will never be played again, unless the Nouri family and Ajax want to make an exception together.
"The dressing room furniture of Abdelhak will also be placed in the Ajax fan shoo, next to the main entrance of the ArenA [Ajax's stadium].
"We have carefully preserved that in the stadium in recent years and we are now going to give a beautiful place that is accessible to everyone."
Scotland have called up six new players to their Six Nations squad ahead of their meeting with France after a series of injuries and withdrawals.
Gregor Townsend's side sit fourth in the table after a 20-17 opening-round win over England preceded a loss to Wales by the same scoreline.
Scotland next face leaders France on Saturday at Murrayfield, but they will be without a host of familiar faces as more names were added to their growing absentee list.
Rory Sutherland, Javan Sebastian, Jonny Gray, Scott Cummings and Cam Redpath have all returned to their respective clubs after suffering injuries.
As a result, Glasgow Warriors pair Ollie Smith and Kiran McDonald could be in line for their first international caps after being drafted in.
Simon Berghan, Oli Kebble, Marshall Sykes and James Lang are the other four introductions to the camp, with Josh Bayliss also available after missing the opening two games due to concussion.
"This is a great opportunity for the new players to impress," Townsend said after the announcement of the alterations to his playing squad.
"There are often changes made to the squad throughout the championship and it is a challenge we are much better equipped to deal with given our current squad depth."
Forward Gray is set to miss the rest of the tournament with an ankle injury, but Townsend added that the rest of the absentees will be monitored before the final two games against Italy and Ireland.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
