🥐 Friday draws, 'Maracanazo'... 5️⃣ stories to start your day | OneFootball

Football offers no respite, and the dawn of this Friday brings back the aroma of transistor-filled mornings and nerves on edge.

Today is not just any day in the newsrooms: the draw in Nyon will deliver its verdict at 12:00, distributing glory or poison for a Real Madrid that keeps an eye on City and a Barça holding its breath under the shadow of PSG.

As the balls spin, the European board shakes with news that changes the script of the season.

From the sepulchral silence of Barça's infirmary to the last dance of a legend already ticketed for Orlando, passing through a Celta that refuses to wake from its continental dream, or a "Maracanazo" with an Argentine accent.

That's how Friday comes.

Draws ready for the Champions League round of 16

The draw for the Champions League round of 16 halts European football today at 12:00. Real Madrid waits cautiously between Manchester City or Sporting Clube de Portugal, while Atlético is threatened by the English "giants": Liverpool or Tottenham. Meanwhile, FC Barcelona crosses its fingers against the threat of Newcastle or the feared PSG of Luis Enrique.

Alarm at Barça: Frenkie de Jong, Out

A tough blow for Hansi Flick. The Barça club has confirmed that Frenkie de Jong will be out for five to six weeks after getting injured in Thursday's training. The Dutchman will miss the crucial part of the season, leaving a critical gap in midfield just when the schedule is most demanding.

Griezmann heads to the MLS

The romance between Antoine Griezmann and Atlético de Madrid comes to an end. According to L'Equipe, the Frenchman is almost set to move to Orlando City in the MLS. Although the red-and-white club preferred to keep him until June, the management seems resigned to let their star leave this winter.

Celta continues making history in Europe

Balaídos experienced another magical Europa League night. A solitary goal by Swedberg was enough to defeat PAOK and secure Celta de Vigo's passage to the round of 16. The sky-blue team now awaits an opponent, which will emerge from the demanding clash between Olympique de Lyon and Aston Villa under Unai Emery.

Lanús silences Maracanã and wins the Recopa

Historic "Maracanazo" in South America. Lanús was crowned champion of the Recopa after defeating Flamengo 2-3 in an epic match. The defeat unleashed the fury of the "Mengao" stands, which directly blamed Lucas Paquetá as the main culprit of the Brazilian debacle.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.

📸 HAROLD CUNNINGHAM - AFP or licensors