Debutant Alena helps Barca rescue 1-1 draw against Hercules in Copa del Rey

The UEFA Champions League (UCL) Round of 16 (first-leg) delivered dramatic results as FC Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid registered emphatic victories, while Liverpool FC suffered a shock defeat and FC Barcelona were held to a draw in their respective first-leg encounters.

Argentina's FIFA World Cup-winning legend Lionel Messi opened up about his regret of not learning English as a student, saying it makes him feel "half-ignorant" while interacting with prominent personalities worldwide.

The blonde-haired all-rounder continued to be a constant ray of hope and a symbol of consistency in an English line-up that has delivered mixed bag performances so far. First with a 14-ball 21, with four boundaries, he pushed Three Lions to a modest 146/9 and later, with his spell of 3/22 in four overs, broke the back of Sri Lankan batting with wickets of Kusal Mendis, Pavan Rathnayake, and Dunith Wellalage.

The 34-year-old, who returned to his roots with Santos after spells at Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, is enjoying football again following surgery on a long-standing knee issue in December 2025.

Raphinha hit the crossbar late in the first half, and moments later, Yamal's penalty, awarded after a foul on Dani Olmo, was missed. The miss adds to Barcelona's tally of three penalties squandered this season, the joint-most in La Liga.