Easter is a special period of the year for a lot of people, regardless of what they celebrate this weekend. Some people celebrate the resurrection of Christ, some just really enjoy eating chocolate eggs, and some just want to stay in the living room and watch the countless international matches on TV.
For those who choose the latter, or even two, or all three options, here is a story to read in celebration of the Easter spirit.
Three-time biter Luis Suarez is returning to action with Uruguay after serving a nine-match international ban for taking a piece out of Giorgio Chiellini at the 2014 World Cup. Suarez is now set to feature for Uruguay in their upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Brazil and Peru.
Suarez was forced to miss the 2015 Copa America and the first four matches of 2018 CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying while also serving a four-month ban regarding all football-related activities with the national team.
The last day of Champions League Round of 16 featured four world-renowned teams. Arsenal traveled to FC Barcelona hoping to make up a 2-0 aggregate deficit, while Bayern Munich and Juventus were tied at two.
The amazing chemistry of Messi, Suarez and Neymar comes from the inside. That was the candid assertion of Barcelona forward Luis Suarez as he explained why he and his partners in attack are so successful.
"We prioritize the group objective. None of us compete with the others, but each enjoy the moment. I feel content, happy, and I'm helping the team, which is key.”
FC Barcelona traveled to England and beat Arsenal 2 - 0. Messi scored both goals, the first in the 71st minute and the second on a penalty in the 83rd. While in Turino, Italy, Bayern took a two goal lead from Thomas Mueller and Arjen Robben. Mueller scored the first goal in the 43rd minute and Robben added the 2nd in the 55th. Juventus battled back for the 2 - 2 tie with goals in the 63rd and 76th minute. The first was scored by Paulo Dybala and the tying goal came from Stefano Sturaro.
The No. 9 in soccer, traditionally the number reserved for the team's starting striker, has been the subject of various discussion points over the last few years. From arguments revolving around the importance of the position in modern tactics to the belief that the No. 9 is being phased out of the game, doubts have been cast upon the future of the role.
If you played sports while growing up, there is a good chance that you had that one friend (hopefully that was you), who was miles ahead of the other kids in terms of skill.
That kid who would nutmeg everybody while playing around with the soccer ball, cross people over and leave them on the floor on the basketball court, or even juke you out of your shoes in a pickup football game. We all went through something like that at some point of our sporting careers.
S*** really hit the fan during Barcelona and Espanyol’s Copa del Rey match, and Luis Suarez talking trash played no small part.
It has been roughly 24 hours since the final whistle blew and ever news outlet with at least a passing focus on football is printing various quotes from the post-game interviews, dissecting the official match report, and lip reading what the stars said during the match.
Social media is filled with salty Barcelona fans, gloating Barcelona fans, and people dissing Espanyol (sorry Espanyol, but your fan base is simply dwarfed by Barcelona’s).
Neymar got a new haircut. This in and of itself is not super noteworthy. Neymar gets new haircuts all the time.
What is noteworthy is how Neymar's partners on the Barcelona forward line, Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi, reacted to Neymar's new look, which looks kid of like a starter version of an '80s rocker mullet, with the sides shaved and the top and back slightly grown out.
Luis Enrique stands on the touchline and watches FC Barcelona’s tremendous troika of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar (MSN) nearly every day in matches and in training.
And yet, the Blaugrana boss remains amazed at what the trio can accomplish when they are at their best.
“They are the best in the world,” Enrique told the press recently. “They have a great understanding and when they don’t all score [in a match] they’re not happy.”