The 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony just wrapped in London, crowning Harry Kane and Alexia Putellas as the best players in the world. But it was FC Barcelona who absolutely *cleaned house*, proving they are still the team to beat as the UEFA Women’s Champions League returns for Matchday 3 action.
Barcelona Took Home ALL the Hardware
Monday night was Barcelona’s night. Alexia Putellas, even if she’s now with London City Lionesses, earned that Ballon d’Or for her epic 2025-26 season with Barcelona. Remember, the voting period ran from August 2025 to July 2026, so all that incredible work counts! The club itself snagged “best club,” Pere Romeu got “women’s coach of the year,” Vicky Lopez was crowned “best young talent,” and Cata Coll took “best goalkeeper.” That’s a haul, isn’t it? They racked up plenty of honors!
Now, with all that new hardware, the focus shifts back to the pitch. Matchday 3 of the UWCL is kicking off, marking the halfway point of the league phase. This is where things get real. The table is still wide open, with only one squad on maximum points right now. Some clubs are chilling with split results, but others are straight-up desperate to keep their campaigns alive. Matchday 3 is going to either blow up the standings or let the top teams really pull away. Only four rounds left until those February knockout playoffs!
Barça’s UWCL Cruise Control
And guess who that “one team on maximum points” probably is? Yep, Barcelona. These reigning title holders aren’t just winning awards; they’re absolutely *cruising* through the league phase. Remember Matchday 1? They dropped Paris FC 5-2. Then on Matchday 2, they came back and delivered a brutal 6-0 blowout against Roma. Talk about making a statement!
Their attack is loaded, with standouts like Vicky Lopez, Claudia Pina, Kerolin, and Ewa Pajor making defenses look silly. When you’re racking up that many awards and still smashing opponents by that kind of margin, it’s clear Barcelona is still operating on a whole different level.
Catch the Action: What’s On Tap This Week
Beyond the Champions League, there’s some Serie A action to keep an eye on too, with AC Milan taking on Bologna and Venezia facing Inter, both Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. Eastern on Paramount+.
But the UWCL schedule is stacked. You’ve got Chelsea vs. Roma and Bayern Munich vs. Real Madrid, both on Wednesday at 1:45 p.m. Eastern. Later that day, Arsenal faces Benfica and OL Lyonnes takes on Inter at 4 p.m. Eastern. Then Thursday brings even more, with Austria Wien vs. Juventus, Paris FC vs. Hacken, and the big one, HB Koge vs. Barcelona at 4 p.m. Eastern. Manchester City vs. Paris Saint-Germain also kicks off at 4 p.m. Eastern on Thursday. Get ready, because these matches are going to be wild!
With just four rounds left before the knockout playoffs hit in February, every single match from here on out is a must-watch. Can anyone stop Barcelona? We’re about to find out!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
Leave a Reply