The first halves of the 2020-21 Champions League and Europa League campaigns were fascinating affairs, with excitement and surprise in spades. And though the lack of supporters in stadiums has removed the atmosphere for the biggest European nights, it has arguably contributed to more unpredictable results than ever before.
There were 32 teams in the Champions League group stage when it got underway on October 20, representing 14 countries. Some were dreaming of reaching the final, scheduled for May 29 at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Turkey, while some were almost expecting to be there.
The competition was marred when it was alleged an assistant referee in the Istanbul Basaksehir vs. Paris Saint-Germain fixture in December used a racist term towards Pierre Webo, one of the Istanbul coaches. The match was abandoned after 14
