The Champions League knockout stages are finally underway with all the last-16 first legs having taken place.
There were some interesting results too and TIBS News have provided their winners and losers from those ties.
WINNERS
5. Chelsea
Chelsea picked up a vital win when they faced Atletico Madrid in their round of 16 first leg. Oliver Giroud’s overhead kick in the 70th minute was enough to give the Blues a slender 1-0 lead going into the return leg. Chelsea will be looking to make it past the last 16 for the first time in five seasons.
The win also means Thomas Tuchel remains unbeaten in his eight matches as Chelsea manager since his appointment last month.
4. Borussia Dortmund
Their 3-2 victory at Sevilla was a statement win in Europe for the German outfit who have not made it beyond the last 16 in the previous three seasons. They had only one once in their last 16 visits to Spain beforehand too. However, two goals from Erling Haaland and a Mahmoud Dahoud strike saw them end their hoodoo.
Dortmund have one foot in the quarter-finals and they may need to win the tournament to qualify for it next season, as they currently sit sixth in the Bundesliga and six points off fourth.
3. Porto
The Portuguese outfit pulled off the shock in the first leg by beating Juventus 2-1 at home courtesy of goals from Mehdi Taremi and Moussa Marega. Porto had failed to score or beat Juventus home or away the last time they faced each other. Taremi’s goal after 61 seconds is the quickest Champions League goal scored since 2013.
2. Paris Saint-Germain
Scoring four goals at the Nou Camp doesn’t happen often but Paris Saint-Germain did that in emphatic style, inspired by a Kylian Mbappe hat-trick. The French side will be hoping history doesn’t repeat itself after losing to Barca at this stage in 2016-17, despite winning the first leg 4-0 in Paris.
PSG’s victory this month means they are only the second French team to win at Barcelona. Aside from Mbappe, Moise Kean was the other goalscorer with his header taking his tally to 15 goals in 33 appearances for his on-loan club. Last season he only scored twice in 33 games for parent club Everton.
1. Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland
Two youngsters making the Champions league their playground and seen as the heirs to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Mbappe’s hat-trick against Barcelona made him only the third player in history to do so (Faustino Asprilla and Andriy Shevchenko both achieved the feat in 1997). Meanwhile, Haaland scored twice in Dortmund’s victory over Sevilla to continue his fine form in the competition. Mbappe has 19 Champions League career goals to his name, while Haaland has 17.
LOSERS
5. Joao Felix
Atletico Madrid’s record signing still hasn’t hit the heights in the Champions League since his arrival in the Spanish capital. In a tight and nervous game against Chelsea the Portuguese international failed to make a meaningful impact. For the majority of the match Felix he was anonymous and was replaced in the 82nd minute, despite Atletico needing to fine an equaliser.
At a time when other attacking players of his age are the main vocal point for their teams, Felix will hope he doesn’t become a victim of manager Diego Simeone’s tactics.
4. Remo Freuler
After a good start from Atalanta against Real Madrid their task was made harder when Freuler saw red in the 17th minute for a foul on Ferland Mendy. Following his dismissal Real Madrid started to have more of the ball but didn’t create a lot. Atalanta held on for 70 minutes before conceding in the 86th minute. Freuler will now miss the second leg in three weeks time. How much of a loss will he be?
3. Sevilla
Is this maybe a reality check for Sevilla? Usually kings of the Europa League they’re in the Champions League knockout stages for the first time in three seasons. Conceding three away goals to Dortmund is not the ideal situation. However, they have hope thanks to two goals from Suso and Luuk de Jong.
The question is, will they be able to channel their European experience into turning around their deficit in Dortmund?
2. Italian Clubs
Juventus, Lazio and Atalanta are the remaining Italian clubs left in the Champions League this season and all three suffered last-16 first-leg defeats. Juventus lost 2-1 at Porto 2-1, Lazio were thumped 4-1 at home to holders Bayern Munich and Atalanta suffered a narrow 1-0 home defeat by 13-time winners Real Madrid.
All three will be hoping for a better result in their return legs, especially with the top-four race in Serie A being a tight one.
1.Barcelona
They have been stunned by PSG for the second time in four years, but this result seems worse than the 2016-17 last-16 first-leg defeat. Is this the end of an era and the beginning of a new one? Barcelona have lost back-to-back home games in the Champions League for the first time in 151 games and lack quality in front of goal – despite the presence of Lionel Messi. Can they do the unthinkable again and upset PSG?
