The first leg of the UCL Round of 16 just ended, and we will discuss the happenings in the various fixtures.
Valencia's bid for UCL KOs progression hit wavy moments at Atalanta. It was a disappointing night for the visitors as Atalanta run riot in Bergamo. Josip Ilicic's form in 2020 paid dividends as he got on the score sheet to register his first CL goal of the campaign. Valencia looked disjointed and caught lost in possession often, giving the home side chances to break and cause damage. Hateboer got on the end of these breakaways to help seal the victory with two goals heading into the second leg. A consolation for Albert Celades' men but the damage, already done as it ended 4-1.
Liverpool enjoyed moving the ball from left to right without having to trouble Jan Oblak in post. The reds were slow in transition allowing Atletico Madrid to get the defensive shape intact all through the game. Jurgen Klopp has called on the Anfield magic in the 2nd leg and is hoping to get the expected results. Saul Niguez's goal separates the two sides after he got on the end of a loose ball from a corner.
Erling Haaland again stole the show as he became the youngest player to reach double figures in the CL. His brace against Tuchels' star-studded side was enough to take them through with Neymar halving the deficit. He reaches ten goals now and can get more if Dortmund go through. Lucien Favre will look to build on the confident performance when they visit Paris.
Jose Mourinho's Spurs did not cover themselves in glory when Timo Werner's shot from the spot away from home got the German outfit a step closer to qualification. Spurs could not get a grip on the game as Julien Nagelsmann dominated the midfield. The introduction of Lamela and Ndombele was brilliant but still lacked the cutting edge to get Spurs back in the tie.
At the Stadio San Paolo, Dries Mertens got Napoli in the lead on the half-hour mark. Genaro Gattuso was cautious in his approach after the goal but some good work down the right from Semedo to find Griezmann got the scores level. Barcelona kept pushing but had no answers. Vidal got sent off after a double yellow for indiscipline. Quique Setien has another chance at the Camp Nou after a not-so-disappointing UCL debut as manager.
Bayern Munich was at their absolute best when they visited Chelsea. Two quick goals in the first 10 minutes of the 2nd half from Gnabry and the 3rd from Lewandowski helped the Bavarians steamroll past the blues. Alphonso Davies got a great balance in attack and defense. Chelsea needs to be more daring in the return leg. A tough trip to the Allianz Arena for Frank Lampard, can he overturn the tie?
Pep Guardiola cut a frustrated figure for large parts of the game. At the hour mark, Man City had twice as many attempts on goal as Real Madrid but was down by Isco's goal. A tweak in formation got De Bruyne freed, he assisted Gabriel Jesus and later converted from the spot after Carvajal brought down Sterling in the box in the final quarter of the game. Zidane lost control in the second half after holding Pep's side.
Lyon managed to win the first leg at home against Juventus. Ronaldo was mostly starting plays rather than getting on the end of them. Juve's midfield lacked dynamism and the final passes to cut through defences. Houssem Aouar broke away from Sandro to find Lucas Toussart who was charging through the middle. A buoyant and noisy crowd in the Groupama stadium after the final whistle. The second leg in Turin awaits.
Player of week: Hans Hateboer (Atalanta)
Goal of the week: Haaland's second vs PSG
What will be your picks? Leave your comments.
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