HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE 2023/24 UCL ROUND OF 16 1ST LEG

Manchester City won the previous season and are most recently moving through the tournament as favorites.

The first leg of the Champions League knockout stage left fans on the edge of their seats. It was a display of skill, determination, and passion on different stages across Europe. From stunning goals to dramatic saves, the highlights of the first leg have captivated audiences worldwide.

This article

explores the Highlights, Unforgettable Moments, and Achievements from each fixture in the 1st Leg of the UCL Round of 16. 

OSHIMHEN SALVAGES  DRAW FOR NAPOLI AT NEPAL

Napoli faced off against Barcelona at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium. The closely contested match between them ended in a 1-1 draw. 

After a wavy first half, the second half got the goals flying in. Robert Lewandowski put the visitors ahead in the 60th minute. However, Napoli's Oshimen, who played in his first match since winning the Silver at the AFCON, refused to let his team falter. He equalized to keep Napoli’s hopes of progression alive. 

Both teams now look ahead to the next leg at the Camp Nou on the 12th of Match to secure a spot in the quarter-finals.

GALENO WINS IT FOR PORTO AT THE DEATH

In a thrilling 1-0 encounter between FC Porto and Arsenal, Galeno emerged as the hero with a late, decisive goal for FC Porto. A well-organized Porto team frustrated the in-form Arsenal for most of the match. Their resilience paid off as they secured a vital victory at the Estadio do Dragao. 

Arsenal are in the last 16 of the Champions League for the first time in seven years, and their hopes of getting into the Quater finals for the first time in 14 years have suffered a big blow. The Gunners, well known for their goal-scoring abilities in the Premier League, had no shots on target against Sergio Conceicao’s team. Micheal Arteta’s team knows what is at stake and would hope to overturn the results when they host Porto at the Emirates Stadium in North London for the 2nd Leg. 

Porto should have extended their advantage against Arsenal earlier on in the game. Galeno wasted two great chances before the midway point in the first half. With momentum on their side, Porto will head into the second leg, aiming to maintain their advantage and progress to the Quater finals.

LUUK DE JONG’S PENALTY KEEPS PSV IN THE TIE

PSV Eindhoven battled Borussia Dortmund at the Philips Stadium. Malen initially put Borussia Dortmund ahead in the 24th minute of the game.  However, Luuk De Jong's composed penalty ensured PSV got back into the game, leveling the score early in the second half. 

PSV Eindhoven would now prepare for a fierce battle in Germany to decide who would be victorious in this tie. Dortmund’s boss, Edin Terzic, would face more problems after losing several team members to injury. 

INTER MILAN TRAVEL TO MADRID WITH THE ADVANTAGE

Inter Milan secured an advantage against Athletico Madrid in a 1-0 encounter. Both teams are well known for their defensive strength and held on to a goalless draw in the first half.  Arnautovic came off the bench to replace Marcus Thuram just after the break and scored the winning goal for Inter in the 79th minute. 

The Italian side will now travel to Madrid with the advantage, aiming to capitalize on their lead and secure passage to the next round. However, they will face a tough challenge against Diego Simone’s side, who are determined to overturn the deficit at home.

PSG ON TRACK TO MAKE THE QUATER FINALS

Paris Saint-Germain defeated Spanish side Real Sociedad in the first Leg of the Round of 16 with a 2-0 victory at the Parc Des Princes. 

Real Sociedad missed several chances from close range in the first half. Andre Silver failed to convert at close range from a well-struck Brais Mendez free-kick. They again threatened to open the scoring in the second half, but Mendez’s effort hit the crossbar. Mbappe made no mistake with a well-struck shot to give PSG the lead in the 58th minute. Barcola found the net in the 70th minute to secure victory for the League 1 Champions. 

Kylian Mbabbe has now scored in each of his last six games against Spanish opponents. The Youngster has an agreement to join Real Madrid at the end of the season. 

PSG are on track to make the quarter-finals, with a commanding lead heading into the next leg. Holding off a desperate Imanol Alguacil’s side away from home will be a priority to clinch a spot in the Quater finals. 

LAZIO BEAT 10-MEN BAYERN MUNICH IN ROME

Lazio delivered an upset against Bayern Munich in Rome. Bayern Munich had previously suffered defeat to their League rivals days before the encounter and again failed to shine at the European stage.

Despite dominating in the first half, Bayern Munich failed to score and had several missed chances. Lazio's resilience paid off in the second half. Dayot Upamecano was shown a direct red card for a reckless tackle on Gustav Isaksen in the box, and a penalty awarded to Lazio. Ciro Immobile perfectly converted the penalty to win the game for the Italian side. 

Bayern Munich and Head Coach Thomas Tuchel have

at the end of the season. Hopefully, the pressure on the Bayern Squad doesn't hinder them from a well-needed comeback against a well-spirited Lazio in the 2nd Leg. 

FC COPENHAGEN FAIL TO HOLD THE DEFENDING CHAMPIONS AT HOME

Manchester City continued their Champions League defense with a convincing victory at FC Copenhagen. The Danish side succumbed to Manchester City's dominance despite initially equalizing through Mattsson. 

Pep Guardiola’s side dominated the game with nearly 80 percent possession. Their only regret would be losing Jack Grealish to injury in the first half. They missed several chances that would have bettered the scoreline. Notably, Erling Haaland was denied on multiple occasions by FC Copenhagen’s goal-stopper Kamil Grabara. 

Despite the unfolding events, the Home fans kept their spirits high and cheered on the squad throughout the game. Pep’s team, however, was far from intimidated by the home crowd, securing a 3-1 victory with goals from De Bruyne, Silva, and Foden. Both teams meet again in the 2nd Leg at the Etihad Stadium. 

BRAHIM DIAZ GIVES LOS BLANCOS ADVANTAGE

RB Leipzig hosted Real Madrid in the first tie of the Round of 16. Both teams had played well, but Brahim Diaz's stunning goal was the difference at the Red Bull Arena. 

With victory in their grasp, Real Madrid holds the advantage as they head into the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. However, they need to maintain focus to ensure they progress to the quarter-finals.

UCL ROUND OF 16 2ND LEG FIXTURES

Tuesday 5th March, 2024

Bayern Munich

Vs.

Lazio (Agg:0 - 1) 

Real Sociedad

Vs.

Paris Saint-Germain (Agg:0 - 2) 

Wednesday 6th March, 2024

 Manchester City

Vs.

FC Copenhagen (Agg:3 - 1) 

Real Madrid

Vs.

RB Leipzig (Agg:1 - 0) 

Tuesday 12th March, 2024 

Arsenal

Vs.

FC Porto (Agg:0 - 1) 

Barcelona

Vs.

Napoli (Agg:1 - 1)

Wednesday 13th March, 2024

Atletico Madrid

Vs.

Inter Milan (Agg:0 - 1) 

Borussia Dortmund

Vs.

PSV Eindhoven (Agg:1 - 1)

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