UEFA Champions League Round of 16: Real Madrid edged past Atletico, Arsenal humiliates PSV

The UEFA Champions League made a grand return this week, involving intense clashes in the round of 16. A highlight of the fixtures was the monumental showdown between fierce Spanish rivals, Atletico Madrid and Carlo Ancelotti's Real Madrid, held at the iconic Santiago Bernabeu.

On the other side, English powerhouse Arsenal faced off against Dutch contenders PSV at Philips Stadion. The runners-up from last season, Borussia Dortmund, went head-to-head with Lille at Signal Iduna Park, while Club Brugge took on Aston Villa at Breydel Stadium.

Real Madrid edged past Atletico Madrid 

Real Madrid secured a crucial 2-1 victory over their La Liga rivals, Atletico, in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie at the Bernabeu on Tuesday night. In a spectacular performance from both sides, Real Madrid took an early lead, thanks to a brilliant opener from Brazil international Rodrygo within the first five minutes.

Atletico's response was commendable, as striker Julian Alvarez delivered an outstanding equalizer before halftime, curling a shot past Thibaut Courtois. However, Real Madrid regained their advantage ten minutes into the second half with a stellar goal from Brahim Diaz. This narrow margin sets the stage for a nail-biting second leg as both teams vie for a place in the next round.

Arsenal defeated PSV

Arsenal ran riot against PSV as they thumped in 7 goals in the first leg of the round of 16 fixtures. They have now etched their name in UEFA Champions League history as the first team to score 7 or more goals away from home in a knockout stage match. This victory not only signifies their strength but also marks PSV’s heaviest competitive home defeat ever. With this commanding performance, Arsenal has practically secured their spot in the quarterfinals.

Aston Villa stunned Club Brugge

Club Brugge hosted Aston Villa in their backyard but the latter proved to be a little too much. In a brave display of attacking football, Aston Villa won the first-leg fixture 3-1. The runner-up from last edition, Borussia Dortmund, and Ligue One side Lillie played a lame 1-1 draw with goals from Adeyemi and Haraldsson for their respective teams.