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The UEFA Champions League knockout rounds have begun with thrilling encounters, dramatic victories, and dominant performances. Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain, and PSV Eindhoven booked their places in the last 16 after an action-packed set of matches.
Real Madrid Shine with Mbappe Hat-Trick
Real Madrid showcased their superiority by defeating Manchester City in style, securing their place in the next round with a convincing win at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Manager Pep Guardiola made the bold decision to bench Erling Haaland, opting instead for January signing Omar Marmoush, who had impressed with a hat-trick against Newcastle just days before. However, Real Madrid wasted no time in asserting their dominance.
The Spanish giants took the lead in just the fourth minute, thanks to a brilliant goal from Kylian Mbappe. Receiving a precise long ball from Raul Asencio, Mbappe expertly lobbed the ball over City’s goalkeeper Ederson from the edge of the box.
The French forward continued to torment City’s defense, scoring his second goal in the 33rd minute after a well-crafted assist from Rodrygo. Despite a minor collision with Ederson, Mbappe remained on the field and completed his hat-trick in the 61st minute, placing the ball perfectly into the far left corner for his seventh goal of the tournament.
City managed a late consolation goal in stoppage time when Gonzalez scored on the rebound from a Marmoush free-kick, but it was too little, too late.
Reflecting on the victory, Mbappe said: “We have to continue in this way if we are to win what we want to win this season. I want to play well here, I want to make a mark on the season. I want to write history with Real Madrid. The adaptation period for me has ended, and now I have to show my quality.”
Real Madrid now await the result of the draw to see if they will face either Atletico Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen in the last 16.
Dortmund Edge Through After Goalless Draw
Last season’s runners-up Borussia Dortmund advanced to the next round with a 3-0 aggregate victory over Sporting CP, despite an uninspiring 0-0 draw at home.
Dortmund’s Serhou Guirassy had a golden opportunity to put his team ahead but saw his penalty saved by Sporting’s goalkeeper Rui Silva in the 58th minute.
Giovanni Reyna hit the post, and Emre Can thought he had scored with a header, only for it to be ruled offside by the narrowest of margins. Despite Sporting resting their top scorers, Viktor Gyökeres and Francisco Trincao, Dortmund failed to break the deadlock.
Captain Emre Can admitted: “We didn’t do more than necessary. It was a controlled progression, I would say. Nevertheless, we have to learn to win games like this.”
Dortmund will now prepare for a clash against either Lille or Aston Villa in the next round.
PSG Crush Brest in Dominant Performance
Paris Saint-Germain produced their biggest-ever Champions League victory, thrashing Brest 7-0 to complete a 10-0 aggregate win in their French duel.
The game did not start smoothly for PSG, as Mathias Pereira Lage nearly gave Brest a shocking early lead. However, Bradley Barcola settled the nerves with a composed finish into the near left corner in the 20th minute.
From there, PSG took complete control. January signing Khvicha Kvaratskhelia doubled the lead from a tight angle before halftime. After the break, goals from Vitinha, Desire Doue, Nuno Mendes, Goncalo Ramos, and Senny Mayulu completed the rout.
PSG now set their sights on a high-profile last-16 showdown against either Liverpool or Barcelona.
PSV Triumph Over Juventus in Extra Time
PSV Eindhoven secured a dramatic victory over Juventus, winning 3-1 after extra time to overturn a 2-1 deficit from the first leg and progress 4-3 on aggregate.
The Dutch side struck first in the 52nd minute when veteran Ivan Perisic controlled a diagonal pass from Noa Lang and volleyed into the far left corner, leveling the tie.
Juventus responded in the 63rd minute with a long-range strike from Timothy Weah, initially ruled offside but later given after a VAR review.
Ismael Saibari restored PSV’s advantage in the 74th minute with a close-range finish from Perisic’s cross, forcing extra time. The decisive moment came in the 98th minute when Ryan Flamingo capitalized on a goalmouth scramble to poke home the winner, sending PSV through.
Their next challenge will be a clash against Arsenal or the lone remaining Italian team, Inter Milan.
The Last-16 Draw Awaits
With these thrilling matches concluded, the teams now wait for the Champions League last-16 draw, set to take place on Friday. The confirmed matchups so far are:
- Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen
- Borussia Dortmund vs. Lille or Aston Villa
- Paris Saint-Germain vs. Liverpool or Barcelona
- PSV Eindhoven vs. Arsenal or Inter Milan
As the road to the final continues, fans can expect more intense battles and unforgettable moments in Europe’s most prestigious club competition.
