Real Seal Smal Derby Win; Arsenal hit seven; Little serving a draw

The Champions League last 16 started tonight, with four huge first legs taking place all over the continent.

Real victory to create exciting other legs

Scores: Rodrygo 4 ‘, Díaz 55’; Alvarez 32 ‘

Real Madrid beat Atlético de Madrid 2-1 at Bernabeu, in a game that saw three goals more than worthy of the occasion.

Real took the lead within just four minutes with a really fantastic goal from Rodrygo. Fat Valverde found the Brazilian down just behind Javi Galán. The Brazilian then cut to the left and curled a screaming past Jan Oblak.

Valverde was in action at the other end when Atlético had their first true attack on the home target, making a brilliant approval to refuse a particular Julián Alvarez goal from Giuliano Simeone’s cross.

Alvarez got his goal shortly after, and rather than pushing, he hit a goal somehow even better than Rodrygo’s. The Argentine received the ball out widely to the left, cut inside Eduardo Camavinga and struck brilliantly in the far corner past the despairing reach of Thibaut Courtois.

After a slow start to the second half, the Real got the lead through Brahim Díaz, and that was another fine goal. Dancing around Atléti defenders with some wonderful footwork, the Moroccan international curled a lovely, low strike around the blow to send home fans wild and justify his place in the lineup.

Real had chances of getting a third, but couldn’t find finish, perfect setup of next week’s second stage.

Seventh heaven for arsenal on surreal night

Scores: Long (pen) 43 ‘; Timber 18 ‘, Nwaneri 21’, Merino 31 ‘, Ødegaard 47’, 73 ‘, Trossard 49’, Calafiori 85 ‘

Arsenal ripped PSV Eindhoven 7-1 at Philips Stadium in one of the most comprehensive knockout games in European history.

They started they brighter and thought they had a penalty within 10 minutes when Martin Ødegaard went down under pressure. However, the contact was small and unintentional and it was waved away.

PSV should have really taken the lead in the 16th minute through Ismael Saibari. Ivan Perišić went down the left and put a low ball across the box, which David Raya could only pair into the path of the Moroccan midfielder who somehow did not score and hit the bar.

Gunners made them pay right away, Jurrien Timber brilliantly on the way to Home Declan Rice’s excellent cross on the back post.

It was 2-0 just two minutes later. Myles Lewis Skelly designed a hole to the left and put a ball in the box, as colleague Youngster Ethan Nwaneri met with a strike that was past Walter Benítez before he knew.

Right after half an hour, Arsenal apparently ended the game and tie with their third, Mikel Merino, who justified his choice in the lineup with a cool finish after PSV made a mess with clearing the ball. There was a long -lasting check, but the goal eventually stood.

The Dutch giants received a lifeline from Thomas Partey who pulled Luuk de Jong into the box. Noa Lang stepped up to emphatically stick the ball past Raya for a decisive goal.

De Jong got almost a goal just before the break, but Arsenal did well to handle Tyrell Malacia’s low cross.

Immediately at the start of the second half, Arsenal ran with two goals to finish a draw again. Martin Ødegaard was the first to hit the back of the net and tapped home after Benítez could only Parry Nwaneris Fizzing Cross.

99 seconds later, Leandro Trossard played a lovely one-two with Riccardo Calafiori before ending with a beautiful chip over the PSV keeper.

Ødegaard did it six when PSV fans headed for exits in their thousands, went through a pedestrian midfield and saw his strike palm in the net by Benítez.

Calafiori put the cherry on top of a fantastic evening with a seventh five minutes from time and ended as an attacker after Ødegaard slipped in.

More to follow …

Little fight back to earn a draw in Dortmund

Scores: Adeyemi 22 ‘; Haraldsson 68 ‘

Little will like their chances for a first ever Champions League quartal’s final quay after fought back to pull 1-1 with Borussia Dortmund in Signal Iduna Park.

After a steady start to the game, Dortmund took the lead from one of their go-to guys in Europe this season, Karim Adeyemi. Lille could not deal with a corner, and the young German drilled a low left -footed strike into the corner of the net.

Small dominated possession in large parts of business hours, but couldn’t fashion any clear chances, have six shots, but no one on goal as the hosts kept on their slim lead.

They made their first on target count, equalized in the 68th minute. Jonathan David was the provider and stepped through the ball for Hákon Arnar Haraldsson to finish past Gregor Kobel.

This is how it all ended with playing in ahead of next week’s second stage in France.

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Asensio is leading late show for villa

Scores: They cuyper 12 ‘; Bailey 3 ‘, Mechele (and) 82’, Asensio 87 ‘(Pen)

Aston Villa can start thinking of a quarter last date with either Liverpool or PSG after a late smash-and-grab 3-1 win away to Club Brugge, who played a big role in their own death.

Villa took the lead within just three minutes of their first Champions League -Knockout game of over 40 years through Leon Bailey.

Youri Tielemans fled a long -range free kick in the box, which Tyrone Mings led the ball down to the middle of the box, where Leon Bailey met it with a brilliant left -wing finish past Simon Mignolet.

Villa looked as if they could get another, but use stunned them with an equalization in a frenetic start to the game. Christos Tzolis got the ball widely to the left and padded it back to Maxim de Cuyper, whose low finish passed by EMI Martínez and into the corner of the net.

The game continued up to half at a quick pace, with both sides who were looking to attack every time they were on the ball. Martínez, however, was the only keeper called for real action, with the Argentine hid a fine rescue to refuse Chemsdine Talbi.

The second half started slower, with both sides maybe realizing how harmful a first bentab would be.

Unai Emery made four replacements right after the hour, and three of them were involved in a great chance soon after. Jacob Ramsey found Marco Asensio on the edge of the box. His shot was stopped by Mignolet and Matty Cash blasted as he just had to hold the ball down.

Moments later, Tyrone Mings redeemed himself for the penalty fiasco on the same reason in the league with one of the best target -saving blocks you will ever see.

Tzolis again did well down the left and whipped a big ball in for his captain his vanak to the main goal. Somehow, however, a sliding Mings got the slightest touch on it to refuse the Belgians.

The use of use then made a mess of a massive opportunity for his own, leaned back and fired high over the bar when he was in Martínez.

Villa capitalized and regained their lead with only eight minutes left. Morgan Rogers was released down the right and put an early ball in for Ollie Watkins. Brandon Mechele captured it, but only to say it past Mignolet and in the Brugge network for a cruel own goal.

They then went and made it 3-1, where Tzolis took cash after being too relaxed inside the box. Asensio stepped up to the castle home for his fifth target already for the villains and set his side within a touching distance from the last eight.

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