Everything We've Learned from the Champions League 1st Legs
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The Champions League returned in midweek for the first leg of four of the eight round of 16 ties, and here’s everything we learned as two of the favourites met each other, just as England’s top clubs put down their marker once more.
Inter Milan v Liverpool
Inter Milan have all the work in the world to do as they travel to England in two weeks with Liverpool taking with them a 2-0 lead and knowing the fact no team has scored three goals at Anfield this season.
Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah netted the goals in what was a solid away performance from Jurgen Klopp’s men and a reminder to anybody who doubted them as a contender in this year’s Champions League.
Sporting Lisbon v Manchester City
Manchester City, once again, remain the favourites to capture European gold this campaign and with losing the final last year and the Premier League in comfortable hands with them, Pep Guardiola is seemingly putting all his eggs in one basket here.
City were at their ruthless best in Portugal and Sporting Lisbon saw the tie disappear from them after only 32 minutes when Phil Foden made it 3-0.
No team has ever turned over a five-goal difference in the knockout rounds, and the 5-0 win for Guardiola’s men all but guarantees entry into the last eight.
RB Salzburg v Bayern Munich
RB Salzburg thought they were set to take a 1-0 lead to Germany when they were leading by such a scoreline with minutes to go. Tiredness rapidly crept in, and Kinglsey Coman managed to match his solid game with a goal.
The first leg ended 1-1, and although Bayern Munich are still one the favourites for the competition, they now have their work cut out against a resilient Salzburg outfit. However, there is a great difference between 1-0 and 1-1 when heading to the Allianz, especially considering how Bayern have a stunning 70 goals in 22 league games in the Bundesliga, a record nobody in Europe’s top five leagues gets close to.
PSG v Real Madrid
A game that grabbed the headlines as we entered the round of 16 largely disappointed in its action, but overall, has set the scene for another gripping 90 minutes and potentially more over in Spain.
Paris Saint-Germain dominated the chances and should’ve put the game to bed against a Real Madrid side who couldn’t get going at all. Lionel Messi would miss a penalty, and it looked certain a 0-0 was on the cards ahead of the clash at the Santiago Bernabeu.
A stunning solo goal from Kylian Mbappe stole the show, however, as he dismantled two Real defenders with a slick move to cut inside and calmly slot the ball past Thibaut Courtois. The goal means so much to PSG, and for Mbappe personally as he likely targets a move to Madrid next summer but gives his side a narrow 1-0 lead for now.
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