UEFA Champions League: Bayern, Atleti Claim Big Wins in Round of 16 First Legs
Bayern München and Atlético de Madrid are in touching distance of the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals after big victories in the first legs of their round of 16 ties.
Tuesday’s other ties are in the balance after Galatasaray edged out Liverpool before Lamine Yamal converted a last-gasp penalty to earn Barcelona a draw at Newcastle to take into next Wednesday’s second legs. Here is a wrap of all the action on Tuesday.
Atalanta 1-6 Bayern
Bayern’s incessant pressure paid off handsomely as the German champions took firm control of their tie with Atalanta.
Josip Stanišić’s tap-in set the visitors on their way before a quickfire double from Serge Gnabry and Michael Olise made it 3-0 inside 25 minutes. There was no let-up, though.
Nicolas Jackson added a fine counterattacking goal after the restart before Olise bent in his second with a similar effort to his first. Substitute Jamal Musiala struck a sixth midway through the second half but it was Atalanta’s Mario Pašalić who had the final word, pulling one back in added time.
Player of the Match: Michael Olise (Bayern)
Galatasaray 1-0 Liverpool
Galatasaray head to Anfield next Wednesday with a narrow advantage after Mario Lemina’s seventh-minute header ultimately decided a fast-paced encounter in Istanbul.
Lemina converted after Victor Osimhen redirected Gabriel Sara’s corner into his path, the only goal of a frenetic first half that could have featured several more – Florian Wirtz and Davinson Sánchez among those to threaten.
It was more of the same in the second period, Liverpool coming closest when Alexis Mac Allister shot just wide before Hugo Ekitiké was brilliantly denied by Uğurcan Çakır.
Player of the Match: Mario Lemina (Galatasaray)
Newcastle 1-1 Barcelona
Lamine Yamal’s added-time penalty with the last kick of the contest denied Newcastle another famous win in this fixture, the Barcelona winger holding his nerve to send Aaron Ramsdale the wrong way after Malick Thiaw had fouled Dani Olmo.
The Magpies, beaten 2-1 at St James’ Park by Barça on Matchday 1, were on course for a narrow first-leg victory after Harvey Barnes’ first-time effort following Jacob Murphy’s pinpoint cross with four minutes to go.
The hosts always appeared the likelier of the two sides to open the scoring, a Barnes curler smacking the inside of the upright in the second half before the England international got the late breakthrough. Yamal had the last word, though.
Player of the Match: Harvey Barnes (Newcastle)
Atleti 5-2 Tottenham
Atlético de Madrid claimed a commanding advantage following a dazzling 22-minute burst in the Spanish capital that produced four goals and left the visitors stunned.
Marcos Llorente, Julián Alvarez and Antoine Griezmann capitalised on defensive errors, while Robin Le Normand scored after Guglielmo Vicario, on as an early replacement, parried following a corner.
Pedro Porro and Dominic Solanke replied for Spurs either side of Alvarez’s second from a lightning counter, but the English side have a mountain to climb.
Player of the Match: Julián Alvarez (Atleti)
