UEFA Champions League – Round of 16

Victory for all the home teams on the return of the 2016/17 UEFA Champions League. 

February 14, 2017

Paris Saint-Germain                           4-0                     Barcelona

Angel Di Maria 18’ 55’

Julian Draxler 40’

Edinson Cavani 72’

It was a romantic night in Paris on Valentine’s day.

It was a really happy birthday for Angel Di Maria and Edinson Cavani when Paris Saint-Germain came against FC Barcelona at the Round of 16 stage of the 2016-17 UEFA Champions League.

PSG placed themselves in a great position to move on to the quarter-final stage of the UEFA Champions League after handing Barcelona their biggest defeat in the competition since their defeat to Bayern Munich in 2013.

Paris Saint-Germain scored two goals in each half.  The birthday boys Angel Di Maria and Edinson Cavani both gave a gift PSG by getting on the scoresheet.  Di Maria was even kinder by starting the scoring in each half.

Barcelona will need to score four without a reply in the return leg for a chance in penalty kick-off or the can find a way to just win by more than four goals.  

It would be a miraculous comeback if Barcelona can turn things around from this point. It is highly improbable that PSG will not make it to the quarterfinals at this stage, but we won’t count out Barcelona at the Camp Nou.  

Benfica                                          1-0                       Borussia Dortmund

Konstantinos Mitroglou 47′

Ten minutes after Dortmund went a goal down, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang missed a penalty that could have tied things up.

It was just not a day for Borussia Dortmund to score. Despite the numerous chances created, Dortmund left Portugal without scoring a goal and losing to Benfica in the first leg of their Round of 16 fixture.

The good news for Dortmund is that there is the second leg at home to amend the scoreline. Winning by two goals at home shouldn’t be too difficult for a team like Dortmund, right?

February 15, 2017

Bayern Munich                                   5-1                     Arsenal

Arjen Robben 11’                                                         Alexis Sanchez 30’

Robert Lewandowski 53’

Thiago Alcantara 56; 63’

Thomas Miller 88’

Bayern Munich gets a flying start against Arsenal.

Arsenal was able to get a goal from a questionable penalty call. Alexis Sanchez was able to find the ball in the midst of Bayern defenders and score an equalizer after he missed his initial penalty kick.

After going into the half with a goal a piece, it was all Bayern in the second half. Bayern Munich scored four in the second half to put a foot in the quarterfinals. Arsenal will need four goals at home to change their destiny or will have to win by more than four goals.

Real Madrid                                        3-1                     Napoli

Karim Benzema 19’                                                      Lorenzo Insigne 8’

Toni Kroos 49’

Casemiro 54’

The defending champions started the knockout stage with a home victory.

Real Madrid had to come from a goal down to defeat Napoli. On the balance of play, it was quite a comfortable victory for Real Madrid.

We wait and see what Napoli can do in the return leg.