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Champions League first week Round of 16 key talks – United and Spurs and the difference

By Ashley Anthony

LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 13: Fernando Llorente of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates after scoring his team's third goal during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 First Leg match between Tottenham Hotspur and Borussia Dortmund at Wembley Stadium on February 13, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 13: Fernando Llorente of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates after scoring his team's third goal during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 First Leg match between Tottenham Hotspur and Borussia Dortmund at Wembley Stadium on February 13, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images) /
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What more could one ask for in the opening to the Round of 16 fixtures? Real Madrid aided by the ref, Spurs run rampage over Dortmund, and United received a reality check from Paris.

The Champions League got off to a flying start for most teams in the first leg. In fact, no game went without handing us a winner and loser. Four of the eight games are done and dusted, with only one fixture nearly decided.

There was already 11 goals scored, while only two of the eight teams were able to keep a clean sheet. Those two teams were PSG and Tottenham. The teams who head into the next leg with an advantage are Roma, PSG, Tottenham, and Real Madrid.

Teams who have too much to do are Dortmund and Man United. Teams with strong chances to change things around are Ajax and Porto. So more drama to unfold when these teams meet in the first week of March for the second league.

Round of 16 results

Roma 2-1 Porto
Man United 0-2 PSG
Tottenham 3-0 Dortmund
Ajax 1-2 Real Madrid

Major talking points from the first week

  • The team from London surprisingly came away with the best win of the week
  • Sergio Ramos’ 600th appearance for Real Madrid was met with a 1-2 victory over Ajax
  • Talking things Ajax – They deserve to go to the Bernabeu with a 2-2 scoreline but VAR failed them
  • Mauricio’s men did exactly what was asked of them and reap the rewards of having one foot in the quarter-finals
  • Ole Gunnar had no plan B (As said by Arsene Wenger) and has to find one now that Paul Pogba is absent from the next leg, serving a one-match ban
  • Dusan Tadic a gem that was never polished at Southampton. He created the most chances on the pitch and was close to a goal. A big showing in the night-time robbery
  • Wenger admitted to wanting to sign Jadon Sancho from Man City – A miss for Jadon and hit for BVB
  • Axel Witsel swallowed all his words after being schooled by winks and co – The former is 30 the latter 23, what was he thinking
  • Son needs an emoji made for being on fire. He should be the first name on the team return each game – Now scored 11 goals in 12 games
  • Of the four players up for Player of the Week debate, I’d say Jan Vertonghen. First time as a wingback for a while and slotted in effortlessly. If not, Verratti, he was the general in their win over United

Next week’s fixtures

Lyon vs. Barcelona
Liverpool vs. Bayern Munich
Atletico Madrid vs. Juventus
Schalke vs. Man City

Next. TTF EPL Team of the Weekend – Matchday 26. dark

Next week, more of the same please from the rest of the clubs beating it out for an early advantage. First few fixtures take place on Tuesday next week and the wait could possibly feel like a lifetime.

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