Even on a night that didn’t showcase their most dazzling performance, Real Madrid still found a way to secure victory against fierce rivals Atletico Madrid. The ‘Merengues’ edged past Atletico with a 2-1 win at the Santiago Bernabeu in the first leg of their Champions League Round of 16 clash. All three goals in the match were stunning strikes! Meanwhile, Arsenal delivered a masterclass by thrashing Ajax 7-1 in Holland, virtually securing their spot in the quarterfinals where they will face either Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid.
In Dortmund, Lille managed a hard-fought 1-1 draw, leaving their qualification hopes alive for the second leg in France. Real Madrid took an early lead through Rodrigo’s exquisite finish inside the box after a brilliant pass from Valverde. Atletico equalized shortly before halftime thanks to Julian Alvarez’s clinical strike. However, Real regained the lead in the second half when Brahim Diaz executed a mesmerizing move inside the area, leaving Oblak helpless.
Arsenal was unstoppable against Ajax, scoring five times in the first half alone. Goals from Timber, Nketiah, and Marinho gave them a commanding 3-0 lead before Lang reduced the deficit just before halftime. In the second half, Eddie Nketiah and Trossard added two more goals each, sealing a resounding 7-1 victory.
Dortmund opened the scoring against Lille via Adeyemi’s powerful shot, but Haraldsson equalized in the 68th minute, ensuring both teams have something to play for in the return leg.