The round of 16 is officially underway in the UEFA Champions League with several teams halfway to a spot in the quarterfinals after first-leg action. Arsenal, Aston Villa, and Real Madrid all carry advantages heading into next week’s second leg, though some leads are bigger than others. The Gunners beat PSV 7-1 on Tuesday and all but have a spot booked in the next round, while Real Madrid’s 2-1 lead over Atletico Madrid is no guarantee that they will win the tie.
On Wednesday, four other teams earned first-leg advantages – Inter, Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Liverpool.
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As the countdown to the second legs begins, here’s what each team needs heading into next week’s action.
Feyenoord vs. Inter
First leg score: Feyenoord 0, Inter 2
Inter made the most of their business trip to Rotterdam. The visitors could have had a third but Feyenoord goalkeeper Timon Wellenreuther made a stop on Piotr Zielinski’s second-half penalty, a play that could prove crucial if the Dutch side can mount a comeback in Italy next week.
Feyenoord second-leg scenarios: Feyenoord needs a two-goal win to send the game to extra time and a three-goal win to advance outright.
Inter second-leg scenarios: Inter will advance with a win, draw, or one-goal loss.
Bayern Munich vs. Bayer Leverkusen
First leg score: Bayern Munich 3, Bayer Leverkusen 0
Harry Kane gave Bayern the advantage after just nine minutes, but the hosts padded their lead in the second half after a series of mistakes from Leverkusen.
Bayern Munich second-leg scenarios: Bayern will advance with a win, draw, or two-goal loss.
Bayer Leverkusen second-leg scenarios: Bayer needs a three-goal win to send the game to extra time and a four-goal win to win the tie outright.
Benfica vs. Barcelona
First leg score: Benfica 0, Barcelona 1
Barcelona went down to 10 after just 22 minutes through Pau Cubarsi’s red card but managed to survive Benfica’s pressure, benefiting from Raphinha’s second-half goal to retain a narrow advantage.
Benfica second-leg scenarios: Benfica needs a one-goal win to send the game to extra time and a two-goal win to advance outright.
Barcelona second-leg scenarios: Barcelona will advance with a win or a draw.
Paris Saint-Germain vs. Liverpool
First leg score: PSG 0, Liverpool 1
PSG outperformed Liverpool in an impressive showing but couldn’t convert their opportunities into goals.
Paris Saint-Germain second-leg scenarios: PSG needs a one-goal win to send the game to extra time and a two-goal win to advance outright.
Liverpool second-leg scenarios: Liverpool needs a win or draw to advance.
Club Brugge vs. Aston Villa
First-leg result: Club Brugge 1, Aston Villa 3
Aston Villa carries a healthy lead into the second leg after scoring goals from Mechele and Asensio.
Club Brugge second-leg scenarios: Club Brugge needs a two-goal win to send the game to extra time and a three-goal win to advance outright.
Aston Villa second-leg scenarios: Villa can advance with a win, draw, or a one-goal loss.
Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid
First-leg result: Real Madrid 2, Atletico Madrid 1
A match where both teams exchanged opportunities, with Real taking the lead through Brahim Diaz.
Real Madrid second-leg scenarios: Real Madrid will advance with a win or a draw.
Atletico Madrid second-leg scenarios: Atletico needs a one-goal win to send the game to extra time and a two-goal win to advance outright.
PSV vs. Arsenal
First leg score: PSV 1, Arsenal 7
Arsenal were as efficient as it gets in front of goal in Eindhoven, putting seven past the hosts and taking all the pressure off them for the next match.
PSV second leg scenarios: PSV needs a six-goal win to send the game to extra time, and a seven-goal win to advance outright.
Arsenal second leg scenarios: Arsenal will advance with a win, draw, or even a loss by as many as five goals.
Borussia Dortmund vs. Lille
First leg score: Borussia Dortmund 1, Lille 1
A match where Dortmund struggled to maintain their lead against a resilient Lille. Both teams are set for an exciting rematch next week.
