Going through
Real Madrid
The eternal champions are into the quarter-finals. Fortune definitely favoured the team for whom luck is a constant companion. Real squeaked through on penalties against Atlético, but the new Galácticos resembled less a team than a disparate group of sulking prima donnas. Jude Bellingham was dishing out rollickings to his teammates when his own performance was below par. Vinícius Jr’s penalty miss was so bad it will probably cost him this year’s Ballon D’Or. As normal time and extra-time ticked on, it was Real rather than Atlético who reached for the dark arts: Brahim Diaz threw himself to the ground in search of a penalty. Then came the shootout, and the video-assisted decision that Atlético’s Julián Alvarez had double-touched his kick, ruling it out. The decision, rather less than clear-cut, was awarded quicker than regular offside calls are decided from the video booth. It appeared the type of ruling Real Madrid usually get when others are left disappointed. They roll on, having found a novel way to win. It’s the Real Madrid way.
Paris Saint-Germain
Over the two legs with Liverpool, PSG were the far better team. PSG prevailed on penalties at Anfield, and only the two remaining Spanish giants are more favoured to win the trophy that has eluded the Parisians. Ousmane Dembélé and Bradley Barcola have been converted by Luis Enrique from unreliables to two of the best attacking players in Europe. Vitinha pulled the midfield strings at Anfield – not bad for someone who once failed to make the grade at Wolves. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, their January signing, is a delight, a throwback dribbler with thoroughly modern muscle. PSG’s travelling ultras filled the Anfield night air, their team echoing that confidence once a first-half storm had been ridden out after Dembélé’s goal. In the shootout, that confidence was repeated.
Aston Villa
There are two Aston Villas in circulation. One of them, in the Premier League, is grinding the gears to return to European football. The other has graced the Champions League. Over two legs a revenge mission on Club Brugge, who had beaten Villa in the group stage, was completed with surgical precision. A 3-0 victory at Villa Park made it a 6-1 aggregate win, and set up the chance for more vengeance. Next up are PSG. Villa manager Unai Emery was jettisoned by PSG as he was perceived to lack the personality to take on such a big club. While Villa are no minnow, the club have proved to be the right size for Emery’s alchemy and obsessive coaching to take root. And, in Europe, those Villa fans are having their best time in more than 40 years.
Going out
Atlético Madrid
Atlético hearts will have sunk when Real were drawn from the pot but they let a golden chance slip by. After taking the lead through Conor Gallagher on Wednesday, it was Diego Simeone’s team who had the tie by the throat. A lack of quality in attack was costly, and Real proved just as adept at the spoiling tactics Simeone’s team are known for. The rashness of Clément Lenglet’s foul on a previously anonymous Kylian Mbappé did not result in a goal as Vinícius shanked his penalty, but they will rue Ángel Correa’s late miss. The penalty shootout – from that Alvarez decision to Marcos Llorente’s woodwork clank to Jan Oblak’s fumble of Antonio Rüdiger’s decisive kick – spoke of an Atlético team unable to overturn the weight of history. They are still yet to get the better of their aristocratic neighbours in this competition.
Liverpool
The 36-team group-stage winners exiting in the last 16 may lead some to question the expanded competition’s structure. Arne Slot’s first Liverpool season has been an unexpected success, one likely to result in a Premier League title – and beyond Sunday’s Carabao Cup final, the rest of the season will now resemble a victory lap. One tinged with disappointment? Perhaps, though there was evidence of where a rebuild will take place. Darwin Núñez’s tears following his penalty miss suggested a last chance squandered. Virgil van Dijk showed far less than his usual assurance and was then pictured in conversation with PSG officials, his contract still unsigned. That was explained – unconvincingly – as as an apology for previous behaviour. Still, at least Slot enjoyed it. “It was the best game of football I have ever been involved in,” said the Dutchman, now left to bemoan “small margins” and plan for next season.
Lille
If anyone let an opportunity slide by in the last 16, it was the French club. Instead, Borussia Dortmund were allowed to use the competition as their haven from continued Bundesliga pain. The first leg in Westphalia had ended in a 1-1 draw, so when Jonathan David opened the scoring on Wednesday a quarter-final meeting with Barcelona for Lille looked on. Lille’s Lucas Chevalier delivered a series of brilliant saves, but Thomas Meunier’s push on a rampaging Serhou Guirassy swung the tie. Chevalier failed to read Emre Can’s penalty and had no chance with Maximilian Beier’s winner, either. Lille return, with regret, to Ligue 1’s battle to play in this competition next season.
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A good week for
Gianluigi Donnarumma, PSG
In the first leg, it was Alisson laying down claims to be the world’s best goalkeeper. In the second leg shootout, the Italian giant reminded us of his candidacy. When it comes to penalties, no one compares. That made it six of the seven penalty shootouts he has taken part in for club and country that Donnarumma has decided, making 24 saves from 103 penalties. Having dashed back to the dressing room after extra-time, he returned with a point to prove. “I see a lot of criticism from journalists, if you can call them that, without knowing what the goalkeeper’s job is,” he said.
Lamine Yamal, Barcelona
If Vinícius Jr blew his chances of the “Ballon d’Or, Ballon d’Or, Ballon d’Ot”, as Rio Ferdinand styled it, then how long until Barcelona’s jewel wins the prize? Lamine Yamal won’t be 18 until July but the Euro 2024 winner plays with the assurance of a veteran. His linkup play with Raphinha cut Benfica to shreds. He set up the first goal for the Brazilian then scored his own beauty, cutting in from the right and curling the ball in with his left foot. His talents seem limitless. He’s already close to the franchise player of the type Barcelona built their empire on.
Marco Asensio, Aston Villa
A second successive nomination for perhaps the most transformative signing of the transfer window just gone. The depth of Asensio’s impact since arriving on loan from PSG can be shown by deduction. He didn’t play for against Brentford at the weekend, and Villa were bereft of his eye for a key pass. And goal, too. He was clinical against Brugge, scoring twice. His first was a rising shot, scored in front of the Holte End that now idolises him. The second reflected a growing understanding with Marcus Rashford, who is showing signs of revival at Villa. Though PSG are Villa’s next opponents, Asensio is still eligible to face his parent club. Uefa sets different rules to the Premier League that “strictly forbid any club to exert, or attempt to exert, any influence whatsoever over the players that another club may (or may not) field in a match”. PSG may rue that.
