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Federico Valverde scored a hat trick, leading Real Madrid to a 3-0 victory over Manchester City.
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PSG triumphed over Chelsea 5-2, with Ousmane Dembele shining and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia netting twice.
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Bodo/Glimt’s impressive journey continues with a 3-0 win against Sporting Lisbon.
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Kai Havertz scored a late penalty, helping Arsenal secure a 1-1 draw against Bayer Leverkusen.
Real Madrid showcased their strength against Manchester City in their recent Champions League match.
The 3-0 victory at the Bernabeu puts Madrid in a strong position in the round-of-16 tie, thanks to Federico Valverde’s stunning first-half hat trick. The Uruguayan stepped up in the absence of injured players like Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham.
“We are Real Madrid and you should never count us out,” said Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa.
The win could have been larger, but Vinícius Júnior’s penalty in the second half was saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Defending champion Paris Saint-Germain defeated Chelsea 5-2, while Bodo/Glimt moved closer to the quarterfinals with a 3-0 win over Sporting Lisbon.
Arsenal managed to draw 1-1 with Bayer Leverkusen.
Real Madrid’s Performance
By the end of the match, Manchester City could take some solace in that the score wasn’t worse.
When Vinícius took a penalty shortly before the hour mark, it seemed he would extend the lead. However, he took a lackluster shot that Donnarumma saved.
City faces a huge challenge to overcome this defeat, with Madrid clearly outplaying them.
Valverde’s hat trick included three remarkable goals, with the best being his final goal where he flicked the ball over City defender Marc Guehi and volleyed it home.
TV cameras captured Bellingham’s amazed reaction from the stands.
City manager Pep Guardiola might be concerned about repeating past seasons, where his team lost to Madrid. “I felt we performed better than the result suggests,” he said. “We’ll see what happens back at the Etihad next week.”
PSG vs. Chelsea
PSG sought revenge for their previous loss to Chelsea in the Club World Cup final last year.
A three-goal lead after the first leg puts Luis Enrique’s team in a favorable position for a spot in the last eight.
Chelsea managed to level the game twice, but a mistake by goalkeeper Filip Jørgensen, who lost the ball near the edge of the box in the 74th minute, allowed Vitinha to score into an empty net.
Substitute Khvicha Kvaratskhelia added two goals, leaving Chelsea with a tough task ahead at Stamford Bridge.
Bodø/Glimt’s Impressive Journey
Bodø/Glimt’s remarkable run continues.
The small Norwegian club has defeated teams like Manchester City, Atletico Madrid, and Inter Milan. Now, Sporting Lisbon’s hopes in the Champions League are on the line.
Playing the first leg at home, Bodø/Glimt led 2-0 by halftime, thanks to Sondre Fet’s penalty and Ole Blomberg’s goal just before the break.
Kasper Hogh scored in the 71st minute, putting his team close to advancing.
Kai Havertz’s Late Equalizer
Kai Havertz made a significant return, scoring a late penalty for Arsenal against Bayer Leverkusen.
The German international found the net in the 89th minute, equalizing in the round-of-16 first leg at BayArena.
“I know this stadium well and I’ve taken many penalties from here,” said Havertz, who left Leverkusen for Chelsea in a $95 million transfer in 2020.
Arsenal fell behind early due to Robert Andrich’s goal, but Malik Tillman’s foul on Noni Madueke gave Havertz the chance to score from the spot.
“The wait between the penalty whistle and taking the kick felt endless, but you have to stay focused in those moments,” Havertz added.