It was a day to forget for English football, as all six Premier League sides failed to win the first leg of their knockout stage ties in the Champions League. There is still time to turn things around in their respective second legs next week, but several sides face an uphill battle to reach the quarterfinals.
Liverpool Head Home Empty-Handed
Liverpool went to Turkey to face Galatasaray with the expectation of victory, but the home team had other ideas. The Turkish champions haven’t lost a knockout stage game at home since 1973, and they kept that streak alive with their 1-0 victory over Liverpool.
They got the scoring started early with a 7th-minute goal from Mario Lemma and had the chance to double their advantage before VAR ruled out their second.
Late Penalty Denies Newcastle Win
Newcastle had the better chances against Barcelona with the first leg at home, and Harvey Barnes looked to have scored the winner with his 86th-minute tap-in. Having already had two goals ruled out, Newcastle looked to be taking a slim lead to Spain next week.
However, Dani Olmo was fouled in the box to allow Lamine Yamal to tie the game from the penalty spot with the last kick of the match.
Can It Get Worse for Tottenham?
With the threat of relegation on the forefront of their mind, Tottenham looked for reprieve in the Champions League against Atletico Madrid. Their optimism was quickly squashed, as a pair of goalkeeping mistakes allowed the home side to open up a 3-0 lead inside 20 minutes.
A goalkeeper substitution didn’t turn things around, as Tottenham fell behind 4-0 before eventually battling back for a 5-2 final score. The rigid defense of Atletico Madrid makes a second-leg comeback feel next to impossible.
Leverkusen Stunned as Arsenal Snatches Late Equalizer
It was a drab affair in Germany as Bayer Leverkusen deployed a low block to stifle a potent Arsenal attack. After going 8-0 in the league stage, having never trailed, a 46th-minute opener from the German side saw Arsenal in the novel position of trailing.
The Dark Arts from Leverkusen turned the game into a snail’s pace, leading Mikel Arteta to sub off Bukayo Saka midway through the second half. His replacement, Noni Madueke, drove into the penalty area as the clock struck 90 and went down with minimal contact. It was a soft penalty to concede, but Kai Havertz made no mistake from the spot in his Leverkusen return.
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Chelsea Outclassed by PSG
A pair of late goals from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia stretched the lead from 3-2 to 5-2 for Paris Saint-Germain, giving the hosts a scoreline that more accurately reflected their dominance. The French side effortlessly sliced through the Chelsea defense, and their clinical finishing gave them a commanding lead as the tie heads back to Stamford Bridge.
Valverde Scores First Career Hat-Trick, Shocking Manchester City
Federico Valverde scored three first-half goals, including a pair of stunners, to give Real Madrid a 3-0 lead heading into the second leg. The defensive midfielder was deployed at left wing, theoretically for his work rate off the ball, but showed his talent in the offensive third.
A long ball from Thibaut Courtois to Valverde opened the scoring before he showed his finesse in the area to complete his first-half trio. Real Madrid hounded a flat Manchester City side throughout the contest, deploying the high press into stoppage time in a ruthless victory.
