PSG, Real Madrid and Tottenham: the favorite teams of the Champions League
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The first week of the Champions League round of 16 left three favorite teams to advance to the quarterfinals
The first four matches of the most important club competition in the world had many emotions, eleven goals and three teams with vast chances of advancing to the quarterfinals. The events only left one game more open to the possibilities (Roma-Porto) How did the first week of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 go?
Leer en español: PSG, Real Madrid y Tottenham: ¡cómodos para los partidos de vuelta!
Manchester United Vs. PSG
The 'red devils' came to this game with confidence because he had 11 without knowing the defeat of the hand of his new coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. On the other hand, the PSG arrived with sensitive casualties, as the Uruguayan Edinson Cavani and the Brazilian Neymar missed the match due to injury. However, the meeting showed a different situation: a dominating and effective PSG against a Manchester United with good intentions but overcome football.
According to RTVE, PSG took advantage of the fact that the English team did not cause any damage in the first half and turned to attack in the second half. Kimpembe in the 53rd minute and Mbappé in the 60th minute eliminated Manchester United after 20 minutes of fierce attacks.
These two goals of visitor put as a favorite PSG, who will receive the second leg in France on March 6. And to add disadvantages to Manchester United, the English team can not count on French midfielder Paul Pogba for expulsion. The PSG is a clear favorite to advance the round.
Rome Vs. Porto
The Italian team arrived with an unpredictable mood for their changing results in the Serie A of their country, as well as Porto, as the Portuguese team came to the match after two draws where it gave ground in the Primeira Liga.. In the duel, it was seen better posed to the local, although the first part was inert for both teams.
In the second However, half the Roma extended football differences with Porto and managed to score two goals in 6 minutes. According to Marca, the figure of the last 20 minutes of the match was the young Italian Zaniolo, who scored a goal at minute 70 and another at 76, which augured a very quiet return game for Roma in Portugal.
The Italian team continued attacking, but Casillas became immense, as usual. At minute 79 came what may be the critical moment of the tie: Adrián López picked up a weak shot from Tiquinho and scored the discount for Porto. With this final score of 2-1, Porto has excellent chances to come back home. It is the most open tie of all.
Tottenham Vs. Borussia Dortmund
This key was one of the most even of this round, as they faced the third of the Premier League of England against the first of the Bundesliga of Germany. However, the final result showed a total imbalance and left a clear favorite in this tie.
Emotions reached the second half, as Son in the 47th minute, Vertonghen in the 83rd minute and Fernando Llorente in the 86th minute, eliminated the German team with a convincing 3-0. If nothing strange happens, Tottenham will be the team that advances to the quarterfinals. According to the Sports newspaper, the English team achieved its first win in the first leg of a Champions League tie for the first time in its history.
Ajax vs. Real Madrid
The Dutch team faced this game with a rarefied environment because of irregular results in the Eredivisie of their country, while Real Madrid arrived with air on the shirt after drawing with Barcelona at the Camp Nou and after beating the 3-1 Atlético de Madrid in the Metropolitan Wanda. However, the process of the game showed an Ajax superior to the Spanish team in terms of the domain of the game.
The great polemic of the match happened minutes before the end of the first half, as the Argentine Tagliafico beat the goalkeeper Courtois of Real Madrid to put the 1-0. However, the Slovenian referee Damir Skomina reviewed the VAR and annulled the goal. According to the Catalan media Mundo Deportivo, the arbitration decision was correct, as Tadic was aggressively interposed in the path of the Belgian goalkeeper, which constitutes an infraction offside.
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Real Madrid deepened in attack during the second half, getting Benzema scored in the 60th minute, although the Ajax draw came at minute 75. However, Marco Asensio settled the game in favor of the Spanish team with a goal in the 87th minute. The second leg will be played on March 5, and although the key is open, Real Madrid has a clear advantage when playing at home.
The exciting first week of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 has just ended, leaving Tottenham, PSG and Real Madrid as big favorites to advance to the next round. Roma took advantage, but their match against Porto will be perhaps the closest match of these games back. The emotions in this continental competition promise not to end.
LatinAmerican Post | Javier Aldana
Translated from "PSG, Real Madrid y Tottenham: ¡cómodos para los partidos de vuelta!"
