Champions League Round of 16: Bayern and Atlético Claim Big Wins, Galatasaray and Barcelona Hold Edge
Bayern München and Atlético de Madrid put themselves in strong positions to reach the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals after emphatic victories in the first legs of their round of 16 ties. Other matches remain finely balanced, with Galatasaray edging Liverpool and Barcelona salvaging a last-minute draw against Newcastle United.
Bayern München 6-1 Atalanta
Bayern dominated Atalanta at home, taking control early with relentless attacking play. Josip Stanišić opened the scoring, followed by a rapid double from Serge Gnabry and Michael Olise, putting Bayern 3-0 up inside 25 minutes.
After the break, Nicolas Jackson scored a counterattack goal before Olise struck again, and substitute Jamal Musialaadded a sixth. Atalanta’s Mario Pašalić scored a late consolation.
Player of the Match: Michael Olise (Bayern)
Galatasaray 1-0 Liverpool
Galatasaray travel to Anfield with a narrow advantage after Mario Lemina’s seventh-minute header decided a fast-paced encounter. Liverpool had chances to equalise, including Alexis Mac Allister narrowly missing and Hugo Ekitiké being denied by Uğurcan Çakır.
Player of the Match: Mario Lemina (Galatasaray)
Newcastle United 1-1 Barcelona
A last-gasp penalty from Lamine Yamal denied Newcastle a first-leg win. Harvey Barnes had put the hosts ahead four minutes from time, but Yamal converted a stoppage-time spot-kick after Malick Thiaw fouled Dani Olmo, ensuring a draw.
Player of the Match: Harvey Barnes (Newcastle)
Atlético de Madrid 4-2 Tottenham Hotspur
Atlético dominated the opening 22 minutes in Madrid, scoring four goals to stun Tottenham. Marcos Llorente, Julián Alvarez, and Antoine Griezmann capitalised on defensive errors, with Robin Le Normand adding another. Spurs pulled two back through Pedro Porro and Dominic Solanke, but the visitors face a tough task in the second leg.
Player of the Match: Julián Alvarez (Atlético de Madrid)
Tonight’s fixtures, led by Real Madrid vs Manchester City, along with Leverkusen vs Arsenal, PSG vs Chelsea, and Bodø/Glimt vs Sporting, promise high-stakes action as teams seek early advantages in their Round of 16 ties. Results from these matches will be crucial in shaping the race to the quarter-finals, setting up intense second-leg encounters next week.
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