As the Champions League round of 16 second legs approach, defending champion Real Madrid, alongside Liverpool and Barcelona, are preparing to shield their slim leads. Real Madrid not only holds a 2-1 advantage against local rival Atletico Madrid but also aims to secure the city bragging rights when they visit on Wednesday. Liverpool prepares to welcome Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday, after achieving a narrow 1-0 win in France. Barcelona enters their clash with Benfica with a 1-0 lead, while other teams, like Bayern Munich and Arsenal, enter the second leg more confidently with significantly larger margins; Bayern defeated Bayer Leverkusen 3-0, while Arsenal overwhelmed PSV Eindhoven with a 7-1 onslaught.
Liverpool’s recent form highlights resilience over aesthetics. Arne Slot’s side managed to bypass a storm of assaults at Parc des Princes, and a last-minute strike from substitute Harvey Elliott sealed a shock victory for Liverpool. Despite only two attempts on target compared to PSG’s 28, Liverpool’s focus remains on results above all. “It’s just about winning, not how we win,” Elliott remarked after a hard-fought victory over Southampton, illustrating the team’s mentality. Liverpool’s determination drives their treble ambition as they near the English League Cup final against Newcastle on Sunday. Elliott highlighted the challenging stretch, describing upcoming fixtures as a sequence of finals: “PSG away, today was tough, then another on Tuesday, and the final at the weekend.” PSG’s defeat marked their first loss since November, halting a string of 10 consecutive victories.
In the Spanish capital, Atletico Madrid was anticipated to surpass Real in the Champions League, having lost two finals previously to their rival and seen eliminations on other occasions. Before the initial leg, Atletico led Madrid in La Liga and remained unbeaten in recent city derbies; however, they’re now on the brink of another elimination at the hands of Madrid. Atletico also suffered a setback in La Liga after a 2-1 loss to Getafe, whereas Madrid secured a similar 2-1 win over Rayo Vallecano. Madrid’s coach, Carlo Ancelotti, managed to rotate players and welcomed back Jude Bellingham, who had been absent due to suspension which included missing the first leg against Atletico.
Beyond Liverpool, the pursuit of a season treble lures Atletico, Real, and Barcelona, all engaged in the Spanish Cup semifinals while remaining closely contested in the league. In Germany, Leverkusen stays in contention for dual domestic trophies, although facing a formidable challenge to close an eight-point Bundesliga gap and overturn a three-goal deficit against Bayern on Tuesday. Inter Milan, historically victorious with a treble in 2010 under Jose Mourinho, is in a promising position, leading Serie A and facing AC Milan in the Italian Cup semifinals. They also bring a 2-0 lead into Tuesday’s encounter with Feyenoord. As for Barcelona, their meeting with Benfica is also set for Tuesday. Arsenal’s fellow Premier League team, Aston Villa, maintains confidence with a 3-1 advantage over Club Brugge for Wednesday. The contest between Lille and Borussia Dortmund remains tightly poised following a 1-1 tie in their initial leg.
