So, all the first legs of the Champions League last 16 ties have now been played, and the question I have to ask you is: are you any wiser as to who will progress to the quarter-finals?
Well, certainly Wednesday night’s action leaves both ties in the balance.
Arsenal must have been stunned when Brazilian winger Galeno scored in stoppage time to give FC Porto the advantage in Portugal.
It was a truly wonderful finish in the fourth added minute at the end of the game, after which there was barely time to restart.
That the Gunners dominated possession counts for little when you consider they failed to have a single shot on target.
The second leg in North London on March 12 should be quite an encounter as they aim to reach the last eight of Europe’s top tier for the first time since 2010.
This was actually their first Champions League knockout tie since 2017 when Arsene Wenger was still in charge, but they were lacklustre throughout.
At the same time in Italy, the Italian and Spanish champions were locking horns.
I said pre-match I don’t expect either side to be in contention for the overall silverware but, as we have seen before, a favourable draw can take you far.
It’s all square so far and it was the man who fired Napoli to their unforgettable Serie A title success last season who brought them level.
In his first club appearance since December. Victor Osimhen rifled in an equaliser to cancel out Robert Lewandowski’s effort on the hour.
Osimhen was part of the Nigeria side which lost to Ivory Coast in the Africa Cup of Nations final a week and a half ago and missed his side’s most recent league game through suspension.
Yet he remains a potent finisher and Napoli’s best chance of success.
The visitors had made the brighter start with 16 year-old Lamine Yamal – who became the youngest player to feature in the Champions League knockout stage – making inroads on the right-hand side.
This was also the first game in charge for new Napoli boss Francesco Calzona.
It has been a whirlwind few days for the Slovakia coach, as he was hired to replace Walter Mazzarri on Monday evening and had just two training sessions to prepare for this tie.
The second leg will be in Barcelona on March 12, but not at the Nou Camp which is undergoing restructuring work, so will be played at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys.
A leveller perhaps and reason for Napoli to believe?
Italy’s other representatives have a first leg lead to take to Spain but their 1-0 victory over Atletico Madrid – a matchup between Simone Inzaghi and Diego Simeone – may have come at cost.
This was after the in-form Marcus Thuram started the match for Inter at San Siro but was forced off the pitch at half-time after suffering from a problem with his right leg.
He was replaced by match-winner Marko Arnautovic and was seen looking frustrated on the bench.
Thuram will undergo a round of medical tests on Thursday to examine the extent of his injury, which appears to be a contracture in the adductor of his right leg.
This week’s other last-16 tie saw PSV Eindhoven and Borussia Dortmund share the spoils.
Again, this was a contest between two sides not expected to reach the latter stages of the competition, Luuk de Jong’s coolly converted penalty earned the Dutch league leaders PSV, unbeaten domestically this season, a draw against Dortmund.
The Dutch striker equalised 10 minutes into the second half after Mats Hummels was adjudged to have fouled Malik Tillman in the box.
Donyell Malen had put Dortmund ahead in the first half when his deflected shot flew in off the crossbar.
Another tie is also delicately poised then.
There are more Champions League 2024 highlights to come, and the SBOTOP Champions League 2024 betting odds fancy Dortmund and Inter (just) to progress. So do I, and I’m adding Barcelona into that equation.
As for FC Porto-Arsenal, I am not so sure.
Mikel Arteta’s side have the ability to overturn a one goal deficit but could it damage their Premier League aspirations which are surely their priority.
We wait and see.
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