Manchester City 2-0 Gladbach:
BUDAPEST: Bernardo Silva scored once and set up another as Manchester City eased to a 2-0 victory over Borussia Moenchengladbach in their Champions League last-16 first leg on Wednesday (Feb 25), extending their winning run to 19 games in all competitions.
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City, who are unbeaten in their last 26 matches, have a huge advantage for the March 16 return leg in Manchester after Silva headed in a pinpoint Joao Cancelo cross in the 29th minute to put them in front.
The Portuguese midfielder then headed on another Cancelo cross in the 65th minute for Gabriel Jesus to stab in.
Striker Sergio Aguero came on as a substitute after a long absence from Pep Guardiola's team, who have won their last 12 away games in all competitions, setting a new record for an English top-flight side.
The first leg was played in the Hungarian capital due to COVID-19 travel restrictions in Germany and City quickly took control of the game, circulating the ball well and looking for openings in the Gladbach defence.
Phil Foden tested keeper Yann Sommer with a crisp shot in the sixth minute but City did not have a clear scoring chance despite controlling possession until Silva's header.
Jesus should have done much better when he benefited from a Gladbach pass back early in the first half but with only Sommer to beat he hesitated and lost possession.
The Brazilian made amends minutes later, tapping in a Silva header from yet another superb Cancelo cross.
Gladbach, who only had one attempt on target in the entire game, had their best chance through Alassane Plea's spectacular backflick-volley just past the hour but were otherwise boxed in their own half.
The Germans have now lost three of their last four games in all competitions and while City are on the cusp of a fourth straight quarter-final spot, the Germans have a mountain to climb in the return leg.
Lazio 1-4 Bayern Munich:
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| Image: Robert Lewandowski celebrates after opening the scoring for Bayern Munich |
Jamal Musiala became the youngest English scorer in the Champions League as holders Bayern defeated Lazio 4-1 in the first leg of their last-16 tie in Rome.
The 17-year-old midfielder scored the second of the German side's three first-half goals as they all but secured their place in the quarter-finals.
Robert Lewandowski opened the scoring by capitalising on a back pass by Mateo Musacchio and firing home inside the first 10 minutes of the match.
Robert Lewandowski celebrates after opening the scoring for Bayern Munich against Lazio
Image: Robert Lewandowski celebrates after opening the scoring for Bayern Munich
It was the Pole's 72nd goal in the competition, moving clear of Raul to become the outright third top-scorer in the history of the competition after Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
Musiala then doubled the lead, scoring low into the corner of the net and in doing so becoming the second-youngest player of any nationality to score in the knockout stages of the Champions League.
Leroy Sane made it three just before half-time, stabbing home after Pepe Reina pushed Kingsley Coman's shot into his path to leave humiliation looming for Bayern's Serie A opponents.
When Francesco Acerbi put through his own net early in the second half, Lazio's situation worsened but Joaquin Correa pulled one back almost immediately anhttps://atsisports.blogspot.com/2021/02/ucl-reports-manchester-city-beat.htmld that is how it remained.
Not that Hansi Flick's team will be too troubled. This result sends a warning that the reigning champions are still the team to beat.
Atletico Madrid 0-1 Chelsea:
Olivier Giroud's acrobatic winner puts Thomas Tuchel's side in control.
Olivier Giroud's overhead kick – awarded by VAR – handed Chelsea a vital 1-0 away win against Atletico Madrid, putting Thomas Tuchel's men in control of the last-16 tie.
In a predictably-tight encounter, Giroud acrobatically hooked home with 20 minutes left but celebrations were muted as the linesman's flag was instantly raised. However, the ball had deflected off Mario Hermoso rather than Mason Mount, which was spotted by VAR, and after three minutes of deliberation the goal was awarded.
La Liga leaders Atletico were forced to play their home leg over 3,000 kilometres from Madrid due to Spanish restrictions on arrivals from Britain to control the spread of COVID-19 infections.
Thomas Tuchel was facing his toughest test since joining Chelsea but set up his team shrewdly in Bucharest, keeping a lid on Luis Suarez while controlling possession throughout. Atletico didn't manage a shot on target as Chelsea put themselves in pole position to reach the quarter-finals. Tuchel will be without Mason Mount and Jorginho in the second leg at Stamford Bridge on March 17 as they will be suspended after being booked.
Atalanta 0-1 Real Madrid:
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| Image: Ferland Mendy scored the winner for Real Madrid against Atalanta |
Real Madrid struggled to break down 10-man Atalanta before Ferland Mendy scored an 86th-minute winner for a 1-0 win in the first leg of the round of 16.
Madrid entered the game as the big favourites despite a host of injuries, and Atalanta's chances diminished further when midfielder Remo Freuler was sent off in the 17th minute after being adjudged to have denied a goalscoring opportunity.
But Madrid, who were missing Karim Benzema, Eden Hazard and captain Sergio Ramos, still found it difficult to test Atalanta goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini until the end of the first half, when he pulled off a great reaction save to keep out Casemiro's header from a Toni Kroos' free-kick.
Just as it looked as if Atalanta would hold on for a draw, Mendy received the ball outside the area after a corner and curled a shot into the right side of the net from 20 yards.
The second leg will be on March 16 in Madrid.
The match was played in an empty stadium because of coronavirus restrictions but approximately 5,000 fans were waiting outside the stadium in Bergamo before the game, despite the local health authority urging supporters to stay away. They set off fireworks and flares as they welcomed the team bus.
Atalanta's chances of beating its more illustrious opponent diminished when Freuler was sent off for barging over Mendy on the edge of his own penalty area.
Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini immediately told midfielder Mario Paalic to start warming up and a decision on who to take off was made for him on the half hour, with forward Duvn Zapata limping after an earlier challenge.
Despite the numerical advantage, Madrid struggled to create goalscoring opportunities until the closing stages of the half when they had a couple of shots deflected off target and Gollini denied Casemiro.
Atalanta forward Luis Muriel almost gave Atalanta the lead instead but fired wide of the left upright. It was left to Mendy to curl home his first Champions League goal.
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