UEFA Champions League: Key Stat from Each of the Round of 16 Second Legs

The UEFA Champions League has seen a dramatic reduction in contenders, with the round of 16 concluding on Tuesday and Wednesday, shrinking the field from sixteen teams to eight. With all matches now decided, here’s a noteworthy statistic from each of the second-leg fixtures.

22 – Barcelona began Tuesday’s matches with a convincing win over Benfica, securing a 3-1 victory on the night and progressing 4-1 on aggregate. This triumph marks Barcelona’s 22nd victory against Portuguese teams (22 wins, 5 draws, 7 losses) and represents their fourth consecutive win in all competitions.

2 – Paris Saint-Germain advanced in a thrilling encounter against Liverpool. The Ligue 1 champions levelled the aggregate score early on, leading to a nerve-wracking penalty shootout, which PSG won 4-0 after missing none of their spot-kicks. For Liverpool, this marks their second consecutive defeat in a European knockout fixture at home, having previously lost to Atalanta in last year’s Europa League quarter-finals.

6 – Inter Milan progressed past Feyenoord with a 2-1 victory at home, finishing with a 4-1 aggregate score. The Dutch side was unable to eliminate both Milanese teams back-to-back. Jakub Moder’s penalty ended Inter’s streak of six consecutive clean sheets in European home matches, the last goal they conceded prior to that came from RB Salzburg during the third match of last season’s group stage.

23 – Bayern Munich concluded their tie against Bayer Leverkusen with a 2-0 win away from home, advancing with a 5-0 aggregate score. This marks Bayern’s 23rd entry into the Champions League quarter-finals, a record in its current format, exhibiting their dominance as six-time champions. They also extend their run to six consecutive appearances in the final eight.

12 – On Wednesday, Borussia Dortmund executed a comeback to beat Lille 2-1 on the road, edging the aggregate to 3-2. This achievement secures Dortmund’s place in the UCL quarter-finals for the second year in a row, a feat not accomplished since the 2016/17 season. Their victory also snapped Lille’s impressive 12-match unbeaten streak in Europe, including qualifiers (10 wins, 2 draws). The last team to defeat Les Dogues at this level was Chelsea, three years ago.

9 – Aston Villa maintained their impressive form, dispatching Club Brugge 3-0 in the second leg. With an aggregate score of 6-1, Villa reaches the last eight of the European Cup/Champions League for the third time, marking their ninth home win in the competition’s history. They currently boast an impressive record of 9 wins, 1 draw, and 2 losses in such fixtures.

5 – PSV Eindhoven put in a commendable performance in the return leg against Arsenal. After a heavy 7-1 defeat in the first leg, the Dutch side managed to secure a 2-2 draw at the Emirates Stadium. However, the overall score of 9-3 saw the Gunners progress. Unfortunately for PSV, they’ve not won any of their last five knockout away games in Europe, with their last victory occurring three years ago with a 4-0 win over FC Kobenhavn in the UEFA Conference League.

16 – Real Madrid narrowly escaped elimination in their clash against city rivals Atletico. Despite a 1-0 defeat on the night that levelled the aggregate score at 2-2, the defending champions held their composure in the penalty shootout, clinching the win 4-2. This match marks the fourth defeat for Real in this season’s Champions League despite previously winning three times in the league phase, the first time in 16 years they have lost four European matches in a single season since 2008/09.