And so another Champions League knockout round passes. We’re back where we should be after a middling League stage. A round of 16 clash supplied jeopardy. The last eight looks tasty. Yet there hasn’t been a shortage of controversy – or drama. Penalty shootouts were needed to decide two ties. Liverpool lost theirs to PSG fair and square (although they had Darwin Nunez taking penalties.)
Real Madrid’s win, though, was far more contentious. Julian Alvarez’s potential decisive penalty was ruled to be a double hit – and was therefore chalked off. These are fine margins, and Madrid tend to come out on top in such cirucumstances. But such is the jeopardy of the draw that not every top team can make it to the last eight. Borussia Dortmund and Arsenal are both back in the mix – although neither looks battle-hardened for the highest level of European football.
Piece it together, and it was a wonderful week, with the promise of more to come. GOAL writers break it all down in a Champions League edition of… The Rondo.