Champions League Round-of-16 2nd Leg: 5 Standout Performers

The Round-of-16 of the 2023-24 UEFA Champions League season gave us some fascinating comebacks. Heavyweights Arsenal, Bayern Munich, and Atletico Madrid were all down by a goal in the first leg, while Barcelona was held to a draw. However, courtesy of their unwavering grit and undeniable quality, all four sailed past the tricky waters and joined Real Madrid, Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), and Borussia Dortmund in the quarter-finals.

Before turning all our attention to the quarter-finals, let us take a look at the best performances from the second leg of the Champions League last 16. Here are the top five players who stood out in the Round-of-16 return leg:

#5 Julian Alvarez – Manchester City

Julian Alvarez Has Scored 16 Goals In 2023-24 Season

Reigning champions Manchester City claimed a comfortable 3-1 win over FC Copenhagen in the Round-of-16 first leg in February. In the return leg at the Etihad Stadium, City secured another 3-1 victory, with Julian Alvarez running the show.

In the fifth minute, the Argentine swung in a brilliant corner toward the near post, where Manuel Akanji was lurking. The defender made an immaculate connection with the delivery, sending his right-footed volley crashing into the back of the net. Four minutes later, Alvarez added a goal to his assist, thanks to a goalkeeping howler from Kamil Grabara.

Copenhagen’s botched clearance fell kindly to Alvarez, who optimistically went for the goal with a right-footed strike. Standing at the near post, Grabara was the favorite to stop it, but he somehow let the ball escape his grasp, handing City an aggregate 5-1 lead.

Over the course of the game, Alvarez created four chances — more than any other player on the pitch. He also pulled off a couple of dribbles, completed three crosses, and made three recoveries.

#4 Memphis Depay – Atletico Madrid

Memphis Depay Scored Once And Converted The Penalty Against Inter Milan

On Wednesday night (March 13), Atletico Madrid…

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Author : Sushan Chakraborty

Publish date : 2024-03-14 07:25:30

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