A difficult night for English clubs unfolded in the Round of 16 first-leg fixtures of the UEFA Champions League, with none of the Premier League representatives managing a victory. Dominant displays from Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain headlined the action, while Arsenal salvaged only a late draw.
At the Parc des Princes, Paris Saint-Germain overwhelmed Chelsea 5–2 in a high-tempo encounter that left the English side facing an uphill battle ahead of the second leg.
Chelsea briefly restored hope after Enzo Fernández equalised early in the second half, but the hosts took control in the closing stages. Georgian winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia proved the difference after coming off the bench in the 60th minute. He first provided an assist for Vitinha in the 74th minute before scoring two late goals in the 86th and 94th minutes to secure a commanding victory for the French champions.
The heavy defeat leaves Chelsea with a daunting task in the return leg in London.
In Spain, Real Madrid delivered another reminder of their European pedigree with a clinical 3–0 victory over Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Midfielder Federico Valverde was the star of the evening, scoring all three goals in a stunning first-half performance that stunned the English champions. Despite dominating possession and earning ten corner kicks, City were unable to break down Madrid’s defence or create clear scoring opportunities.
Even a missed penalty by Vinícius Júnior in the second half failed to alter the outcome as Madrid comfortably protected their lead, leaving City with a mountain to climb in the second leg.
Elsewhere, Norwegian champions Bodø/Glimt produced one of the most eye-catching results of the night with a 3–0 triumph over Sporting CP at the Aspmyra Stadion.
Sondre Fet opened the scoring from the penalty spot before Ole Didrik Blomberg doubled the advantage in first-half stoppage time. Kasper Høgh then added a third after the break, finishing from a cross delivered by Jens Hauge to seal an impressive home victory.
Meanwhile in Germany, Arsenal needed a late intervention to earn a 1–1 draw against Bayer Leverkusen at the BayArena.
The hosts went ahead shortly after halftime when Robert Andrich rose highest to head home from Álex Grimaldo’s cross. Arsenal struggled to find a breakthrough until substitute Kai Havertz converted a penalty in the 89th minute to rescue a valuable draw for the visitors.
The closing moments were tense, with several players booked during stoppage time, but Mikel Arteta’s side will be satisfied to return to London with the tie still open.
The winless run for English teams had begun earlier in the week. Liverpool suffered a narrow defeat away to Galatasaray, while Newcastle United were held to a 1–1 draw at home by Barcelona.
Despite their strong showing in the group stage, where all five English clubs finished in the top eight to secure automatic qualification, none managed to claim a first-leg victory in the knockout round.
With several ties still finely balanced, attention now shifts to the decisive second-leg fixtures as teams across Europe battle for places in the Champions League quarter-finals.
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