The UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first-leg matches took place on Tuesday, March 4, and Wednesday, March 5, 2025. It was a week filled with exciting football, incredible goals, and shocking results. Some teams took a big step towards the quarter-finals, while others kept their hopes alive for the second leg. Here is a detailed recap of all eight matches played this week.
Tuesday, March 4 Matches
Club Brugge 1-3 Aston Villa
Aston Villa traveled to Belgium to face Club Brugge and came away with a dominant 3-1 victory. The English side controlled most of the game, showing their strength in attack and midfield. Brugge started with a lot of energy, but Villa’s experience and quality proved too much for them. Villa’s goals came from their attacking players, who made sure they had a comfortable lead heading into the second leg at home. Brugge now faces a difficult challenge if they want to turn this tie around.
Borussia Dortmund 1-1 Lille
Borussia Dortmund and Lille played a tense and competitive match that ended in a 1-1 draw. Dortmund, playing at home, took the lead through Karim Adeyemi, who finished a great attacking move. However, Lille did not give up and kept fighting for an equalizer. Their efforts paid off when Hákon Haraldsson scored, making sure that the French team still had a chance to qualify in the second leg. With the score level, the return match in France will be crucial for both teams.
PSV Eindhoven 1-7 Arsenal
One of the most surprising results of the week was Arsenal’s incredible 7-1 victory against PSV Eindhoven. The English club completely dominated the match, scoring goals at will and making life very difficult for the Dutch team. Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard scored twice, showing his leadership and quality in midfield. Young player Ethan Nwaneri also scored, making history in the competition. This result almost guarantees Arsenal’s place in the quarter-finals, while PSV will need a miracle to recover from such a heavy defeat.
The Madrid derby in the Champions League was one of the most exciting matches of the week. Real Madrid faced Atlético Madrid in a game that had everything – skill, passion, and drama. Real Madrid started well, with Rodrygo scoring the opening goal. However, Atlético responded quickly, with Julián Álvarez finding the net to make it 1-1. The match remained intense, but in the second half, Brahim Díaz produced a moment of magic to score the winning goal for Real Madrid. With this result, Real takes a small advantage into the second leg, but Atlético is still very much in the fight.
Wednesday, March 5 Matches
Feyenoord 0-2 Inter Milan
Inter Milan secured an important 2-0 victory against Feyenoord, giving them a strong advantage ahead of the return leg in Italy. Inter played smart, defending well and taking their chances when they arrived. Feyenoord tried to attack but struggled to break through Inter’s solid defense. With this result, Inter is in a good position to qualify for the next round, while Feyenoord will have to produce a big performance in the second leg if they want to stay in the competition.
Bayern Munich 3-0 Bayer Leverkusen
Bayern Munich finally ended their struggles against Bayer Leverkusen with a convincing 3-0 win. The Bavarian giants had not beaten Leverkusen in previous meetings, but this time, they were unstoppable. England captain Harry Kane was the star of the show, scoring two goals and leading his team to victory. Midfielder Joshua Kimmich also played an important role, controlling the game and making sure Bayern dominated the midfield. With this win, Bayern has a strong grip on the tie, while Leverkusen will need a big turnaround in the second leg.
Benfica 1-2 FC Barcelona
Barcelona secured a valuable 2-1 away win against Benfica, giving them a big advantage going into the return leg at Camp Nou. The Spanish club showed their experience in European competitions, scoring at the right moments and defending well when needed. Benfica played with determination and managed to score a goal to keep their hopes alive. However, Barcelona will now be favorites to finish the job at home and move on to the quarter-finals.
One of the most dramatic matches of the week saw Liverpool snatch a late 1-0 victory against Paris Saint-Germain. PSG dominated the match in terms of possession and attacking chances, but Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson made several incredible saves to keep them from scoring. Just when it seemed the match would end in a draw, substitute Harvey Elliott scored in the 87th minute, giving Liverpool a crucial away win. PSG will now have to go to Anfield and produce a special performance if they want to qualify.
These results have set up some exciting second-leg matches. Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, and Aston Villa have taken strong leads and will be confident of advancing to the quarter-finals. However, teams like PSG, Benfica, and Atlético Madrid will still believe they can make a comeback. The second legs will be played in a few weeks, and fans can expect more drama, goals, and surprises in Europe’s biggest club competition.
Who will make it to the quarter-finals? We will soon find out.
