Real Madrid is coming from a tough period in La Liga, and has only one win in the last five matches in the league.
But when the Champions League anthem sounds before kick-off, "Los Blancos" transform into something else.
After winning the first eighth-final against city rival Atletico Madrid with 2–1, the team is in the driver's seat to advance to the quarterfinal.
Pointed to the CL badge
Already after ten minutes, it looked like it would be a scary evening for Atletico Madrid, and especially their left-back Javi Galán, on the city rival's home arena Santiago Bernabéu.
The home team's Rodrygo had a field day initially, and it also resulted in an early goal. In the fourth minute, the 24-year-old cut in from the side, gave Real Madrid the lead, and celebrated by pointing to the sleeve where the club had printed the CL badge with the number 15, for each time they won the tournament.
And despite Julian Álvarez's dream equalizer after half an hour's play, it was Real Madrid, like so many times before, who drew the longest straw.
In the second half, Brahim Díaz showed off his skill on small areas, and managed to roll in 2–1 to the whites. A goal that would be match-deciding.
The return match will be played already next week, on Wednesday. Then, a good mile away on Atletico Madrid's home arena Wanda Metropolitano.
Arsenal's crush – close to eighth-final
It didn't get quite as even for Arsenal, when they took on Dutch PSV Eindhoven. The London team has had a hard time with goal-scoring and comes from two straight without goals.
It didn't turn out that way this time.
In the 18th minute, Jurrien Timber opened the goal-scoring with his 1–0 goal, and 13 minutes later, Arsenal had made two more goals and pulled away to 3–0.
The result was finally written as a whole 7–1, and Arsenal looks set to comfortably advance to the quarterfinal.
