UCL talking points: Did any team play well? Can Inter win it?،
The first legs of the 2023-24 Champions League last 16 are all complete as Manchester City look to defend their title, Arsenal return to the knockout stage for the first time since 2017 and stuttering Bayern Munich face to a difficult battle. While there haven't been any instant classics yet, there has been enough drama and upset to leave plenty at stake in the rematch.
We asked ESPN writers Gab Marcotti, James Olley and Julien Laurens to answer some of our burning questions.
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1. What caught your attention during the first legs?
Julien Laurens: The lack of entertainment is quite disconcerting. I didn't fully enjoy any of the games and I don't think there was a single game where both teams played well. We had good performances for each team style – like Inter Milan, Manchester City, Lazio or FC Porto – but these games weren't great overall. Some big teams like Arsenal and Bayern failed to show up, while PSV Eindhoven against Borussia Dortmund and Napoli against Barcelona also disappointed.
Gab Marcotti: I still don't know what I think about the abolition of the away goals rule. I mean, it makes sense and it's fairer to do it, but it certainly reinforced the idea that the first legs are really just the first half of a 180-minute match. And I think that changed the approach taken by the coaches. Lazio's win against Bayern is a good example: they defended heavily for a long period, charged forward, scored, then lamented not having a second. In the old system, a 1-0 home win is a good result, because if you score away, the opposition must score three or more goals. However, it is not the case.
James Olley: Arsenal's timidity. They are still hoping to qualify, given the narrow margin of Wednesday's 1-0 defeat to FC Porto, but how they bow out will be a concern, given how inhibited they looked throughout the match. A raucous crowd at the Emirates Stadium should help turn the tide in their favour, but it was hard not to think the opportunity fell to Mikel Arteta's young side – or perhaps the weight of history, given that Arsenal exited the Champions League in the round of 16. -16 stage for seven consecutive seasons in which they competed. Either way, they will need to improve considerably to reach the quarter-finals for the first time since 2010.
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What to remember from Inter's victory against Atletico Madrid
Craig Burley reacts to Inter's 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid.
2. Inter remains one of the teams to remain undefeated. Are they ready for a return to the final?
Marcotti: They have the toughest test coming up – Atlético Madrid away – so you have to take that into account. And while the team is strong and flexible and Simone Inzaghi continues to do an incredible job (he may be the best manager we've seen this season), I'd be terrified to see any of attackers get hurt. Just look at what happened when Marcus Thuram had to come off and how many chances Marko Arnautovic wasted.
Beyond that, Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern are all more talented (although, of course, the latter two have a lot of negative baggage at the moment.) Probably Arsenal too , but experience counts in Champions. League.
Laurent: I firmly believe they can absolutely make it back to the finals this season. Despite losing Andre Onana, Milan Skriniar, Edin Dzeko and Marcelo Brozovic this summer (four huge players for them last season), I think they are even better than last year. The substitutes – Yann Sommer, Benjamin Pavard, Thuram and Davide Frattesi – improved this team. Hakan Calhanoglu leads it as a deep-lying central midfielder, and Thuram's impact (11 goals, seven assists in 31 games in all competitions) has been exceptional. Inter are too good for the rest of Serie A and are also too good for Atlético; they only won 1–0 but dominated the Spanish team for most of the match. Inzaghi and his players will go far, that's for sure.
Olley: It probably depends on whether Inter will draw against Manchester City. City are by far the strongest team in this competition, and it's hard to imagine Inter holding them back over two matches, despite an undeniably impressive form which has seen them remain unbeaten since December 20. past Atlético for granted, even if they dominate their opponents. Atlético have generally struggled away from home this season and are a much stronger proposition at home. Álvaro Morata will also have three more weeks to improve his game following a knee injury, having returned to the bench on Tuesday.
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Leboeuf: Arsenal were not prepared for defeat against Porto
Frank Leboeuf explains why Arsenal didn't play to their best in their 1-0 Champions League defeat to FC Porto.
3. Who impressed you the most in the first leg, and who were you most disappointed by?
Laurent: In the first leg there were some good individual performances: Brahim Díaz's wonderful goal for Real Madrid against RB Leipzig was special, as was Andriy Lunin's nine saves against the Germans. Nicolò Barella was outstanding for Inter against Atlético, as was Matteo Guendouzi in Lazio's win against Bayern and Galeno for FC Porto against Arsenal with his superb late goal. PSG's Bradley Barcola also scored a fine goal in his first Champions League knockout match.
There were of course many disappointments, starting with Bayern striker Harry Kane, who was completely anonymous against Lazio and who missed a big chance at 0-0. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was also seamless for Napoli against Barcelona, Bukayo Saka went missing for Arsenal in Porto and Antoine Griezmann struggled for Atleti in Italy.
Marcotti: I will mention Inter midfielder Barella, who once again showed what he could be. Now that he has combined intelligence and good moves with his courage, athleticism and technical ability, he has become a special player. PSV winger Johan Bakayoko was also very good against Dortmund.
The most disappointing? We saw a lot of misses, but I will pick Kvaratskhelia because the game against Barca was set up so well for him.
Olley: Since I was in Porto against Arsenal, I will focus on this match. Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli were particularly discreet. Trossard has been excellent for Arsenal of late, but he struggled to influence proceedings at the Estadio do Dragao as the Gunners failed to register a shot on target for the first time in over two years. Galeno's winning goal was sublime, but he was also guilty of a terrible first-half miss with the goal at his mercy. His follow-up effort then wasn't much better either.
Evanilson and Francisco Conceição caught the eye as Porto secured an unexpected victory. Conceição's trickery caused Arsenal problems, unlike the visitors, who relied on set pieces to create any sort of threat.
4. Choose your eight teams to advance to the quarter-finals!
Laurent: Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately, actually), I don't see any surprises in the second leg. The biggest teams will qualify, even like Bayern or Arsenal who lost their first matches. So I have: Manchester City, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan, Arsenal and Barcelona.
Olley: Same, for me it is: Manchester City, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan, Arsenal, Barcelona.
Marcotti: On paper, it should be simple for these clubs. But I don't think that will happen because there are always upheavals. PSV, Lazio and Porto all have a legitimate chance, while the Atlético v Inter match is on the knife's edge.
