UEFA Champions League 1st Leg, Round Of 16 Wrap: Barca Draw At Newcastle, Spurs Thumped By Atletico Madrid

Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid seized commanding advantages in their UEFA Champions League round-of-16 ties with emphatic first-leg victories on Tuesday, while Barcelona and Liverpool were left with uphill battles after contrasting scraps for survival.

At the Estadio Metropolitano, Atletico exposed Tottenham’s fragile confidence by surging 3-0 ahead inside the opening quarter-hour. Backup goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky, preferred to regular starter Guglielmo Vicario by under-pressure coach Igor Tudor, fumbled twice to gift Marcos Llorente and Julian Alvarez simple finishes, either side of Antoine Griezmann’s crisp strike. Kinsky’s ordeal ended in the 17th minute when Vicario was summoned, yet the change failed to stem the flow—Robin Le Normand headed a fourth before the break to leave Spurs 5-2 down and staring at a sixth consecutive defeat in all competitions. Alvarez, who finished the night with a goal and an assist, said the early blitz had given the Spaniards “a good lead to protect” in north London next month.

Across the continent in Bergamo, Bayern Munich underlined their credentials without the competition’s leading scorer, Harry Kane. The England captain, 47 goals this season for club and country, was restricted to bench duty after a fitness scare, yet the Bavarians scarcely missed him. Michael Olise struck twice, Serge Gnabry and on-loan forward Nicolas Jackson each contributed a goal and an assist, while Josip Stanisic and Jamal Musiala piled on the pain to complete a 6-1 demolition of Atalanta that all but books a quarter-final berth.

Barcelona’s youngsters were spared a harsher lesson by 18-year-old winger Lamine Yamal, whose stoppage-time penalty earned a 1-1 draw at Newcastle. Harvey Barnes had looked to have sealed a famous win for the Magpies when he turned in a close-range effort four minutes from time, only for Malick Thiaw’s clumsy challenge on Dani Olmo to invite a dramatic denouement. Yamal, unfazed by the din of St James’ Park, sent Aaron Ramsdale the wrong way from the spot in the 96th minute. “We have to improve, but we have a lot of potential,” admitted Barca coach Hansi Flick, whose side must now finish the job at the Estadi Olímpic.

Liverpool, meanwhile, must overcome a familiar Turkish obstacle after Mario Lemina’s seventh-minute header gave Galatasaray a 1-0 win in Istanbul. The result mirrored the group-stage outcome in September and means the Reds have lost both visits to Rams Park this term. Victor Osimhen saw a second-half effort chalked off for offside, while Ibrahima Konaté was denied by a VAR handball review. “It’s halftime,” insisted Liverpool boss Arne Slot, banking on Anfield’s fervour to revive hopes of progression.

With second legs slated for next week, Bayern and Atletico hold the aces, Barcelona and Liverpool face anxious nights of redemption, and Tottenham must somehow rouse themselves to keep their season—and Tudor’s tenure—alive.