Some of Europe’s best soccer teams have claimed more than half the available spots in the Round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League. Others have one more chance to progress to the knockout phase of European soccer’s elite competition.
Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, Benfica, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain confirmed their knockout places by earning positive results in game-week five, joining Manchester City, Real Madrid and Zenit St. Petersburg, which sealed their progressions in the previous round.
Ten teams, including Sevilla, Lyon and Shakhtar Donetsk, have no chance of reaching the Round 16, and their participation in the season-long tournament will end in early December.
Prestige and prize money remains on offer for the remaining competitors, as does the chance to challenge Barcelona for the European crown it aims to defend successfully. Those hopefuls need plenty of help and luck in order to dethrone Barcelona, judging from what we saw Tuesday in its 6-1 win over AS Roma.
If Barcelona’s victory over Real Madrid on Saturday in La Liga (Spain’s first division) wasn’t impressive enough, the the win over Roma represented further evidence of the power coach Luis Enrique’s team possesses. Roma sits third in Italy’s Serie A (first division) and is no pushover.
Lionel Messi returned from a two-month injury absence by playing 34 minutes against Real Madrid. Messi kicked his comeback into the stratosphere three days later by returning to the starting lineup and scoring twice against Roma.
Messi’s first goal completed a mesmerizing sequence of passing.
The Argentinian superstar is back, and we only can presume he’s nowhere near his peak form and fitness.
Messi’s fellow forwards, Luis Suarez, who scored twice against Roma, and Neymar shined in his absence and remain lethal following his return.
Beware Barcelona. The band is back together.
One team will face it in the Round of 16. The other 14 sides will breathe a temporary sigh of relief.
Here are some other things we learned in the fifth round of Champions League games:
Bayern Munich leads chasing pack
While Barcelona is the title favorite, Bayern Munich has emerged as the clear second pick to win it all.
Head coach Pep Guardiola’s team dominates the ball and uses it well, while defending its goal better than most.
We count PSG and Real Madrid among the other favorites but we won’t rate them alongside Barcelona or Bayern Munich’s until they beat them on the field.
Master Willian
The Chelsea midfielder scored Tuesday against Maccabi Tel-Aviv on yet another direct free kick.
Willian is providing the goals while Eden Hazard, Diego Costa and Chelsea’s other attackers sputter. Opposing opposing defenders should think twice before bringing down Willian near their own penalty area.
Kudos for Zenit St. Petersburg
Head coach Andre Villas-Boas has quietly led Zenit on a rampage through Group H. We predicted the group would be tight, but the Russian champion has asserted its dominance by winning each of its first five games.
Whether Zenit finishes with a perfect record in group play or how far it advances no the knockout rounds won’t detract from what it has accomplished thus far. It’s the only team with a 100 percent record in the group stage
Thumbnail photo via Emilio Morenatti/The Associated Press
