. We hand out honours and dishonours from the latest round of action
The eternal champions are into the quarter-finals. Fortune definitely favoured the team for whom luck is a constant companion. Real squeaked through on penalties against Atlético, but the new Galácticos resembled less a team than a disparate group of sulking prima donnas. Jude Bellingham was dishing out rollickings to his teammates when his own performance was below par. Vinícius Jr’s penalty miss was so bad it will probably cost him this year’s Ballon D’Or. As normal time and extra-time ticked on, it was Real rather than Atlético who reached for the dark arts: Brahim Diaz threw himself to the ground in search of a penalty. Then came the shootout, and the video-assisted decision that Atlético’s Julián Alvarez had double-touched his kick, ruling it out. The decision, rather less than clear-cut, was awarded quicker than regular offside calls are decided from the video booth. It appeared the type of ruling Real Madrid usually get when others are left disappointed. They roll on, having found a novel way to win. It’s the Real Madrid way.
Paris Saint-Germain
Over the two legs with Liverpool, PSG were the far better team. PSG prevailed on penalties at Anfield, and only the two remaining Spanish giants are more favoured to win the trophy that has eluded the Parisians. Ousmane Dembélé and Bradley Barcola have been converted by Luis Enrique from unreliables to two of the best attacking players in Europe. Vitinha pulled the midfield strings at Anfield – not bad for someone who once failed to make the grade at Wolves. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, their January signing, is a delight, a throwback dribbler with thoroughly modern muscle. PSG’s travelling ultras filled the Anfield night air, their team echoing that confidence once a first-half storm had been ridden out after Dembélé’s goal. In the shootout, that confidence was repeated.
Aston …
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