Reviewing the first-leg ties of the Round of 16 in the UEFA Champions League

The Champions League finally returned with a bang and the past two weeks have given some exciting football action for the football fans around the World.

Some teams virtually sealed their spot in the quarterfinals like Bayern and Liverpool. Some clashes are still hung in the balance. In all the 8 fixtures, some of the usual suspects shone whereas the others failed to dazzle on the biggest of stages.

Let us take look at what happened in the first leg of the Round of 16 of UEFA Champions League before the second legs get under way next week.

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#1 Juventus vs Tottenham Hotspur

Eriksen saves the day for Spurs

Juventus hosted Tottenham Hotspurs at Allianz Arena (Turin) on the first match day of the first-leg of the round of 16.

The home side started on a remarkable note, Higuain scoring 2 goals in the opening 9 minutes - One of them being a wonderful volley and adding another from the spot.

However, the visitors regrouped and, after Gianluigi Buffon had repelled Harry Kane's point-blank header, the Spurs striker rounded the keeper and put one in the back of the net in the 35th minute.

Coming back strong in the second half, Spurs piled up the pressure on the Bianconeri's defence and were suitably rewarded as Eriksen scored a goal from a free kick in the 71st minute. For all their defensive prowess, Juventus certainly will be blaming themselves for the result they got.

Second Leg: 8th March (IST), Wembley

Score: Juventus 2-2 Tottenham

Scorers: Gonzalo Higuain (2' 9' P), Harry Kane 35' Christian Eriksen 71'

#2 FC Basel vs Manchester City

Manchester City have all but sealed their spot in the quarters

The Premier League runaway leaders have virtually sealed their spot in the quarterfinal of the Champions League, after thrashing the Swiss champions 4-0 at St. Jacob's Park.

Basel will be regretting not utilizing the early defensive error of the Manchester City, and also had a strong penalty appeal turned down. After this though, it was a complete Manchester City show. Manchester City scored 3 goals in the space of 9 minutes in the first half courtesy Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva and Sergio Aguero.

The Citizens tested Basel's custodian, Tomas Vaclik inside two minutes as he tipped a header from Gundogan over the bar, but the Basel goalkeeper spentthe rest of the half picking the ball out of his own net as City ran riot. To rub salt into their wounds, Gundogan scored once again in the 53rd minute.

Second Leg: 7th March (IST), Etihad Stadium

Score: Basel 0-4 Manchester City

Scorers: Ilkay Gundogan (14' 53'), Bernardo Silva 18', Sergio Aguero 23'

#3 FC Porto vs Liverpool

Liverpool continues to run riot

Liverpool has scored four or five goals many a time this season in the Premier League. However, when they did the same against a Porto side who have been unbeaten this season in the Primeira Liga this season, it was simply special.

The wrecker-in-chief for Liverpool, Sadio Mane scored a hat-trick and destroyed the FC Porto's defence. He was ably supported by Mohammed Salah and Roberto Firmino. Porto came into this tie buoyant. They had a belief in their goalscoring power and could have struck first had Dejan Lovren not done well to divert Otavio’s shot on to the roof of the net.

This emphatic result means that after reaching the last 16 of the Champions League for the first time in nine years Liverpool are certain to at least go one round further. The Reds' victory was the biggest away win by an English side in the knockout stage of the Champions League ever.

Second Leg: 7th March (IST), Anfield

Score: FC Porto 0-5 Liverpool

Scorers: Sadio Mane (25' 53' 85') Mohamed Salah 30' Roberto Firmino 70'

#4 Real Madrid vs Paris St Germain

Neymar couldn't make it for PSG

Real Madrid have been off-colour for most of the season and their fans have questioned manager Zinedine Zidane on several fronts. But the former French international showed that he still knows how toface a big game as Real Madrid defeated PSG 3-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu.

From the word "go", Los Blancos kept pressing high in the PSG's half. Although Adrien Rabiot's strike in the 33rd minute gave the PSG much-needed lead, Cristiano Ronaldo cancelled it out from the spot before halftime.

Zidane threw Bale from the bench in the second half with attacking wingers, Asensio and Lucas Vasquez. The injection of the new legs created an impact on Real Madrid which tested the defence of PSG repeatedly. This led to Ronaldo scoring his 100th goal in Champions League in the 83rd minute and soon after the 86th-minute strike from Marcelo.

Second Leg: 7th March (IST), Parc des Princes

Score: Real Madrid 3-1 PSG

Scorers: Rabiot(33), Ronaldo(45 P, 83), Marcelo (86)

#5 Chelsea vs Barcelona

Messi finally broke his curse against Chelsea

Barcelona's prime player, Lionel Messi broke his jinx against Chelsea by scoring an equalizer and earned a draw for his team against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

One of Europe's fiercest rivalries, Chelsea vs Barcelona, had been dormant for six years after the shock defeat of Barcelona to Chelsea in the 2012 semifinals. But the renewal of hostilities did not disappoint as a thrilling game went underway in London.

The goalscorer for Chelsea, Willian, hit the woodwork twice before the halftime. But for the third time, a fine low finish from the edge of the area gave the well-deserved lead for Conte's men in the 62nd minute.

However, all Chelsea's effort went in vain by a moment of sloppiness, and it was punished. Christensen's aimless pass across his own area ended in Leo Messi scoring the equalizer in the 75th minute and leaving the tie in a tantalising position.

Second Leg: 15th March (IST), Camp Nou

Score: Chelsea 1-1 Barcelona

Scorers: Willian (62') Lionel Messi(75')

#6 Bayern Munich vs Besiktas JK

Mueller improved on his tremendous form to torment the opposition

Bayern Munich made a giant step towards the quarter-finals of this season's UEFA Champions League, sweeping aside Besiktas at the Allianz Arena.

Besiktas played the match with only 10 men for most of the game as Domagaj Vida got the marching orders from the referee in the 16th minute for tripping Lewandowski outside the penalty area. The elegant and effective Thomas Mueller broke the stubborn resistance from Besiktas in the 43rd minute.

Soon after the break, Kingsley Coman made it 2-0 for Bayern. After this, it was only the red ballet. The killers of the German elite league added goal after goal as Mueller struck once again in the 66th minute of the game. A poor pass from Atiba went to Lewandowski, who made no mistake in slotting into the goal in the 79th minute and then added once more towards to closing moments.

Second Leg: 14th March (IST), Vodafone Arena

Score: Bayern 5-0 Besiktas

Scorers: Thomas Mueller( 43' 66'), Kingsley Coman( 52'), Lewandowski( 79' 88')

#7 Sevilla vs Manchester United

Dave saves yet again

The two injury-plagued sides met at Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán on the last match day of the first leg of the Champions League.

Manchester United held Sevilla to a stalemate at Seville. It will be much better to say that De Gea held Sevilla to a goalless draw. Mourinho left Pogba on the bench but was soon forced to put him into the action as Herrera suffered a hamstring injury in the 17th minute.

De Gea made two breathtaking saves to deny Zonzi and Muriel at the end of the first half to keep the scoreline 0-0, denying a header from Lenget and then a point-blank range header from Muriel.

In the fag end of the second half and the game, Lukaku scored the goal from the lobbed pass by Pogba but the goal was disallowed as he trapped the ball using his arm before sending it past Rico.

Los Blanquirrojos will need to be sharper in front of goal when they travel to Manchester next month and the fans will hope that their main man up front will feature. Manchester United fans, however, will be hoping their attacking players turn up at the very least.

Second Leg: 14th March (IST), Old Trafford

Score: Sevilla 0-0 Manchester United

#8 Shakhtar Donetsk vs AS Roma

Cengiz' goal went in vain

Shakhtar Donetsk pulled off a second-half comeback to edge out AS Roma in their first leg fixture at home.

In the second half as the temperature dipped to minus, the Argentinian striker, Ferrerya, took an advantage and scored an equalizer for Donetsk and canceled out Cengiz's header in the first half. Using the defensive lapse of the Romans, Fred scored a stunning free kick and gave the advantage to the hosts.

There were periods of possession for both sides, but it was Shakhtar who squeezed the most out of theirs. The heroics from both the goalkeepers restricted the total number of goals to 3 in the whole game but it makes for an enticing second leg.

Second Leg: 14th March (IST), Rome

Score: Shakhtar 2-1 AS Roma

Scorers: Cengiz Under(41'), Ferreyra(52'), Fred(71')