So finally all football fans around the world the wait is over and the week 15 has started which means , last sixteen knockout stage where every team will play a home game and one away. I have always felt bad when this stage came as I started to feel the nearing END but on the other hand love this round the most became f two chances every team gets. And of course the spice and crunch we got to see.
Two games were played last night from pool first. Chelsea against PSG and Shakhtar faced FC Bayern Munich although both games ended in a draw 1-1 & 0-0, each respectively. Starting off with the match played on Parc des Princes, the home ground of PSG, the zealous crowd was full of ecstasy that includes Sir Alex Ferguson and David Beckham too. John Terry’s side had the game in their hands in the first half.
Changes were seen with Thiago Courtois defending the net and Costa returning after three match suspensions. Branislav Ivanovic headed Jose Mourinho’s team in front after Gary Cahill’s flick from John Terry’s cross in 36th minute. A lot of chances were saved by the Belgian keeper in first half of PSG’s strikers. It was in the second half when Laurent Blanc side came forward and walled Chelsea.
PSG was wholly dominant in last 45 minutes and took advantage of poor marking from the visitors to equalize. Maxwell’s pass freed Matuidi in the left channel and his cross was perfect for Cavani, who found space between Terry and Cahill to head the ball down and into the net. The hosts were near to lead when Ibrahimovic’s shot was saved well by Courtois. The vulnerable guests coming under pressure with strong game show by their former midfielder David Luiz, Cavani, Matuidi and Zalatan Ibrahimovic.
It was in 79th minute when Edinson Cavani right footed shot from the left side of the box but misses to the right assisted by Blaise Matuidi. It was Chelsea’s goalkeeper who was the star of the night; Courtois saved another goal shot by ibrahimovic in stoppage time and stopped Paris Saint Germaine leading their home game.
In the second clash of the night Bayern Munich played guests to Shaktar Donetsk who were as well guests in the western city of Lviv because of winter break at their home ground.
The clash that was merely full of game, expected at most by Pep Guardiola side ended in a disappointment. More energy and power was showed by Shaktar who didn’t let their side to conceive a goal. The match was full of fouls and yellow card giving. The germen side that topped its group with 15 points was held by Ukraine’s champion’s side who qualified for last 16 with 9 points.
Xabi Alonso was sent off for repeated fouls in 65th minute. The Spaniard who played his 100th Champions League match fouled Alex Teixeira in the first half and carded again for upending Taison .The sides shared 35 fouls and seven yellow cards in addition to Alonso’s red, with attacks often cut short by tactical fouls when danger looked likely.
Both teams will face each other in three weeks on German ground, where Bayern hasn’t lost since last season’s semifinal against defending champs Real Madrid.
