Top Winners and Losers After Tuesday's Champions League Round of 16 Leg 1 Results
Manchester City and Real Madrid kicked off the 2024 Champions League Round of 16 with victories on Tuesday, taking down Copenhagen and RB Leipzig respectively.
Defending champions City came away from the Danish capital with a 3-1 win, while Madrid head back to Spain with a 1-0 advantage. Both are now even bigger favourites to progress when the second legs arrive on March 6.
It was a night of big performances, bad luck and the kind of fine margins that define a competition as tightly fought as this. Read on for winners and losers.
Winner: Kevin De Bruyne
It's easy to forget just how exceptional a footballer Kevin De Bruyne is. The Belgian's injury-ravaged season is only just kicking into gear, and wow, he's taken no time to get going again.
His goal and two assists in the victory over Copenhagen takes him up to eight goal contributions in six matches since returning; an even more impressive stat considering he's only started three of those games.
Pep Guardiola recently suggested he is "99.99%" his team won't repeat the treble this year, per ESPN FC's Rob Dawson. He might just improve that number if KDB can stay fit.
Loser: Jack Grealish
Jack Grealish's first start in a month ended a little after 20 minutes.
The Englishman's difficult campaign, in which he's started just 12 games across the Champions League and Premier League, was perhaps best summed up by the dour expression on Grealish's face as he tried to convince Pep Guardiola he could shake off injury. He didn't. Jeremy Doku came on and Man City easily won without him - much like they have for most of the season.
Grealish was a key component of City's treble-winning side and is often used when Pep wants a little more control than the rambunctious Doku offers. You just wonder if his relationship with City is starting to break down. He'd be a certain starter for most clubs across Europe - something that might begin to cross his mind as the summer transfer window looms.
Winner: Brahim Diaz
Leipzig may have breathed a sigh of relief when Jude Bellingham's name wasn't in the Madrid squad due to injury.
How do you replace the man who has given Los Blancos a spark in so many games where they've looked flat? Step up, Brahim Diaz with an absolute banger.
The Spanish playmaker is having a productive season despite starting only a few games. His close control and willingness to run directly at Leipzig produced the moment of the match after a disappointing first half for Carlo Ancelotti's men.
Madrid have relied on individual brilliance often this season, and so it played out here again. Diaz's night did end badly with a late injury, but until we know the severity, he should be pleased with his night's work.
Loser: Benjamin Šeško
The term 'loser' might be harsh for Benjamin Šeško. He missed some good chances against Madrid, the type of chances you need to bury if you're going to knock them out of the Champions League, but he showed why he's currently viewed as one of the hottest young forwards in Europe.
At times, it felt like Madrid stopper Andriy Lunin wouldn't let Šeško pass even if they continued playing for another 90 minutes (shoutout to the man who was third choice keeper earlier this season, he could have a 'Winner' slide of his own).
Really, Šeško could be counted as one of the unluckiest players of the night. VAR's intervention to disallow his early goal looks extremely harsh on reflection, even if his teammate pressured Lunin as it went in. Leipzig dominated the first half and if Šeško's goal had counted they would have immediately put the visitors under the spotlight.
While fans may rue the unlucky decision, Šeško might well have the other opportunities he missed on his brain when he goes to bed tonight.