This week’s Champions League spherical of 16 rumble, as the highest 4 quarter-finalists are determined. Under, we function the principle speaking factors from Tuesday’s motion in Europe’s premier membership competitors.

Chelsea lastly discovered his confidence

Within the first half hour of Chelsea’s pivotal Champions League conflict towards Borussia Dortmund, scoring appeared just like the world’s most daunting process. Raheem Sterling panicked as he was despatched into objective, slowed down when extra assured strikers would do one thing – something – to get the ball out from underneath them. Kai Havertz, who hadn’t scored in any of his final seven matches, hit the put up, the ball by some means crossing the objective line and out of hurt’s approach. Chelsea created possibilities however could not end any of them.

Then one thing clicked. Sterling hit a house run in what gave the impression to be the eleventh time he had requested, lifting the bar round Stamford Bridge. Havertz recovered the penalty he missed, and slotted into the identical backside proper nook that he had focused on his first try.

In that half-hour stretch, Chelsea was a blur in movement. All they needed to do was join. Even Marc Cucurella and Kalidou Koulibaly joined the frenzy. You’ll be able to hardly inform this side from the one which was laborious to get the rating sheet within the earlier matches. If it wasn’t for just a few marginal offside calls, they’d have gained 4-0.

This was a very long time coming. Chelsea haven’t scored a number of targets in a match since December 27. Accidents definitely performed a component, however for the longest time a West London facet had no attacking energy. The gamers did not create significantly a lot or did not defend effectively.

However coach Graham Potter stayed the identical. He managed to maintain spirits excessive in coaching – even whereas coping with dying threats despatched to him and his household. You’ll be able to inform his gamers are prepared for this sport. 3 times I pressed Potter’s again excessive, choking Dortmund’s assault earlier than he might really go ahead. Cucurella was significantly aggressive, enjoying the form of split-passing protection that few gamers anticipated him to play from the left centre-back place.

Chelsea can in fact return to their previous habits over the subsequent matches. However a flurry of motion in the midst of the sport promised higher issues to return.

Handball rule continues to divide

What precisely is a handball offense? The Worldwide Soccer Affiliation Board which points the Legal guidelines of the Recreation, He says An “intentional” foul happens when a participant strikes his or her hand or arm towards the ball. The participant can be at fault if he makes his physique bigger when his hand or arm is in an unnatural place.

Neither of these appeared fairly proper, nevertheless, when Chelsea’s Ben Chilwell struck Dortmund defender Marius Wolf’s hand contained in the field. Wolfe was turning large when the ball was caught, his head wanting in the other way, ruling out an intentional handball. His hand wasn’t essentially in an unnatural place both. The German full-back wasn’t hitting his arm or stretching it to make himself greater. He was turning away, his arm nonetheless moderately near his physique. However as a result of Chilwell shot a yard out, Wolfe could not totally retract his arm in time.

49′: Chelsea are awarded a penalty for handball
50′: Havertz misses a penalty kick
51′: Chelsea reinstate the penalty for infringement

What do you consider this curler coaster at Stamford Bridge…? 👀#UCL pic.twitter.com/5ImAvPgxPf

– Soccer on BT Sport (btsportfootball) March 7, 2023

Ultimately, match official Danny McKelley reviewed the footage on the pitchside monitor and determined sufficient was sufficient to award a penalty. Did Wolfe’s arm come out? Sure, undoubtedly, however the circumstances right here created cheap doubt. The unique non-recall was not, by definition, a transparent and apparent error.

The largest drawback right here is implementation. De facto official for ESPN, Dale Johnson, chirp That “contests differ” when making these calls. “I doubt VAR will give it away within the Premier League,” Johnson added.

Former FIFA referee Manuel Graf she expressed Frustration with the decision additionally, saying that these explanations trigger a sort of “injustice.” Generally they’re given, different occasions not.

Fast free kicks

Chelsea participant Kepa earns his objective

Kepa Arrizabalaga replaces himself one after the other. It has been an odd and complicated yr and a half for the beleaguered Chelsea goalkeeper, who has gone from mere afterthought to undisputed common with out fanfare or fanfare. The membership had no selection however to show to Kepa as soon as Edouard Mendy fractured his finger in January. However Mindy was dropping his grip on the job earlier than that. The very best goalkeeper on the earth in 2021 made a collection of errors over the subsequent yr, and his confidence plummeted. Kepa stepped in and put in a tremendous efficiency as the remainder of his staff mates struggled and scored two key targets on Tuesday to maintain Dortmund at bay after they threatened to take a foothold within the sport. The world’s most costly goalkeeper is in his second position as Chelsea’s No. 1, and it is one thing to look at.

Accidents hit Dortmund’s place

You’ll be able to solely beat main infections for thus lengthy. In the long run, they catch as much as you. This is not the one motive Dortmund misplaced to Chelsea on Tuesday – the Blues, as proven above, put of their finest efficiency in months – however Dortmund’s absentee listing clearly looms giant at Stamford Bridge. Lacking Youssouf Moukoko and Karim Adeyemi from Dortmund took off any spark up entrance or the flexibility to widen the pitch and get behind Chelsea’s line of defense. The latter, specifically, lit up the primary leg together with his gorgeous solo objective. That sort of game-breaking means was absent on Tuesday as Dortmund had been largely contained by the Chelsea defence. The lack of Julian Brandt in simply the fifth minute to a hamstring drawback made it worse; The artistic Germany worldwide was one among Dortmund’s finest gamers throughout their now unbeaten run to begin 2023. In consequence, Sebastien Haller was principally out of contact within the sport, touching the ball as soon as inside Chelsea’s penalty space as Coulibaly was deflected. His impression earlier than being handed on to the extra cell Donyell Malen within the 77th minute.

Benfica can beat anybody

Sleep at Benfica at your peril. Roger Schmidt’s facet have been a bulldozer this season, their newest spectacular displaying coming in a 5-1 draw towards Membership Brugge which culminated in a dominant 7-1 mixture victory. In consequence, the Portuguese giants advance to the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the second season in a row. Benfica haven’t missed a win since promoting star midfielder Enzo Fernandes to Chelsea in January. Goncalo Ramos is setting new data seemingly each time he steps onto the pitch, Joao Mario has scored in 5 consecutive Champions League appearances, and the machine constructed by Schmidt simply retains going. Benfica, eight factors clear on the high of the desk in Portugal, will fantasize about their probabilities of ever successful. Anybody Within the subsequent spherical, particularly at Stade da Luz, the place they haven’t misplaced this season, having gained 16 of their 18 matches in all competitions.

Parker’s time is sort of up

Scott Parker was an unmitigated catastrophe at Membership Brugge. The Belgian facet sacked Carl Hoefkens in late December regardless of shifting by means of the knockout levels of the Champions League, citing poor home type as the explanation behind the choice, after which made the stunning resolution to nominate Parker as his substitute. They’re positive to like Mulligan now. The English have gained simply two of the 12 matches they’ve performed on the helm, with a 7-1 mixture victory towards Benfica of their newest modest setback. Benfica have been going nearly all the things their approach this season, however the meekness of Brugge’s efficiency on Tuesday suggests the staff is totally missing in confidence for the time being. Parker’s line-up slipped to fourth within the Belgian Premier League, 21 factors behind first place, and the brightest level of the season – an inspiring Champions League run – ended with a bang. The previous Fulham and Bournemouth supervisor could have already overseen his closing sport with the Belgian facet.

Right this moment’s stats

Graham Potter’s Graham Firm.

2 – Graham Potter turns into the second English supervisor to win 5 UEFA Champions League matches in a single season, after Bobby Robson with Newcastle in 2002-03 (5). alive. #UCL pic.twitter.com/1BJ6k615tv

– OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 7, 2023

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It has been a tricky season for Parker throughout.

Scott Parker with a uncommon double “PL 9-0 sport loss and CL 7-1 knockout draw on mixture in the identical season”

— Duncan Alexander (@oilysailor) March 7, 2023