By Daniel Edu
The 2023-2024 UEFA Champions League round of 16 continued on Tuesday night with two exciting first-leg ties.
At the San Siro, Inter Milan faced off against Atletico Madrid in a closely contested match. In the 79th minute, 34-year-old Austrian forward Marko Arnautović scored the only goal of the game, giving Inter Milan a slim 1-0 victory. The result means Inter Milan holds the advantage as they head to the second leg at Civitas Metropolitan Stadium in Madrid on March 13. A draw or a win in Madrid would see Inter Milan progress to the quarter-final stage.
In another matchup, Dutch club PSV secured a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Borussia Dortmund at Philips Stadion. The visitors took the lead in the 24th minute with a goal from 25-year-old Dutch forward Donyell Malen. However, Luuk de Jong equalized for PSV in the 56th minute from the penalty spot. The 1-1 draw sets up a decisive second leg at Signal Iduna Park on March 13, where the winner will advance to the quarter-final stage.
Later tonight, at 9 p.m., Porto is set to host Arsenal, while Napoli will host FC Barcelona in the remaining first-leg ties of the UEFA Champions League round of 16. Football enthusiasts are eagerly anticipating these matchups to see which teams will gain an early advantage in their quest for European glory.
