That’ll be all from me. The Champions League will return in three weeks for the quarters. Here’s that lineup:
PSG v Liverpool
Real Madrid v Bayern Munich
Barcelona v Atlético Madrid
Sporting v Arsenal
Cheers for reading and writing in.
David Hytner was in north London for a Spurs win – something to cling to as they leave the European stage.
Andy Hunter’s report is in from Anfield – that’s a night Arne Slot really needed.
Updated
Des Platt writes in:
I doubt that Liverpool can win the European this year but 2005 isn’t the only time it was done whilst finishing fifth in the league. We were absolutely rubbish in 1981 and I’m fairly sure finished about fifth but still managed European Cup & League Cup.
Chelsea, of course, won it in 2012 while finishing sixth in the league. Spurs fans will remember that one.
Ingo Herzke, thank you for raising a very important point.
I really feel for you with your workload – 14 goals in 3 games, plus
some disallowed ones, missed & retaken penalties and all that … but the
whole round was mad: 68 goals (so far ;-) in 16 games, that’s 4.25 goals
per game. Whatever happened to defending?
Liverpool will face PSG in the last eight. Atlético will take on Barcelona and Bayern Munich will play Real Madrid. Meh – I’m tired of all these heavyweight clashes. I want more variety. With that in mind, Arsenal-Sporting is my pick of the round.
That was fun, even it didn’t get all that tight at the end. That’s Igor Tudor’s first win at Spurs!
Full-time scores
Bayern Munich 4-1 Atalanta (agg 10-2)
Liverpool 4-0 Galatasaray (agg 4-1)
Tottenham 3-2 Atlético Madrid (agg 5-7)
Liverpool 4-0 Galatasaray (agg 4-1): Another goal disallowed for Liverpool as Mac Allister taps in from a corner – Van Dijk is penalised for brushing the goalkeeper in the buildup.
GOAL! Tottenham 3-2 Atlético Madrid (agg: 5-7) – Simons pen 90
That’s his second of the night – Xavi Simons’ effort goes in off the post as the keeper goes the other way.
Updated
Penalty to Tottenham!
Simons jinks into the area and Giménez brings him down …
GOAL! Bayern Munich 4-1 Atalanta (agg 10-2) – Samardzic 85
So begins the greatest comeback there ever was Atalanta pull one back with a Samardzic header at the back post.
Updated
Liverpool 4-0 Galatasaray (agg 4-1): Noa Lang is off for Galatasaray – he’s on a stretcher after hurting his hand really badly. Anfield applauds him as he’s carried away.
Updated
Colum Fordham writes in:
Great to see a proper old-style rampaging performance from Liverpool, capped by a trademark curling left-foot Mo Salah finish. Hopefully will do the team a world of good, an injection of self-confidence and the team playing with smiles on their faces, a million miles away from the Spurs game.
Finish fifth in the league and win the Champions League? Wait, I think I’ve seen this one before …
Alvarez whips the corner in for Atlético and Hancko rises at the front post for a glancing header. Diego Simeone falls to his knees, recognising that the job is done.
GOAL! Tottenham 2-2 Atlético Madrid (agg 4-7) – Hancko 75
A simple set-piece ends the tie.
GOAL! Bayern Munich 4-0 Atalanta (agg 10-1) – Díaz 70
And … another. Luis Díaz has probably heard about Liverpool and wants to get in on the action – the former Red escapes on the counter and finishes with a cheeky dink over the keeper. Just blow the final whistle, ref.
Updated
Messages flooding in to praise Spurs’ efforts. Dan Hamilton writes in:
Win, draw or lose today, Taha, Spurs players are sending all the right messages about where their mentality is at for their remaining games and there are two parties viewing this development with great concern. One, obviously, is Nottingham Forest. Two is West Ham United. Three is Mauricio Pochettino.
Whoops. I did say two parties. Well, you know that there are three kinds of people in this world. Those who can count and those who can’t.
The Egyptian picks up the ball from Florian Wirtz, plays a neat one-two with the German as he drifts inside from the right, and then comes the curling effort from the edge of the area. That penalty is ancient history.
GOAL! Liverpool 4-0 Galatasaray (agg 4-1) – Salah 62
That is vintage Mo Salah.
Updated
Liverpool 3-0 Galatasaray (agg 3-1): Will anyone think of my workload? Liverpool think they have a fourth with an own goal from a Frimpong cross, but the offside flag goes up.
GOALS! Bayern Munich 3-0 Atalanta (agg 9-1) – Kane 54 & Karl 56
Over in Germany, it gets even worse for Atalanta. Kane gets his 50th Champions League goal for Bayern and it’s a cracker – he twists and turns inside the area to hold off two defenders before finding the top corner. Karl adds another two minutes later, drifting in from the right to slot away with a first-time, left-footed finish.
Salah is in action in the area again, his first-time effort well saved after some excellent build up play through the middle … Gravenberch is present to hit his shot into the ground … and into the back of the net.
GOAL! Liverpool 3-0 Galatasaray (agg 3-1) – Gravenberch 53
I reckon we can call this one.
Updated
GOAL! Liverpool 2-0 Galatasaray (agg 2-1) – Ekitiké 51
Salah doesn’t let that penalty miss get to him – he plays a teasing ball across goal from the right and Ekitiké is there to slot in. Liverpool are finally in front.
Updated
Xavi Simons didn’t get the foul earlier but he plays a lovely one-two with Archie Gray before curling the ball into the bottom right corner from just outside the D. Spurs are showing some serious fight.
GOAL! Tottenham 2-1 Atlético Madrid (agg 4-6) – Simons 52
Hello, hello – we’re not done just yet.
Updated
Spurs appeal for a foul on Simons in the buildup by the goalscorer … but the goal stands.
GOAL! Tottenham 1-1 Atlético Madrid (agg 3-6) – Alvarez 47
Atlético go on the counter … Lookman cuts in from the left, finds Alvarez, he turns by the penalty spot and wallops the ball into the top left corner!
Updated
Peadar de Búrca writes:
Hi there Taha, we used to have a player on our Galway Sunday league team who everyone called Joe Cool. He didn’t score all our goals, but he scored the really important ones. He took the penos, the free kicks and if we were a goal down in injury time, he popped up with the equalizer. The odd occasions when Saturday night was a bit much and he didn’t make the game the next day, well...we played like a plastic bag full of chopped ham. So, basically what I’m saying is Szoboszlai is Joe Cool.
Is this a roundabout way of saying Salah shouldn’t have taken the penalty?
Half-time scores
Bayern Munich 1-0 Atalanta (agg 7-1)
Liverpool 1-0 Galatasaray (agg 1-1)
Tottenham 1-0 Atlético Madrid (agg 3-5)
Salah misses for Liverpool!
Liverpool 1-0 Galatasaray (agg 1-1): Up steps their legendary forward … and it’s a poor effort, lacking power and direction as Cakir moves to his left and boots the ball away.
Updated
Liverpool have a penalty!
Szoboszlai is in the game again … winning a spotkick! Jakobs looks to clear the ball for Galatasaray inside the area and Szoboszlai, charging him, goes down rather dramatically after getting there.
Updated
Tottenham 1-0 Atlético Madrid (agg 3-5): It’s Vicario’s turn to make a cracking stop, adjusting well after Simeone’s volley deflects off Romero. Joe Hart nearly explodes in the commentary box.
Tottenham 1-0 Atlético Madrid (agg 3-5): Tel’s causing Atlético some problems – he cuts in from the left and launches a stinging effort from outside the area, searching for the bottom right corner – Musso makes a fine save to push it away.
Forty minutes gone in our three games and, while it’s pretty much wrapped up in Munich, we’re on in the other two. Toby Alderweireld is in London to watch two of his old clubs.
Tottenham 1-0 Atlético Madrid (agg 3-5): Um, are Spurs looking good here? Tel, on the left, gets on the end of a finely worked move and shoots at the keeper from a tight angle … he probably should have opted for a ball across goal, with two teammates waiting for a tap-in.
Liverpool 1-0 Galatasaray (agg 1-1): Slot’s side are all over Galatasaray, but let’s just rewind to that Szoboszlai finish, opting for timing over power with that strike. Just a gorgeous bit of work.
Matt Dony writes in:
Yes, it’s been a difficult season for Liverpool. But how much worse would it have been without Szoboszlai? He just keeps on maincharactering his way to being the difference.
Atlético switch off with a pretty basic move from Spurs. Tel receives from a throw on the right, picks out Muani – peeling off to the back post – and the Frenchman heads in.
GOAL! Tottenham 1-0 Atlético Madrid (agg 3-5) – Kolo Muani 30
Do we have a game?
Updated
Mac Allister takes the corner from the right, sends it to the edge of the area, where the lurking Szoboszlai emerges to nail a beautiful, first-time, sidefooted finish into the bottom left corner. Liverpool are level.
Updated
GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Galatasaray (agg 1-1) – Szoboszlai 25
Straight from the training ground!
Updated
GOAL! Bayern Munich 1-0 Atalanta (agg 7-1) – Kane pen 25
There’s a VAR check for a potential handball … and Bayern have a penalty. Harry Kane’s effort is saved! But the keeper came off his line after diving to his left and the England captain gets to retake. No dramas: he slots in for his ninth goal of this European campaign.
Updated
Tottenham 0-0 Atlético Madrid (agg 2-5): Pedro Porro stands over a free-kick on the left … but his ball in lacks depth. Time for a Dragusin long-throw … and the move ends with Tel firing a shot straight at the keeper.
Liverpool 0-0 Galatasaray (agg 0-1): Whenever I turn to Anfield, it’s Liverpool on the attack. Galatasaray have had a few players go down and Osimhen is still finding it tough with that strapped forearm.
Tottenham 0-0 Atlético Madrid (agg 2-5): Atlético are causing bother down their right wing through Marcos Llorente but Spurs have a corner … Tel whips in twice but Musso commands his area well enough.
Updated
Liverpool 0-0 Galatasaray (agg 0-1): Liverpool have started with a decent burst of energy, Ekitiké zipping around to launch a low but easily saved effort at goal. Osimhen’s right forearm is bandaged up and he’s back on for the visitors.
Liverpool 0-0 Galatasaray (agg 0-1): Osimhen is down for Galatasaray … it looks as if he’s hurt his right wrist.
Updated
Tottenham 0-0 Atlético Madrid (agg 2-5): Diego Simeone rocks his all-black suit and directs from the touchline … and his side have a goal disallowed! The flag goes up for Ademola Lookman’s tap-in at the back post. Spurs aren’t out of it just yet.
Updated
Liverpool 0-0 Galatasaray (agg 0-1): Salah takes a tumble in the area inside two minutes but there’s no penalty shout as Ekitiké launches a curling effort wide for the hosts.
Peeeep!
We’ve kicked-off in Munich, London and Liverpool.
Bayern Munich v Atalanta (agg 6-1)
Liverpool v Galatasaray (agg 0-1)
Tottenham v Atlético Madrid (agg 2-5)
Ian Copestake writes in:
I have taken delivery of shiny new headphones so I can get closer to the misery. But if misery it be then the Liverpool players will have brought it on Slot, not the other way round. The manager does not want them to play as slowly as they do in too many games but still it keeps happening. If it happens tonight then the shame is on them, not him.
As does Andrew Goudie:
How on earth are Liverpool going to score two goals? Two free kicks from Szoboszlai?
It’s a European night at Anfield – that’ll surely get things moving, right?
Harry Kane’s captaining Bayern Munich tonight. I knew he was having a ridiculous season, but I haven’t looked at the numbers for a while: he’s got 45 club goals in 38 appearances, with eight in eight Champions League games. He’s two shy of 50 goals in the competition. Tidy.
Over in Barcelona, the hosts are trying to get to double digits.
Mo Salah, Ibrahima Konaté, Milos Kerkez and Hugo Ekitiké are back for Liverpool after starting on the bench against Tottenham on Sunday.
The suspended Richarlison is missing for Spurs, with Kolo Muani to lead the line. Dominic Solanke was a doubt for this one and he’s not included in the squad. Jan Oblak is not in Atlético’s XI.
Bayern Munich v Atalanta teams
Bayern Munich: Urbig, Stanisic, Kim, Tah, Bischof, Goretzka, Pavlovic, Karl, Guerreiro, Díaz, Kane
Subs: Bärtl, Prescott, Upamecano, Gnabry, Jackson, Ito, Laimer, Ofli, Manuba, Pavic
Atalanta: Sportiello, Kossounou, Hien, Scalvini, Bellanova, Pasalic, Éderson, Bernasconi, De Ketelaere, Sulemana, Scamacca
Subs: Carnesecchi, Rossi, Bakker, Samardzic, De Roon, Raspadori, Djimsiti, Kolasinac, Zalewski, Ahanor, Zappacosta, Krstovic
Updated
Tottenham v Atlético Madrid teams
Tottenham: Vicario, Porro, Romero, Dragusin, Van de Ven, Spence, Simons, Sarr, Gray, Tel, Muani
Subs: Kinsky, Austin, Danso, Udogie, Bergvall, Gallagher, Olusesi, Kyerematen, Rowswell
Atlético Madrid: Musso, Molina, Le Normand, Hancko, Ruggeri, Simeone, Llorente, Cardoso, Lookman, Alvarez, Griezmann
Subs: Esquivel, De Luis, Giménez, Koke, Sørloth, Baena, Almada, Lenglet, Pubill, Vargas, González, Díaz
Liverpool v Galatasaray teams
Liverpool: Alisson, Frimpong, Konaté, Van Dijk, Kerkez, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Salah, Ekitiké, Wirtz
Subs: Mamardashvili, Woodman, Gomez, Chiesa, Jones, Gakpo, Robertson, Nyoni, Nallo, Morrison, Ngumoha
Galatasaray: Cakir, Boey, Singo, Bardakci, Jakobs, Torreira, Lemina, Sallai, Gabriel Sara, Yilmaz, Osimhen
Subs: Sen, Guvenc, Icardi, Sané, Akgun, Elmali, Gündogan, Kutucu, Asprilla, Ayhan, Gurpuz, Lang
Preamble
Away we go, with three more Champions League last-16 ties to complete. One is almost certainly done, with Bayern Munich 6-1 up as they prepare to host Atalanta. Spurs’ first-half collapse against Atlético Madrid means they’re three goals down – chuck in their turmoil in the league and it’s incredibly hard to see a way back … but maybe Igor Tudor’s playing this on repeat in the dressing room.
Realistically, we’ve got to focus on Liverpool’s meeting with Galatasaray, the tightest of the lot, the Turkish side 1-0 up after Mario Lemina’s goal at Rams Park. Arne Slot has got some heat on him but, as Jonathan Liew points out, how much of this is really on him?
Liverpool are fifth in the Premier League, still in the Champions League, and have accumulated more league points since the start of last season than anybody bar Arsenal. On the other hand, Liverpool are fifth in the Premier League, on the verge of elimination from the Champions League, and on pace to drop 22 points from last season.
