Real Madrid

Brahim Diaz scored the winner for Real Madrid last night after another impressive showing in midfield, where he has filled in for Jude Bellingham while the Englishman has had a number of suspensions.

Bellingham served a one-game ban after picking up his his third yellow card in the Champions League against Manchester City earlier this month.

And Brahim shone against Atletico, before snapping back at their manager Diego Simeone after the game.

Simeone, when asked pre-match if Brahim could create problems against Atletico, said: “I don’t think Brahim will start tomorrow."

Speaking to Spanish outlet Movistar, external after the match, Diaz said in response to Simeone: “Speak now, you spoke yesterday, speak now.”

As well as his goal, Brahim completed 94% of his passes versus Atletico and racked up 76 touches of the ball.

Emily Salley
BBC Sport

Brahim Diaz scored a brilliant winner to give Real Madrid a slender advantage over city rivals Atletico after the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.

Rodrygo put the hosts ahead inside four minutes in the Bernabeu when he sprinted past Javi Galan and chopped inside the box before bending a wonderful hit past Jan Oblak.

Atletico, though, quickly settled into the game and levelled in the 32nd minute with another wonderful goal.

The in-form Julian Alvarez picked up the ball on the left side of the box, wrongfooted Eduardo Camavinga and whipped a spectacular curling strike around Thibaut Courtois and in off the post.

It was the Argentine striker's seventh goal in nine appearances in the competition this season.

But it was Diaz, another former Manchester City player, who claimed the decisive goal in an electric Madrid derby.

The Spaniard sent Atletico defender Jose Gimenez to the floor as he skilfully waltzed into the box before driving a low shot into the far corner in the 55th minute.

Image source, Getty Images

So Arsenal are essentially through to the Champions League quarter-finals and Aston Villa are likely to join them.

There were two other round of 16 matches last night as well, including a brilliant Madrid derby...

We suspect Dave is a Man Utd fan.

Bolo Zenden
Former PSV midfielder on BBC Radio 5 Live

It seems like Arsenal have really set their sights on the Champions League. They can't keep up with Liverpool in the Premier League so maybe this Champions League is the closest route to big success.

The way they played against PSV, it was wonderful to watch. They are missing a lot of forward players but managed to score seven goals with a load of different scorers.

Martin Odegaard stood out. He is a wonderful player to watch.

Image source, Getty Images

Bolo Zenden
Former PSV midfielder on BBC Radio 5 Live

No one expected a result like that. All the credit must go to Arsenal.

PSV are struggling and there has been talk about a crisis. They were leading the league and are now 10 points behind.

They also lost two games against a lesser team that knocked them out of the cup. They have a lot of problems at the minute.

Image source, Getty Images

As things stand, Arsenal will play Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals and Aston Villa would play the winners of Liverpool against Paris St-Germain.

Still another leg to go but the Gunners, after a 7-1 win over PSV Eindhoven, are all but through.

Real hold a narrow 2-1 lead from their first leg win over Atletico. Given their Madrid rivals are at home in the return leg, would a comeback be preferred for Arsenal fans?

Unai Emery's side hold a 3-1 lead over Club Brugge and welcome the Belgian side to Villa Park next Wednesday.

Arsenal

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says they must be humble after the Gunners thrashed PSV 7-1 to leave them in a commanding position ahead the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.

If you have not seen that goal line clearance from Tyrone Mings last night for Villa in Bruges, we urge you to seek it out immediately. An astonishing piece of athleticism, quick thinking and defending.

How does it rank among the greatest pieces of defending ever - and which defensive moments are your favourite?

We want to hear your picks for the best tackles, clearances and general moments of defensive brilliance. They can be in World Cup finals or down the park, and everything in between.

Let us know using the details above.

Neil Johnston
BBC Sport

Tyrone Mings - who has come a long way since playing for Yate Town and Chippenham Town in non-league football - provided a headed assist for Leon Bailey to open the scoring in the third minute.

At 1-1, Brugge skipper Vanaken produced a header which was on target and heading for the back of the net before Mings managed to get a vital touch which took it wide.

"Tyrone Mings was incredible there," said former Scotland winger Pat Nevin, who was in the Jan Breydel Stadium for BBC Radio 5 Live.

"He stopped it diverting into the inside of the post and that surely prevented a goal."

Mings made seven clearances - more than anyone else - as Villa notched their sixth win in nine Champions League games this season to leave their 1,500 travelling fans celebrating wildly at the end.

Image source, Getty Images

Our Aston Villa page asked for your thoughts after Tuesday's Champions League game between Club Brugge and Aston Villa.

Here are some of your comments:

Prit: This really was a game within a game and, to be honest, in large parts with Club Brugge in control with very sharp and quick passing. But for me above all, this game was about the redemption of Tyrone Mings. He set up Bailey's goal and did an astonishing clearance to keep Villa in the game.

Rob: Tyrone Mings was man of the match by a mile - let's not get carried away, we could have easily lost. But we still have players coming back and room for improvement. The best is yet to come.

Matt: A generous dollop of luck there! Brugge were asking all the questions but two mistakes and we take a two-goal advantage back to Brum. Mings made a heroic clearance and Martinez made some smart saves.

Image source, Getty Images

Neil Johnston
BBC Sport

When Tyrone Mings inexplicably gifted Club Brugge a penalty in the Champions League group phase in November, Aston Villa manager Unai Emery labelled it "the biggest mistake I have witnessed in my career".

On a night of redemption for the England defender, Mings returned to the scene of his howler - and helped Villa take a huge step towards the quarter-finals of European football's most prestigious competition.

"I was more than happy to come back here and play in this stadium again because I think we had unfinished business," Mings said after Villa's impressive 3-1 win at Club Brugge in the last-16 first leg in Belgium.

"I am very proud of what we have done tonight. I really enjoyed this game. We played against them [in the league phase] and knew a bit of what to expect.

"The game was exactly as we anticipated. We can be proud of both our defensive and attacking play."

Image source, Getty Images

Aston Villa

Aston Villa will be favourites to progress to the Champions League quarter-finals after scoring two late goals to beat Club Brugge in Belgium.

Leon Bailey had given the Premier League club a lightning start in the last-16 first-leg - Villa's first knockout tie in European football's premier competition since the 1982-83 quarter-finals.

But Villa's lead lasted just 10 minutes, with Maxim de Cuyper levelling with a low finish, soon after Marcus Rashford had been denied by former Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet at the other end.

However, Villa scored two late goals in six minutes to take a handsome lead back to Birmingham

Brandon Mechele put past his own keeper in the 82nd-minute while stretching to intercept a cross by Morgan Rogers to put Villa ahead and then substitute Marco Asensio made it 3-1 from the penalty spot after Matty Cash had been fouled.

Image source, Getty Images

Arsenal ran rampant in Eindhoven - but a few hours earlier, next door in Belgium, Aston Villa also had a very good evening...

Alex Howell
BBC football news reporter at the PSV Stadion

Arsenal's excellent 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri again showed why there is so much hype and excitement about his future in the game.

The academy graduate has been given the task of filling in for Bukayo Saka on the right hand side of Arsenal's attack while the England international is out injured. The teenager has repaid that faith in him with eight goals in 28 games in all competitions.

That goal return puts him alongside some of England's most iconic young players.

Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney scored nine goals each in all competitions when they were aged 17 or younger and Nwaneri now has 16 days before his 18th birthday to try to match or beat that record.

"I don't think that he needs any pushing. You see every time what the intention is," Arteta said. "If it comes, it comes and it's great.

"I'm really impressed with the way he behaved and the way he played. It's about consistency and now doing it again three days later in another big stadium."

Nwaneri also became the third youngest player to score a goal in a knockout stage match in the Champions League after Bojan in April 2008 (17 years and 217 days) and Jude Bellingham in April 2021 (17 years and 289 days).

Image source, Getty Images