Top Winners and Losers After Wednesday’s Final Champions League Round of 16 Results
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The 2022-23 Champions League quarterfinalists have been confirmed after Napoli and Real Madrid secured the last two spots up for grabs on Wednesday.
Napoli put three goals past Eintracht Frankfurt to win 5-0 on aggregate. Madrid coasted to a 6-2 aggregate win against Liverpool after scoring once in the second leg, with the damage having already been done at Anfield.
Here’s a quick overview from Wednesday’s action.
Winner: Victor Osimhen
The leading scorer in Serie A rose to the occasion—literally and figuratively—as Napoli secured its first-ever berth in the Champions League quarterfinals.
Victor Osimhen headed home the opener in the second minute of first-half stoppage time.
CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ @CBSSportsGolazo
An unstoppable Victor Osimhen header.
His 50th goal for Napoli. 💥 pic.twitter.com/9z1FAacJRL
UEFA Champions League @ChampionsLeague
Even Anguissa’s amazed 😄#UCL pic.twitter.com/3ScoM2XvPK
The Nigerian forward doubled his team’s second-leg lead from close range in the 53rd minute.
CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ @CBSSportsGolazo
Victor Osimhen rounds off a slick team move to add his second. 🇳🇬
How about that pass from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, though?! 🇬🇪 pic.twitter.com/T8t9LQLLQX
The €70 million fee Napoli paid to secure Osimhen’s services in July 31 raised some eyebrows at the time, but he has been worth every penny so far. The 24-year-old has steadily improved over time, and his form this season has been nothing short of scintillating.
Statman Dave @StatmanDave
Victor Osimhen has now scored his 50th goal for Napoli on his 90th appearance for the club. That’s 0.55 goals per appearance.
Unplayable. 💫 pic.twitter.com/SxgbXBth8Y
Casey Evans @Casey_Evans_
Osimhen looking back on his career after he retires: https://t.co/9Eb6gWvs6N pic.twitter.com/cfPFt1UHLO
Okon ‘Ediye’ Nya @iamOkon
Victor Osimhen is every manager’s dream. He scores tap-ins, headers, strikes from distance and then he’s got pace and he presses defenders to making mistakes. Add to to having an amazing hold up play.
Man is still only 24! He’s a superb baller! 🇳🇬🇳🇬
Many of the usual suspects are still hanging around in the tournament, yet Napoli might be the one side you don’t want to be drawn against right now. If you have a plan to actually slow down Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, you’ll be the first.
Loser: Liverpool’s Champions League Qualification Hopes
Liverpool is no stranger to making an incredible European comeback. On Wednesday, it simply wasn’t to be.
ESPN FC @ESPNFC
Liverpool have some reservations to cancel 😅 pic.twitter.com/FXL6BKGBEj
Duncan Alexander @oilysailor
in many ways Liverpool’s task hasn’t changed — they need to sign some midfielders
Paddy Power @paddypower
Liverpool now out of contention for all competitions they’ve entered, but on the plus side, they don’t have to worry about throwing away a quadruple again this year
Leigh Curtis @LeighCurtis_DT
Liverpool have been atrocious in the final third during the second half. So many promising situations have broken down to a lack of care. Effort is there but little quality.
With the Champions League journey officially over, the hopes of qualifying for next year’s campaign rest entirely on securing a top-four finish in the Premier League.
In keeping with the roller-coaster nature of their season, the Reds followed their 7-0 demolition of Manchester United with a 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth. That leaves Jürgen Klopp’s squad in sixth, six points behind fourth-place Tottenham Hotspur.
Opta Analyst @OptaAnalyst
The Opta supercomputer projections of a top four Premier League finish following tonight’s games…
Arsenal: 100% ✅
Man City: 100% ✅
Man Utd: 90.5%
Spurs: 34.6%
Liverpool: 31.4%
Newcastle: 30.0%
Brighton: 12.2%
The good news is that Liverpool can now focus its efforts entirely on the Premier League. The bad news is that the club plays Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal in its next three fixtures.
That stretch is likely to define Liverpool’s season.
Winner: The Inevitability of Real Madrid
This is all going to end with Real Madrid lifting the European Cup for the 15th time, isn’t it?
The score from Wednesday’s match doesn’t do justice to how well the reigning champions performed in a situation where the club’s primary objective was to not allow three goals. Alisson Becker’s effort in the Liverpool goal is the only reason this wasn’t another significantly one-sided outcome.
Sporting Life Football & Infogol @InfogolApp
FT: Real Madrid 1-0 Liverpool
xG: 2.28-0.41Agg: 6-2 (3.96-2.62)
The second leg wasn’t close.
Liverpool’s worst attacking display away in a Champions League game since Napoli in 2018.#RealMadrid | #LFC | #RealMadridLiverpool | #ChampionsLeague pic.twitter.com/aE8hQzrlEI
The Champions League continues to bring the best out of Real Madrid, and Karim Benzema’s goal Wednesday illustrated how the club is almost fated to advance to the latter stages. Vinícius Júnior slipped as he attempted a shot but had the wherewithal to poke the ball across to the Frenchman for the easy finish.
CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ @CBSSportsGolazo
KARIM BENZEMA PUTS THE TIE OUT OF REACH! 🎯 pic.twitter.com/BQOY2skeF4
B/R Football @brfootball
Karim Benzema’s last eight UCL knockout games:
PSG ⚽⚽⚽
Chelsea ⚽⚽⚽
Chelsea ⚽
Man City ⚽⚽
Man City ⚽
Liverpool ➖
Liverpool ⚽⚽
Liverpool ⚽
Don’t worry about the fact Real Madrid is nine points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona. Who cares if that gap widens following Sunday’s El Clásico. Forget about what the quarterfinal draw looks like.
Just go ahead and pencil Los Blancos into at least the semifinals of the Champions League.
