Kvaratskhelia shines with a late brace as Paris crush Chelsea, while Arsenal survive thanks to Havertz penalty
The first leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 delivered goals, drama, and a few surprises across Europe.
Paris Saint‑Germain and FK Bodø/Glimt produced the most convincing victories of the night, while Arsenal FC escaped Germany with a late equalizer against Bayer Leverkusen.
Arsenal Hold On in Leverkusen
At the BayArena, Arsenal needed a late penalty from Kai Havertz to secure a 1–1 draw against Bayer Leverkusen.
The match was tense and tightly contested, with few clear chances early on. Arsenal came closest before halftime when Gabriel Martinelli struck the crossbar.
Leverkusen broke the deadlock early in the second half. From a corner kick, captain Robert Andrich rose highest at the far post to head the ball into the net.
The German side then defended deeply for most of the half, protecting their advantage until the final minutes. But in the 89th minute, a foul by Malik Tillman on Noni Madueke gave Arsenal a penalty.
Havertz, facing his former club, converted calmly to level the match and keep the tie wide open ahead of the return leg at the Emirates Stadium.
Bodø/Glimt Continue Their European Dream
One of the most impressive performances of the night came in Norway, where Bodø/Glimt stunned Sporting CP with a convincing 3–0 victory.
The hosts opened the scoring in the 32nd minute through Ulrik Saltnes Fet from the penalty spot.
Sporting controlled possession but struggled to break through Bodø’s aggressive midfield pressing. Just before halftime, Jens Petter Hauge set up Sondre Blomberg for the second goal with a precise low finish.
The Norwegian side sealed the result in the 71st minute when Kasper Høgh scored the third goal after another quick attacking move.
With a three-goal cushion, Bodø/Glimt now head into the return leg in Lisbon dreaming of a historic Champions League quarterfinal.
PSG Overpower Chelsea
The most spectacular match of the night took place in Paris, where Chelsea FC fell 5–2 against a ruthless PSG side led by Luis Enrique.
PSG struck first after just ten minutes through Bradley Barcola, who fired a powerful shot into the top corner.
Chelsea responded quickly and equalized in the 28th minute with Malo Gusto.
PSG regained the lead when Ousmane Dembélé produced a brilliant solo run and finish during a counterattack.
The match remained balanced after Enzo Fernández equalized early in the second half.
But the final stages belonged entirely to the home team.
First, Vitinha capitalized on a mistake from goalkeeper Filip Jørgensen to make it 3–2.
Then Khvicha Kvaratskhelia stole the spotlight. The Georgian winger scored a spectacular curling shot into the top corner in the 86th minute before finishing a rapid counterattack in stoppage time.
The 5–2 victory leaves PSG in a commanding position ahead of the second leg, while Chelsea will need an extraordinary comeback in London to stay alive in the competition.
