The Champions League round of 16 is done and dusted as Bayern Munich, PSG, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Arsenal, Barcelona, Dortmund and Atletico Madrid all moved on to the quarterfinals. Here are the best individual performers from the round of 16.
GK: David Raya, Arsenal
The Champions League's first penalty shootout since the 2016 final delivered a career-defining moment for David Raya, the man who had replaced the beloved Aaron Ramsdale now assured of a place in Arsenal history thanks to his denying of Wendell and Galeno. Generally, misses from 12 yards out are more about what the taker has done wrong rather than anything the goalkeeper has done right but Raya offered the exception to that particular rule when he got fingertips on Wendell's effort, which might otherwise have nestled in the side netting. The quality of that stop means he just shades Jan Oblak.
The man of the hour was not a title that sat comfortably with Raya, who said afterward, "I wouldn't say I'm the hero – everyone's played their part. My part was to save penalties at the end and it feels amazing. To get through to the quarterfinals in this way, after we weren't happy with our performance over there in Porto, is just incredible."
Even before the shootout, though, Raya was not someone who should have felt displeased with what he had delivered. He oozed composure and was as dominant as ever when his opponents looped crosses into the box.
RB: Benjamin Pavard, Inter
We're playing a little fast and loose with Benjamin Pavard's positioning here but the man on the right of Simone Inzaghi's back three would be miscast as a mere center back. He helped Inter progress the ball, covered when Denzel Dumfries charged upfield but was also perfectly capable of stepping up into midfield and beyond.
Impressive in the first leg, he was outstanding in the second, contributing at both ends even as Inter frittered away a hard-won advantage. In the 80th minute, his brilliant intervention denied Memphis Depay -- at least for the time being -- and even as the tie of the round drifted into extra time, Pavard was contributing, slipping Davide Frattesi into a shooting spot in the penalty area.
CB: Willi Orban, RB Leipzig
In this team more for just his goal in the second leg -- though that certainly helps -- Willi Orban delivered a sterling display of back-to-the-wall defense across both meetings with Real Madrid. In particular, he impressed when RB Leipzig were under the cosh in the early exchanges of the first leg, imposing himself on Rodrygo and Brahim Diaz.
CB: Pepe, Porto
It was exceedingly tempting to hand this spot to Pau Cubarsi after a display worthy of a man twice his 17 years as Barcelona largely held firm against Napoli. Even someone with that many years would be a young buck in comparison to 41 year old Pepe, who delivered a masterclass in the style of defending he has come to define: physical, cynical and utterly belligerent. Arsenal might not have needed a penalty shootout to win the tie were it not for Pepe's brilliant clearing header before Kai Havertz could turn in at the back post. They almost certainly would not have if the grand old man of Portuguese football didn't draw just enough contact from Havertz before Martin Odegaard pinged the ball into an empty net.
Pepe lived for the wind up, celebrating every tackle and interception with gusto in front of an Emirates Stadium faithful that were driven mad both by his cynicism and the quality of his last gasp interventions. Then as Galeno's effort bounced back off Raya's gloves he broke out into warm applause to the conquerors. He wasn't a bad guy, just one doing whatever it took to win.
LB: Wendell, Porto
Has anyone quelled the threat posed by Bukayo Saka as effectively as Wendell, who for three and a half hours sat on the Arsenal forward's back, challenging him on every pass and niggling him with his every touch. Most opponents tend to find they need to double perhaps even triple team Saka if they are going to slow him down but Porto could often survive with their Brazilian international going man-to-man with the Gunners' most ferocious attacker.
In just 209 minutes Wendell made 20 ball recoveries, 12 tackles, eight interceptions and four clearances, winning 63 percent of his 30 duels. Those would be sensational numbers whoever he was matched up against. To do so against a forward who had set the Champions League alight so far is remarkable.
CM: Koke, Atletico Madrid
One of the last men standing from Atletico's age of European greatness, Koke rolled back the years when Inter turned up at the Wanda Metropolitano. Well, somewhat. The 32-year-old was still a possession machine, completing 89 percent of his passes and making 27 passes into the attacking third, a tally bettered only by Olivier Boscagli. By the end of this tie, he was spreading the ball quite wonderfully as 75 percent of the 16 long passes he attempted found a teammate. The best of the lot hardly traveled that far, however, a wonderfully precise delivery to tee up Memphis Depay for the goal that fired Atleti into extra time.
Koke's determination and ferocity brought to mind the Atletico of old, a side that simply refused to accept that a two-goal, deficit to one of Europe's best sides would be beyond them. You suspect if he had been tasked with a spot kick he would have leathered it beyond Yann Sommer.
CM: Toni Kroos, Real Madrid
There was nothing particularly out of the ordinary about Toni Kroos' performances home and away to RB Leipzig but the German merely delivering to the standard he has set for himself this season is worthy of team of the round. No one other than William Saliba completed more forward passes but what particularly stood out where Kroos was concerned was his inventiveness from set pieces, mixing it up with quickly taken passes to the edge of the box and wicked deliveries that still somehow found space between Leipzig's sizeable defenders.
CM: Martin Odegaard, Arsenal
That assist alone would get him in the team. It's that good. In fact, shall we just treat ourselves to another look? It never gets old.
The pass from Martin Odegaard. The finish from Leandro Trossard. And now the Emirates is ROARING. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/EqexVkG5Wy
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) March 12, 2024
What makes Odegaard such an exceptional playmaker isn't his eye for a pass, however. He doesn't just get Arsenal into dangerous spots, he keeps them there. He ended his two legs against Porto having won possession in the final third on six occasions, his assertive pressing coming alongside great anticipation for Porto's exit passes
RW: Thomas Muller, Bayern Munich
No one in the round of 16 was more creative than Thomas Muller, whose dovetailing with Harry Kane in the second leg was vital in getting Bayern Munich out of the hole they had dug for themselves in Rome. Not that he deserved much criticism for that result first time out, a match the veteran raumdeuter ended with 0.82 expected assists to his name and five chances created. He added another three in the second leg, where he also popped up with the most Thomas Muller goal you have ever seen.
Muller's pass arrows tell the story of an impressive pair of displays, games where he was continually applying pressure on the Lazio penalty area, pressure that on other occasions might have led to this tie being won in the first leg rather than the shambles. "Not a complete shambles" indeed.
ST: Robert Lewandowski, Barcelona
A straight battle here between Kane and Robert Lewandowski, both of whom netted a brace in performances largely defined by their poaching qualities. There's a pretty convincing argument for each but Lewandowski's first leg goal means he just about shades it. That strike is a triumph of goal poaching, the Barcelona No. 9 lurking on the shoulder of Amir Rrahmani, calling for Pedri's pass and forging space between two onrushing defenders to get his strike away.
LW: Kylian Mbappe, Paris Saint-Germain
If he will forgive me this most backhanded of compliments, the round of 16 really is Kylian Mbappe's great hunting ground in the Champions League. Before PSG's systemic shortcomings are uncovered by the best of the best, he can rip the rest to shreds. That he did with a trio of goals against a Real Sociedad defense that had the look of a powerful outfit before they ran into Mbappe. He could get his shot up at will, averaging one every 16 minutes and taking only two fewer in the first leg than the entirety of the Spanish club.
Best of all he treated Europe to another prime cut of what might just be his specialty dish, the drive up the left flank, opening his body up to bend the ball into the far post before whacking it into the near one.
