Borussia Dortmund solidified their Champions League ambitions with a commanding performance against Sporting Lisbon, securing a spot in the round of 16 despite a tense 0-0 second-leg draw. All eyes now shift to the seismic clash between Real Madrid and Manchester City, set to ignite the Santiago Bernabéu this Wednesday.
Dortmund entered the match with a 3-0 aggregate lead, their disciplined defense neutralizing Sporting’s efforts. The Portuguese side, still reeling from Ruben Amorim’s abrupt exit to Manchester United in November, extended their Champions League winless streak to six games. “This defeat reflects our ongoing instability,” a Sporting insider revealed anonymously.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid narrowly leads Manchester City 3-2 ahead of their high-stakes showdown.
“This is the tie of the round—two titans colliding,”noted UEFA analyst Marco Rossi. Other key matchups include Paris Saint-Germain’s 3-0 cushion against Brest and Juventus’ precarious 2-1 lead over PSV Eindhoven.
Champions League Standings & Format Shakeup:
- Top 8 seeded teams (Liverpool, Barcelona, Arsenal, etc.) bypass playoffs
- Dortmund joins Bayern Munich, Benfica, and Feyenoord as unseeded round of 16 hosts
- New tennis-style bracket pairs lower seeds against higher-ranked opponents
Despite Serhou Guirassy’s missed penalty, Dortmund progresses comfortably. Their Bundesliga struggles, however, cast doubt on next season’s Champions League eligibility—currently 11th domestically, they might need to win the title to qualify. Sporting, sitting atop Portugal’s Primeira Liga, faces fewer hurdles for 2025 entry.
With Friday’s draw in Switzerland determining matchups, Dortmund could face Lille or Aston Villa. Madrid and City await Atletico Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen, ensuring no easy paths in Europe’s elite competition.
