MADRID -- "I've got five Champions Leagues, you have none," was Cristiano Ronaldo's icy response as he rushed through Atletico Madrid's Wanda Metropolitano mixed zone Wednesday night, after the former Real Madrid star's return to his old city had gone disastrously for both him and his new team Juventus.

A rip-roaring second-half display that ranks with any from Diego Simeone's eight years as Atletico coach brought a 2-0 victory, both goals courtesy set pieces from centre-backs Jose Maria Gimenez...

As European nights go, this one was not bad for the neutral. It served up a cauldron of grit, intensity and Diego Simeone magic as Atletico beat Juventus in Madrid while, in Gelsenkirchen, Manchester City narrowly avoided a seismic shock vs. Schalke, thanks in no small part to a local lad, Leroy Sane. Oh, and VAR had a prominent role to play in both games.

Here are eight takeaways from a wild Wednesday:

1. VAR was only introduced into the Champions League for this season's knockout rounds and, one...

It might not provide the most enthralling technical football of the Champions League round of 16, but there's something wonderfully intriguing about the tie between Atletico Madrid and Juventus, the first leg of which takes place on Wednesday evening.

These are effectively the two nearly-men of the last half-decade in this competition, both defeated finalists twice: Atletico losing to Real Madrid in 2014 and 2016, Juventus falling to Barcelona and Real in 2015 and 2017. But that status, and...

It's been a week of new beginnings in La Liga or at least, a week of new opportunities. One was merited, one is doubtful and one disastrous.

The three characters on stage are Ernesto Valverde, Diego Simeone and Marcelo, so let's start with the disastrous and build from there.

Even though it's the decision that, in all probability, cut the legs off Madrid's title chase, Santi Solari was well within his rights to think that Sunday's match against Girona was an acceptable opportunity to sharpen...

Which eight clubs will make it through to the Champions League quarterfinals? Here are our writers' predictions.

Gab Marcotti

Man United, Roma, Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Liverpool, Barcelona, Juventus, Man City

Mark Ogden

Man United, Roma, Real Madrid, Tottenham, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Man City

Graham Hunter

Man United, Porto, Real Madrid, Tottenham, Liverpool, Barcelona, Juventus, Man City

Raphael Honigstein

PSG, Porto, Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Liverpool, Barcelona,...

Real Madrid beat Atletico Madrid 3-1 to climb up to second in La Liga, and are now -- aided by Barcelona's 0-0 draw at Athletic Bilbao -- just six points off the top. Juventus beat Sassuolo 3-0 -- Cristiano Ronaldo with a goal and an assist -- to go nine points clear of second-placed Napoli. Manchester United continued on their merry way with a 3-0 win at Fulham to climb into the top 4 for the first time since the opening day of the Premier League season, while Liverpool eased the pressure threatening...