We've ranked the five English side's performances in Europe
We've ranked the five English side's performances in Europe

Champions League: Ranking the first-leg performances of all five English Champions League teams


All five English teams went unbeaten in the first leg of their Champions League ties, but who put in the best performance?

English teams have had a lean few years in Champions League terms, but after all five first legs in the last 16 none suffered defeat, two are virtually through and only one is not favoured to make the quarter-finals.

Manchester City are the 11/4 outright favourites to win the Champions League after their 4-0 victory in Basel, while Liverpool were also in devastating form as they hit five in Porto.

Tottenham and Manchester United received different reviews for their respective away draws, while Chelsea held Barcelona are home but look to be facing the toughest test to make the last eight.

1. Porto 0-5 Liverpool

Mo Salah scores
Mo Salah scores

The Reds have shown on numerous occasions that they can rip any defence apart when they’re on their game, but few expected such dominance against a Porto side that were unbeaten in 24 and had only lost once at home all season.

However, it was all Liverpool as they made it 28 goals in the Champions League this season and inflicted Porto’s heaviest-ever home European defeat – they’re also the first English side to score five away from home in a Champions League knockout.

They can even rest players for the second leg in what should be a formality - they're 1/1000 to go through!

2. Juventus 2-2 Tottenham

Harry Kane
Harry Kane

Spurs may not have won their first leg but you couldn’t help but be impressed with how they responded to going 2-0 down at Juventus inside ten minutes. The Italians hardly ever concede and only once before have they not won a Champions League home game after enjoying a two-goal lead.

Spurs dominated for large parts of the game, they got a stroke of luck with Higuain missing his second penalty but they have two away goals in their pockets for the return leg at Wembley.

It’s obviously only half a job done as you could never write off Juve, but Tottenham are 2/5 favourites to qualify now and take one of the biggest scalps in Europe.

3. Basel 0-4 Man City

It may seem harsh that City can win 4-0 away from home and yet it’s just the third best English first-leg performance, and it’s taking nothing away from a superb win from what is traditionally a tricky trip to Switzerland.

You could argue that this was not an unexpected result, and the previous two were something a bit special.

City had a couple of early scares, and Basel keeper Tomas Vaclik didn’t cover himself in glory, but from then on City proved why they are the tournament favourites and will be a force to be reckoned with in the quarter-finals.

4. Chelsea 1-1 Barcelona

Lionel Messi finally scored against Chelsea
Lionel Messi finally scored against Chelsea

Lionel Messi finally scored against Chelsea at the ninth time of asking to cancel out Willian’s strike and prevent Chelsea from producing a superb victory over the runaway La Liga leaders – and now face an uphill battle in the second leg.

Chelsea are the only English side who aren’t favourites to win their tie, with them 11/4 to pull off what would be an upset given Barcelona have the away goal and home advantage in the second leg, but stranger things have happened!

5. Sevilla 0-0 Man Utd

David de Gea yet again came to United’s rescue with a couple of brilliant saves in Seville to thwart the hosts and give what, in the end, is a decent result for Jose Mourinho’s side despite the absence of an away goal.

It does mean a score draw would take Sevilla through but Mourinho knows how to win ties like this and he'll not be put off by the criticism that has accompanied another performance.

Mourinho coming under fire is nothing new and he’ll think of it as job done and fancy his chances in the return leg at Old Trafford – and the bookies agree as they’re 8/15 to make the last eight.

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