LONDON: Fired-up Arsenal thrashed PSV Eindhoven 7-1 away in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Tuesday after rattling in three goals in a 13-minute spell in the first half and then ruthlessly added four more after the break.
Jurrien Timber opened the scoring in the 18th minute, followed by a strike from teenager Ethan Nwaneri before Mikel Merino added the third in the 31st.
The Dutch champions pulled one back with a Noa Lang penalty for a 3-1 half-time deficit but two goals in the opening three minutes after the break reinforced Arsenal’s dominance, with captain Martin Odegaard and Leandro Trossard scoring.
Odegaard got his second goal in the 73rd minute before substitute Riccardo Calafiori netted the seventh five minutes from time to complete the rout at the Philips Stadion.
Arsenal registered their biggest away win in European club competition and put themselves in a virtually unassailable position to advance to the quarter-finals.
They dominated from the start, although the hosts should have taken the lead in the 16th minute when a cross from Ivan Perisic was palmed away by goalkeeper David Raya into the path of Ismael Saibari, who rattled the crossbar from close range.
Two minutes later, a clever turn and left-foot cross from Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice saw Timber tower above Lang at the back post to head home and begin the deluge.
The left side of the Gunners' attack also provided the second goal as Myles Lewis-Skelly played in a square pass that Nwaneri ran onto and slammed home from point-blank range.
Brahim Diaz scored a second-half winner as hosts Real Madrid edged past neighbours Atletico Madrid 2-1 in a scrappy first leg of their Champions League Round of 16 tie on Tuesday night after Julian Alvarez had cancelled out Rodrygo's opener.
It was a stuttering capital derby between bitter rivals who at times looked to be playing within themselves, seemingly conserving some energy for what is likely to be a compelling return leg at Atletico's Metropolitano Stadium next week.
Real started on fire when Rodrygo scored a fine opener four minutes after kick-off but Atletico slowly got into the game and Alvarez equalised with a stunning strike in the 32nd minute.
Real got the winner in the 55th through Diaz, who worked his magic to find a tiny pocket of space inside a crowded box and slotted a low, angled strike inside Jan Oblak's far post.
Aston Villa earned a 3-1 win away to Club Brugge in the first leg of their last-16 tie in Belgium, thanks to an own goal and a penalty kick in the final eight minutes.
Leon Bailey put Villa ahead after three minutes and Maxim De Cuyper levelled nine minutes later. But Brugge's Brandon Mechele scored an own goal eight minutes from time and with two minutes left, Marco Asensio converted from the penalty spot.
The sides will meet again at Villa Park next Wednesday for the second leg.
Lille scored with their first shot on target in the 68th minute through Hakon Haraldsson to earn a 1-1 draw at Borussia Dortmund after Karim Adeyemi gave the hosts a half-time lead in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.
The Germans, last year's finalists, were frustrated with the result after failing to extend their advantage in the opening period despite several chances. Agencies
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