UEFA Champions League round of 16: 5 things we learned from the first leg matches

The remaining of the first leg matches from the UEFA Champions League round of 16 concluded last night. While teams such as Bayern Munich and Liverpool have virtually secured their spot in the quarter-finals having won by five goals each, there's still a long way to go for other sides.

There was much of riveting footballing action on the cards for the viewers. While an underperforming Real Madrid came from behind to snatch a 3-1 victory against the high flying Paris Saint-Germain side, Tottenham Hotspur struck back from an early two-goal deficit to secure a draw against the Old Lady of Turin.

A dogged Chelsea side almost managed to get the better of the shaky Blaugrana outfit as both the teams played out a 1-1 draw. David de Gea saved Manchester United from the blushes once again while their noisy neighbours annihilated Basel away from home.

While much more action is yet to come in the second leg fixtures of the round of 16 tie, let us have a look at what we have learned so far.

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#1 Tottenham continue to show European mettle

Harry Kane and Christian Eriksen were Tottenham's heroes against Juventus

After scathing through unbeaten and also topping a group containing the likes of Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund, Spurs continued their promising run in the Champions League as they rallied back from a two-goal deficit against Juventus to end the night on level terms.

Juventus were sitting merrily having rocketed to a 2-0 lead in the ninth minute itself thanks to a brace from their Argentinian forward Gonzalo Higuain. After that, it was all about Tottenham.

The in-form sharpshooter Harry Kane continued with his goal-scoring exploits as he netted one of the two Spurs goals on the night. Christian Eriksen chipped in with the other one.

Such was the might of the North-London outfit that they made Juventus sit back and defend in their own backyard while enjoying nearly 67 percent of total possession. The likes of Harry Kane, Dele Alli, and Christian Eriksen made a veteran in Giorgio Chiellini perform like a lost kid in the park, catching the Italian defender cold on many occasions.

Tottenham took the attack to the Italian champions in their own home and were unlucky to not eke out an away victory. If this performance was even a remote indicator of the things to come, Spurs may end up going a long way in the UEFA Champions League this season.

#2 Liverpool are the dark horses of the tournament

Liverpool routed Porto away from home

Just how often have Liverpool scored four or five goals past an opposition this season? Many times. But when they did the same against a Porto side whom they had never beaten at the Dragao and who were also unbeaten in the Primeira Liga this season, it was special.

The regular men were in charge of the demolition as Mohammed Salah, Roberto Firmino, and Sadio Mane all netted goals to ensure the fall of the Dragões. It was not all about the goals either. Liverpool managed to keep a clean sheet - a rare feat for the Reds - at the Dragao where Porto have averaged nearly three goals per game.

Liverpool are one of the only three teams to remain unbeaten in the Champions League so far, the other two sides being Barcelona and Tottenham. Liverpool have also scored the most number of goals this season with 28 followed by PSG who have netted a total 26 times.

Given the blistering form of Salah and Firmino, the Merseysiders are a threat to any opposition. With Liverpool competing only in the Premier League apart from the Champions League, where the hopes of a title run are fairly slim, Jurgen Klopp may shift his focus towards securing European glory.

Liverpool have a more than capable side of going all the way in this year's Champions League and if their recent performances are anything to go by, a sixth European crown may well be on its way to Anfield.

#3 Never write off Real Madrid in the Champions League

Cristiano Ronaldo was at the heart of Real Madrid's comeback victory against PSG

When the defending champions Real Madrid were drawn against a high octane PSG side in the round of 16, the entire footballing universe was massively intrigued due to the backdrop of this tie.

While Real Madrid were reeling under the pressure of a dismal domestic run, the Parisians were cruising across all competitions. Add to the mix an underperforming Cristiano Ronaldo as well as the Brazilian Neymar who is out there to prove himself, and we have a mouth-watering clash on our hands.

While most individuals bet their money on the Paris outfit solely on the current form of both the sides, others opined that the Champions League is one tournament which Los Blancos have made their own. Everyone agreed on the fact that no team could be declared the outright winner, with most fingers raised at the Spanish champions.

Real Madrid quashed all the doubts with a massive 3-1 victory against Paris Saint-Germain. At the helm of it all was Cristiano Ronaldo who scored his 100th and 101st goal for Real Madrid in the Champions League on the night.

While the Madrid outfit still need to play a tricky tie at the Parc des Princes, if this win proves anything, it's the fact that Real Madrid can never be counted out when it comes to the Champions League.

#4 Bayern Munich are genuine contenders for the European crown

Bayern Munich recorded a thumping 5-0 victory over Besiktas

It was only a few months back that Bayern Munich recorded a sorry figure in Europe. A dismal pre-season followed by an average start to the Bundesliga put the pressure on the then-manager Carlo Ancelotti who was running out of options at the Allianz Arena.

Throwing away winnable games became a norm for the Bavarians who were trailing their arch-rival Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga table. The long-term injury to Manuel Neuer and his replacement, a below-par Sven Ulreich, didn't help either. Many questioned Ancelotti's squad selections too.

The clock ran out finally for Ancelotti after a three-goal drubbing in Paris and the Italian manager was sacked by the club. In a shocking move, Bayern's treble-winning manager Jupp Heynckes came back from retirement to begin his fourth term at the helm of Bayern Munich.

Four months and 23 games in charge later, Bayern Munich are back to being the powerhouse of a club they are supposed to be. From trailing to Dortmund by five points under Ancelotti, Bayern now lead the Bundesliga table by 19 points and are well on their way towards a record sixth-consecutive Bundesliga title.

Under Heynckes, Bayern have lost only one game and are currently on a 14-game winning streak across all competitions. This includes a fantastic 3-1 revenge victory against PSG in the Champions League.

Not only are the Bavarians in red-hot form, most of their injury-riddled players such as Thiago Alcantara and Franck Ribery have also made a comeback to the side. Ulreich has finally become a reliable figure between the sticks while the twin towers of Jerome Boateng and Mats Hummels have marshalled Bayern's defence well.

James Rodriguez has been a revelation for Bayern while the midfield-powerhouse Arturo Vidal has also put a poor beginning to the season behind him. Robert Lewandowski has been banging in the goals and has already scored a whopping 29 goals in 33 games across all competitions. Even Thomas Muller is slowly returning to his fox-in-the-box days as the German chipped in with two goals against Besiktas.

Overall, Bayern have enough fire-power in their arsenal (no pun intended) to make a run for a sixth UCL crown.

#5 Resurgence of English sides in the Champions League

Manchester City scored four past Basel at St. Jakob Park

The Premier League sides made history in the Champions League this season when five teams qualified for the main competition for the first time ever in the history of the game. This record was extended further when all the aforementioned five sides managed to qualify for the knockout stages and that too in fine fashion.

Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur all topped their respective groups while Chelsea finished second behind Roma. Even in the last-16 stage, most of these clubs have a favourable chance of qualifying to the next round.

Manchester City and Liverpool already have one foot in the quarter-finals by virtue of their huge away wins. Manchester United and Tottenham are also in a strong position as they will be looking to win their respective ties at home. Chelsea remain the only doubtful party as they face a stern test against Barcelona at Camp Nou.

Compare this scenario with that of last season, where Leicester City were the only English side in the quarter-finals of the competition, and you will see a sizeable difference.

The competition has inherently been dominated by Spanish sides over the last few years, with the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, and Sevilla being knockout stage regulars.

There has been a somewhat shift in power this season as all the five English sides have a healthy chance of qualifying to the quarter-finals. If that happens, Real Madrid, provided they qualify, will be the only Spanish side in the last-eight of the competition.

This improvement in the performance of the Premier League sides in Europe is a good sign of intent on part of these teams and is a happy sight for all the Premier League fans across the world.