Top Winners and Losers After Tuesday's Champions League Round-of-16 Results

Chelsea moved one step closer to the Champions League quarterfinal after a strong showing in Tuesday's round-of-16 matches.

The titleholders are looking to add another trophy to the shelf and began the 2021-22 knockout stage with a 2-0 win over Lille. In the other matchup of the day, Juventus and Villarreal ended with a 1-1 draw.

These two ties will be decided in the second legs March 16.

Here are the biggest winners and losers from the latest UCL action.

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Winner: Americans in Europe

Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie have been the two most prominent players for the United States men's national team, and both stepped up with big performances on the biggest stage.

Pulisic had been mostly quiet in 2021-22 with just three goals in all competitions, but he scored the second goal for Chelsea with a strong finish:

The goal certainly wasn't a fluke, as Pulisic was impressive throughout the match, making long runs while creating a lot of opportunities for teammates.

Not to be outdone, McKennie also fared well patrolling the midfield for Juventus:

McKennie was subbed off in the 81st minute after suffering an apparent ankle injury, which is worth monitoring going forward, but he was excellent when on the pitch.

Fans also didn't get a chance to see Timothy Weah, as the birthday boy remained on Lille's bench, but there was a lot to like from the American players.

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Loser: Romelu Lukaku

It's been a disappointing season for Romelu Lukaku since he transferred to Chelsea, scoring just five goals in league play while seeing inconsistent playing time.

Manager Thomas Tuchel kept the star striker on the bench for Tuesday's match after an uneventful performance against Crystal Palace last time out.

Kai Havertz took over as a center forward and rewarded the decision with a goal in the eighth minute:

Havertz had missed an earlier chance, but he was much more active than Lukaku has been as of late:

The movement led to more opportunities for Havertz and other players in what became a more fluid attack.

With Pulisic and Hakim Ziyech linking up well with Havertz in a rotating front three, Chelsea looked much more dangerous than in recent weeks.

Unless Lukaku begins improving, he could see less playing time going forward.

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Winner: Juventus' January Transfer Window

Clubs don't often get game-changing players during the January window, but Juventus might have found one in Dusan Vlahovic.

The striker was making his Champions League debut Tuesday and needed just 32 seconds to get onto the scoresheet:

The 22-year-old showcased a wide skill set throughout the match for Juventus:

Juventus had been lacking a target man to lead the attack and seemingly found one in Vlahovic, who also scored in his Serie A debut with the club earlier this month.

If he continues to perform, the high-priced signing could help Juventus make a deep run in this tournament.

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Loser: Villarreal's Finishing

The result could have been worse for Villarreal, which ended up with a 1-1 draw after coming from behind.

Dani Parejo tied the match in the 66th minute with a close goal:

The Spanish club might still be disappointed in not getting three points after controlling most of the action.

Villarreal finished with 54 percent possession while outshooting Juventus 9-7. The home team also took the only four corners of the match and easily led in expected goals.

Unfortunately, the squad simply couldn't create enough real chances to win.

The margins are extremely thin at this level, and Villarreal must make sure it takes advantage of opportunities if it wants to advance.

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Winner: Premier League

After last year's all-English final between Chelsea and Manchester City, the Champions League could see a lot more of Premier League teams in this season's knockout stages.

Manchester City is a clear favorite and already has a foot in the next round after a 5-0 win over Sporting CP last week. Liverpool followed suit with a 2-0 win over Inter, while Chelsea also earned a win in the first leg.

Manchester United could have a difficult task getting past Atletico Madrid, but you probably don't want to bet against an English club at this point.

Bayern Munich was the only Bundesliga club to advance beyond the group stage, and there are question marks for the squad after a 1-1 draw against Salzburg in the round of 16. Clubs from La Liga and Serie A have also struggled throughout this tournament.

The Premier League has been much more consistent and is clearly the toughest league in the world at the moment.