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

And then there were six.

Arsenal and Barcelona advanced to the UCL quarterfinals on Tuesday, with the Gunners beating Porto 1-0 (1-1 aggregate, 4-2 penalties) and Barca knocking off Napoli 3-1 (4-2 aggregate).

Below, we'll break down the day's winners and losers.

---

Winner: David Raya

There were some questions being asked by supporters and footy pundits alike when Arsenal signed David Raya this summer given the presence of Aaron Ramsdale at the club.

Consider them answered.

The Arsenal goalkeeper stopped two shots in the penalty shootout, propelling his team into the quarterfinals.

Arsenal now return to the Champions League quarterfinals for the first time since 2010. It wasn't pretty against Porto, but Raya stood tall.

---

Loser: Porto's Passive Strategy

It became obvious fairly quickly that Porto's strategy was to defend furiously and hold on for dear life to its 1-0 advantage in aggregate, a desire that Leandro Trossard ended in the 41st minute with the match's only goal.

And so Porto's strategy shifted... to defending furiously, holding on for dear life and playing for a penalty shootout.

Credit goes to Porto for playing excellent defense in both ties, mucking up the midfield and packing the box against Arsenal's superior talent. Tactically, it was the sort of performance that would've left José Mourinho and Diego Simeone grinning from ear to ear. Porto took the approach of a coiled snake, guarding their territory against Arsenal's superior attacking talent and waiting for a moment to strike.

But playing for the coin flip of a penalty shootout also shows a lack of ambition, and it was Porto who ended up bitten in the end. Porto played their butts off, but the more ambitious side is moving on.

---

Winner: Barcelona's Youth Movement Leading the Club Back to UCL Contention

The La Liga giants haven't reached the UCL quarters since 2020. They ended that drought thanks to their young guns.

Fermín López, all of 20 years old, scored the game's first goal.

Pau Cubarsí, a 17-year-old, was brilliant in defense. Lamine Yamal, just 16, was also trusted with a start.

In a game without Gavi, Pedri and Frenkie De Jong, Barcelona needed other players to step up. The trio of López, Yamal and Cubarsí were more than ready.

---

Loser: Napoli's 2023-24 Trophy Aspirations

Napoli were one of the darlings of the 2022-23 seasons, winning a Serie A title while reaching the UCL quarterfinals.

Not this season. Napoli currently sit just seventh on the Serie A table at 44 points, 31 points behind leaders Inter. They've already been knocked out of both the Coppa Italia and Champions League.

What a difference a year makes.

---

Winner: Quarterfinal TV Ratings

The UCL quarterfinals already feature some of the biggest clubs in Europe, with Arsenal and Barcelona joining Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, defending champions Manchester City and PSG.

And two more powerhouses may join tomorrow, as either Atlético Madrid or Inter (leading 1-0 on aggregate) will move on and Borussia Dortmund (tied 1-1 in aggregate with PSV) could also advance.

It would not appear to be the year of the underdog, that much is for certain.