Champions League Results 2015: Scores, Top Players for Round of 16 Day 1
The Champions League round of 16 is all square after the first day of competition. Chelsea left their mark on Paris Saint-Germain to take a 1-1 draw from their away trip while Bayern were held 0-0 at Shakhtar Donetsk.
Despite the lack of goalmouth action, Europe's premier competition once again produced a selection of top-class performances on Tuesday, with combatants from both fixtures impressing.
Read on for a breakdown of Tuesday evening's results along with discussion of who impressed most on the first matchday of this season's round of 16.
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Top Players
Branislav Ivanovic
Chelsea's defence made a lasting impression on Tuesday night after John Terry and Gary Cahill teed up the first converted chance of the evening at the Parc des Princes, finished off by Branislav Ivanovic.
The Serbian international has been an extremely useful asset for Jose Mourinho in attack of late and rose to put the Blues ahead in the French capital not for the first time, as Sky Football's Matthew Stanger pointed out:
Following Edinson Cavani's equaliser, it didn't end up being the match-winner the right-back had hoped for but nonetheless showcased yet again what a varied skill set he brings to Mourinho's line-up.
Ivanovic has been particularly prolific in European competition since moving to Stamford Bridge, too, with OptaFranz displaying just how highly he sits as a defensive figure who boasts a substantial threat on goal:
Winning both of his attempted tackles and winning two of his four aerial duels—no other Chelsea player won more—Ivanovic was far from absent at the back, too.
For the vast majority of the game, Ezequiel Lavezzi struggled to make any ground against his marker, but Cavani did present Ivanovic with a sterner test after switching flanks.
Taison
A 0-0 stalemate against Bayern Munich was no bad result for Shakhtar on Tuesday evening, and although the scoreline may not suggest it, the Ukrainians weren't without their own threat in attack.
A great deal of those forward movements were made through Brazilian Taison, with UKRfutbol hailing the winger for his tireless efforts in attempting to better Bayern full-back Rafinha:
For patches, Taison seemed like the only Shakhtar player likely to cause their guests even the slightest threat at the back and was responsible for luring several of Pep Guardiola's men into yellow card-worthy fouls.
No player in the fixture managed more than his tally of three dribbles—Arjen Robben being the only man to match that number—while three tackles on the night was also impressive considering his offensive priorities.
Taison's efforts were pivotal in applying pressure on Der FCB throughout. Had the hosts respected their visitors or shown a tendency to back off, they risked being overwhelmed, but Taison was at the forefront of a brave cause.
Blaise Matuidi
An early setback saw Paris Saint-Germain's mental fortitude put to the test on Tuesday evening, and one might well argue that without Blaise Matuidi's efforts, Blanc's men may have fallen to Chelsea.
The midfield anchor reacted tremendously to the deficit, laying a foundation for the Parisian hosts from which they could bounce back, earning the praise of ESPN's James Tyler and Grant Wahl of Sports Illustrated:
No player completed more tackles than Matuidi's tally of five on Tuesday, finishing with a pass accuracy of 86 percent from 59 attempts.
His contributions were about far more than simply restraining the Blues, however, as Squawka illustrated what a playmaking force the Frenchman was during the first period alone:
It was thanks to some fine interlinking play from Matuidi that Cavani was able to pull PSG level at the Parc des Princes, the former giving a terrifically rounded account of his talents.
All statistics come courtesy of WhoScored.com.
