It might well be Valentine’s Day on Wednesday but for football fans love will be in the air when the Champions League last-16 round continues with two key ties.
Whether you’re a neutral or a fan of Paris-Saint Germain or Real Madrid, it will be hard to not keep tabs on the Spanish capital as Neymar and Co aim to inflict more misery on the two-time defending champions on their home turf at the Bernabeu.
Meanwhile, a couple of hundred miles away FC Porto will welcome Liverpool with the Portuguese side unbeaten at home in their domestic league.
Wednesday will be the fourth time in Champions League history that matches have been played on Valentine’s day. We look at some of the matches which made it a day to remember or saw fans’ hearts sunk:
2017: PSG 4-0 Barcelona, last-16, first-leg
The Spaniards came into the match by breezing through their group with five wins out of six but in Paris they simply fell apart in extraordinary fashion. Spectators inside Parc des Princes and indeed around the world could not believe their eyes at what was unfolding in the French capital as Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar looked anonymous with Angel Di Maria’s brace, Julian Draxler and Edinson Cavani sealing a famous 4-0 win to shatter the hearts of Barcelona fans.
2012: Bayer Leverkusen 1-3 Barcelona, last-16, first-leg
Two good: Alexis Sanchez
It was night when Alexis Sanchez struck his first Champions League goals in what was a dominant display at the BayArena. The Catalans were simply in a league of their own, enjoying 72 per cent of possession as they ran out comfortable winners. Sanchez slotted home in the first half before Michael Kadlec equalised for the Bundesliga side. Sanchez doubled his tally with a tap-in with Lionel Messi completing the 3-1 victory with a fine volley.
2001: AC Milan 1-1 Paris St-Germain, second group stage
Equaliser: Nicolas Anelka
By no means a classic but the stalemate at least ensured both sets of fans went home with a share of the spoils. For PSG fans, it was their first point of the second group stage although it was a game they really should have won considering AC Milan went down to 10 men after just 42 minutes when Roque Junior was dismissed.
Leonardo had put the home side in front at the San Siro before Nicolas Anelka fired in the equaliser soon after. Andriy Shevchenko could have won it for Milan but PSG held on for a point.
