Real Madrid, celebrating

Real Madrid dug deep on Wednesday at Stadio Olimpico to grind out a well deserved victory against a determined and dangerous Roma  in the Champions League Round of 16 first leg

After a difficult first half in which Roma tormented Madrid’s defence with long balls and pace,  Cristiano Ronaldo finally broke the deadlock on 57th minute when his long-range shot clipped Roma’s Alessandro Florenzi before finding the back of the net.

Substitute Jese  increased the tally in the 86th minute to give Madrid some comfort ahead of the return leg in Madrid in a fortnight.

Substitute Jese was allowed enough time  to angle a shot into the bottom left corner of Wojciech Szczesny’s goal, leaving Roma requiring a second-leg miracle to progress.

In Belgium, Wolfsburg also ran away with a 3-2 victory at the Ghelamco Arena. Thanks to a superb brace by  Julian Draxler .

The massive away goals  put Gent’s Champions League hopes in jeopardy.