With the first legs of Champions League Round of 16 fixtures over, theScore looks at what we learned in the four matches across Tuesday and Wednesday.

It’ll be gung ho in Monaco

It took 26 minutes for Raheem Sterling to open the scoring in Tuesday’s visit from AS Monaco, and that kicked the floodgates wide open. For the rest of the match, 15 minutes weren’t able to pass without another goal, as the visitor and Manchester City took turns testing each other’s shaky backlines.

It was a match which fitted its billing as two of Europe’s most forward-thinking teams exchanged eight goals – a record high for a last-16 first leg – with City the triumphant party with five.

And the next meeting should be no different.

“We don’t have to underestimate them and must try to score goals again. We are a team that can get the goals but we can concede goals,” Yaya Toure said, before noting that a team featuring himself, David Silva, Bacary Sagna, and Pablo Zabaleta, all of whom are aged 31 and over, looked sprightly.

“After the game my wife called me and said we were looking young today, the team was brilliant.”

While Pep Guardiola echoed Toure’s belief that City will need to attack in Monaco, it could be easier for the northwest club in the second leg: Kamil Glik, the uncompromising and pivotal centre-half, will be suspended for the tilt.

Foxes avoid Sevilla battering

Kasper Schmeichel was the only member of the away side in the opening stanza deserving of credit, and he must’ve been at a loss when trying to comprehend the ineptitude of his Leicester City colleagues in front of him.

While he thwarted Joaquin Correa from the penalty spot, captain Wes Morgan trundled around unathletically and the Foxes distribution – they had a 58 percent pass success rate to Sevilla’s 85 – was woeful.

After just over an hour, the Andalusians were deservedly up 2-0.

Then Jamie Vardy, hero of 24 goals en route to Leicester’s shock Premier League title win last term, hit his first shot on target in 380 minutes. And he scored.

Related: Vardy gives Leicester life after converting 1st shot on target in ages

With an away goal and just one strike to scale in the second bout, this two-legged affair is unexpectedly wide open. Schmeichel is due plenty of credit for simultaneously keeping Leicester’s continental hopes alive, and Jorge Sampaoli’s organised chaos at bay on numerous occasions.

Griezmann’s parting gift?

Six blows were exchanged between Atletico Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen, meaning Tuesday was the highest-scoring knockout day (14 goals) since 2009 – when four matches were played.

There’s a lingering concern that Antoine Griezmann, the scorer of the second in the 4-2 win, will be on his way though. Manchester United is apparently sniffing, and will be encouraged by the Frenchman surpassing legend Luis Aragones as Atleti’s top scorer in Europe with 13.

If he is heading for the exit, Kevin Gameiro will have to step up fast after some largely indifferent form. He showed he hadn’t lost his goalscoring touch in his hat trick in the space of 294 seconds three days before the Leverkusen match, and then held up the ball magnificently for Griezmann’s tally in North Rhine-Westphalia:

But, despite there being two distinct and organised lines of four before Griezmann’s finish, Diego Simeone’s lot is still hemorrhaging goals by its usual standards. In La Liga, Los Colchoneros have conceded eight more goals than at the same point of last season.

The Old Lady makes hard work of deserved win

Referee Felix Brych made some dodgy calls in Juventus’ trip to FC Porto, but Massimiliano Allegri’s tactical nous prevailed near the banks of the Douro River.

While Allegri may have his doubters for building success on the instrumental foundations laid by his predecessor Antonio Conte, it’s tweaks like his introductions of Marko Pjaca and Dani Alves that must have the Arsenal hierarchy strongly considering him as Arsene Wenger’s successor.

Related – Arsenal-linked Allegri: I’m not learning English again

Both players scored. Pjaca opened his Juventus account with a smash before Alves met a teasing Alex Sandro cross to double the Old Lady’s advantage. Or triple – considering the importance of bagging away goals in the knockout rounds.

Porto will travel to Turin on March 14 as the rank underdog: Juventus hasn’t lost at home in the Champions League since a quarter-final squabble with Bayern Munich in April 2013.

(Photos courtesy: Reuters)

The Washington Redskins and Kirk Cousins remain at an impasse, with one week left before the deadline for the franchise tag. It’s not exactly a surprising spot, considering the leverage of one side and the clear doubts on the other. And it makes sense for Cousins to stay unsigned.

So says a veteran of NFL front offices, Joe Banner.

He spent 17 seasons as president of the Philadelphia Eagles; two years as the CEO of the Cleveland Browns and two more years as a front office consultant to the Atlanta Falcons. He offers a unique perspective and understands the dilemma facing the Redskins — and Cousins’ unique position.

“If I was the agent, I’d want to see if they tag me before I did anything,” Banner said. “If they don’t tag me, I’d love to hit the open market and if they do tag me, use that as the base to open the negotiations. It’s pointless to negotiate now until the player and agent know whether or not they’re getting tagged.”

Here’s why: If the Redskins somehow let Cousins hit the open market, Banner said it would result in a big payday.

“He’d get a huge deal and would become the highest-paid QB by a moderate amount,” he said.

Cousins’ potential, and just how good he already is, has led to many debates. Banner places Cousins in the good-but-not-great camp. That doesn’t mean his pay would be commensurate.

“We’ve all wondered if a quality quarterback actually hit the market in his 20s where he had six or seven years left to play and total unrestricted free agency, what is his real market value?” Banner said. “We don’t know that. No one has had that opportunity or had the patience to get tagged twice. He’s now very close and in complete control and whether or not that happens, that’s a powerful place to be.”

Banner said the options here are clear. The Redskins can let Cousins walk (which he said he doesn’t believe they’re considering), tag him or do a long-term deal.

And that would lead to a deal that will cost quite a bit.

“The only way you get it done is if you pay him,” Banner said. “You probably have to make him the highest paid, at least to this point. Losing him is a terrible option. Keeping him on a one-year deal is the best under the circumstances, but it’s not a great option and having to overpay with a long-term deal with a huge signing bonus. If you think he’s the answer, it’s a no-brainer. But if you think he’s good but not good enough to carry the team, that’s problematic.”

The question is: If the Redskins tag Cousins, would there be a trade market? Banner said he could see someone wanting to trade for Cousins, but to a point. There will be other choices for teams in need of a quarterback, whether via trade (New England’s Jimmy Garoppolo), free agency (if Buffalo’s Tyrod Taylor, Chicago’s Jay Cutler and San Francisco’s Colin Kaepernick become free) or the draft.

The return after almost two full seasons on the sideline wasn’t what Victor Cruz anticipated. He finished with 39 catches for 586 yards and one touchdown, which came in the season opener against the Dallas Cowboys.

There were games when the ball wasn’t even thrown in Cruz’s direction. There were games when he was merely an afterthought. There were afternoons when he ran 40-plus routes and his only opportunity resulted in a big play downfield. It was up, down and filled with inconsistent production.

There still were positives to take from the season. The comeback after missing almost two years with a torn patellar tendon and then a calf problem was inspiring. A torn patellar tendon has ruined many a career. Cruz at least looked the part of an NFL player when the ball was thrown in his direction.

That is an accomplishment. There are two injuries that players are scared of these days, according to Odell Beckham Jr. They are a torn patellar tendon and a ruptured Achilles. Cruz had the former, followed by a serious calf injury that robbed him of 2015. Just making it back from the injuries was encouraging for Cruz, and so was playing in 16 games (including playoffs) with only a minor ankle sprain keeping him from appearing in every Giants contest this past season.

“Staying healthy is obviously encouraging,” Giants coach Ben McAdoo said after the season.

But this is a business, and Cruz was cut last week. His production and lack of explosion made him expendable with Roger Lewis and Tavarres King, or a potential draft pick or free agent, as his replacement.

Cruz wasn’t an ideal fit on the outside opposite Beckham. After spending most of his career working out of the slot, Cruz was bumped outside to make room for rookie Sterling Shepard. It didn’t maximize his chance to succeed, and contributed to his departure.

Now Cruz is a free agent, a better fit for a team looking for a veteran to play in the slot. Suitors must determine how much he has left in the tank. Cruz says plenty. The other 31 teams will decide.

Free agent file

Victor Cruz

Position: Wide receiver

Age: 30

Experience: 6 years

Projected contract: 1 year, $2.5 million, $1 million guaranteed

(Note: The projected contract was derived from the average of five league sources surveyed. The panel consists of a front-office executive, salary-cap experts and agents.)

Comparable contracts: Anquan Boldin (Lions)