Europa League last 16 first-leg matches - in pictures

Anji Makhachkala's head coach, Guus Hiddink, seems to be enjoying some amusing banter with Newcastle boss Alan Pardew before kick-off at Luzhniki stadium in Moscow. Maybe he's predicting the score ... 1-0 to Anji? Photograph: Maxim Shipenkov/EPA

Fat chance of that, it seems, if the first half is anything to go by. The quality of play is poor and the match is punishingly dull. Here, Newcastle's Danny Simpson heads the ball in front of banks of empty seats. Anzhi have chosen to play the match 1,000 miles away from their home stadium in Dagestan - hence the lack of fans Photograph: Ivan Sekretarev/AP

Look who it is, popping up over Yohan Cabaye's shoulder. Yep, it's former Barcelona and Inter striker Samuel Eto'o Photograph: Maxim Shemetov/Reuters

Newcastle's Hatem Ben Arfa goes closest to scoring when he tries to dink an effort over the keeper midway through the second half, but the keeper stands up well and denies the effort. Evidently the snappers have nodded off, so you'll have to make do with this generic pic of Ben Arfa and imagine the failed shot yourself Photograph: Misha Japaridze/AP

Things aren't much livelier over in Romania where Chelsea are playing Steaua Bucharest. Here, Lukasz Szukala bridges the gap between Branislav Ivanovic (left) and Fernando Torres Photograph: Daniel Mihailescu/AFP/Getty Images

A soft foul on Raul Rusescu from Ryan Bertrand hands the home side a penalty before half-time. bertrand is shown a yellow card but, frankly, if the referee is going to call that nudge a foul then surely he has to show him a red card for denying a goal scoring opportunity? Photograph: Daniel Mihailescu/AFP/Getty Images

Petr Cech, the Chelsea keeper, is unable to stop Rusescu scoring despite diving the right way Photograph: Vadim Ghirda/AP

Frank Lampard cops a laser beam right in the eye Photograph: ROBERT GHEMENT/EPA

Chelsea are unable to comeback and lose the match 1-0. No goals for Torres? Who'd have thunk it? Photograph: Peter Cziborra/Action Images

Tottenham's Gareth Bale terrorised Internazionale two years ago in the Champions League. He was at it again at White Hart Lane within six minutes, leaping to score a wonderful header from 12 yards under pressure from defenders. It's a goal that also serves to silence some of his critics who have said that comparisons to Cristiano Ronaldo are ridiculous owing to Bale's poor heading ability Photograph: Kerim Okten/EPA

It took Spurs only another 12 minutes to double their lead. This time Gylfi Sigurdsson, who had been provider for Bale's goal, reacted quickest to a rebound to slot home neatly from close range past Inter goalkeeper Samir Handanovic Photograph: John Sibley/Action Images

Early in the second half Spurs put the first leg – and maybe even the match – beyond Inter as Jan Vertonghen powers a header past the Inter goalkeeper Samir Handanovic Photograph: Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP