Arsenal completed a resounding 9-3 aggregate victory over PSV Eindhoven to set up a mouthwatering Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid.
13 Mar 2025
Holders Real beat capital rivals Atletico Madrid on penalties - and Arsenal will likely have to find top gear against the Spanish giants in the last eight after cruising past their Dutch opponents.
Leading 7-1 from the first leg in the Netherlands, the Gunners took the opportunity to make wholesale changes to their starting XI.
While there were also huge swathes of empty seats around a subdued Emirates Stadium, those in attendance were treated to a sumptuous opening goal from one of three left-backs selected by manager Mikel Arteta.
Oleksandr Zinchenko, who has found himself on the periphery at times, picked up possession from Raheem Sterling's touch inside and whipped a superb effort into the left corner.
However, any thoughts of the floodgates opening and Arsenal eclipsing Bayern Munich's record 12-1 thrashing of Sporting over two legs at the same stage of the competition in 2008-09, did not come to fruition.
Instead, a distinct absence of jeopardy to the tie only appeared to contribute to a dip in Arsenal's intensity, with the overall outcome never in any doubt.
Former Tottenham winger Ivan Perisic expertly found the top-right corner from Guus Til's pass to give the visitors a deserved equaliser.
And while Myles Lewis-Skelly hit the post for the home side at 1-1 and a brilliant Sterling run and cross from the right allowed Declan Rice to head Arsenal back in front, they were unable to pull clear.
PSV, who were backed by a spirited away following, restored some pride when Couhaib Driouech collected Isaac Babadi's incisive pass to chip over the oncoming home goalkeeper David Raya and ensure they left London with a merited draw.
While the low-key nature of the contest is unlikely to leave Arteta overly pleased, the Spaniard will take some satisfaction from guiding the Gunners into the last eight in successive seasons for the first time since 2010.
Arsenal were losing finalists in 2006 and have not won a European trophy since the now-defunct Cup Winners' Cup in 1994.
With his team trailing leaders Liverpool by 15 points in the Premier League, Arteta will be acutely aware the Champions League is the most realistic chance of lifting silverware this season - with Carlo Ancelotti's 15-time European Cup winners next up in the last eight.
Aston Villa completed a comfortable passage into a Champions League quarter-final with Paris St-Germain after cruising to victory against Club Brugge at Villa Park.
13 Mar 2025
Unai Emery's side were in prime position as they protected a 3-1 advantage from the first leg in Belgium, putting the tie out of the reach of the visitors following the half-time introduction of on-loan talisman Marco Asensio.
A risk-free first 45 minutes was only notable for Club Brugge defender Kyriani Sabbe's 16th-minute red card for hauling back Marcus Rashford as he chased keeper Emiliano Martinez's long clearance.
Asensio, outstanding since his arrival from PSG, secured Villa's passage into the last eight five minutes after coming on with a neat finish from Leon Bailey's clever pass.
Ian Maatsen added the second from close range seven minutes later, his first for the club, following good work by Morgan Rogers, then Asensio added his second and Villa's third after 61 minutes. It was a simple finish set up perfectly by Rashford.
It means Emery and Asensio will both face their former club, conquerors of Liverpool at the last-16 stage, in the last eight of the Champions League.
Atletico Madrid's Julian Alvarez had a penalty dramatically ruled out in the shootout as Real Madrid edged out their city rivals to reach the quarter-finals.
13 Mar 2025
They will face Arsenal in the last eight, having kept alive their hopes of winning a record-extending 16th Champions League trophy.
Neither side could find a winning goal before the end of extra time after Conor Gallagher's strike - just 27 seconds into the game - had levelled the tie on aggregate after Real's 2-1 first-leg win.
That meant penalties were needed to determine the outcome and, after the first three had been converted, former Manchester City forward Alvarez stepped up to take Atletico's second.
He slipped while taking it, but the ball ended up in the back of the net. While it was initially given, the successful spot-kick was subsequently ruled out by the video assistant referee (VAR), with Alvarez having been deemed to have touched the ball twice as he struck his effort.
Fede Valverde converted his penalty to put Real 3-1 ahead and although Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak saved Lucas Vazquez's spot-kick to briefly give Atletico hope, Marcos Llorente hit the bar.
Antonio Rudiger then stepped up to squeeze home the decisive penalty to send Real through by a 4-2 margin.
Teenager Lamine Yamal was once again the star of the show as Barcelona beat Benfica to progress to the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
12 Mar 2025
The 17-year-old provided a brilliant assist for Raphinha to open the scoring before topping that with a stunning strike to put Barca 2-1 ahead on the night and 3-1 on aggregate.
Nicolas Otamendi's excellent header had cancelled out Raphinha's opener but Benfica's hopes were ended by Yamal's brilliance, before Raphinha struck again with a clinical finish into the bottom corner.
There was confusion over whether Raphinha's second initially stood, as play appeared to be pulled back for a foul by Otamendi on the edge of the box.
But after a check by the video assistant referee (VAR) the goal was confirmed, and Otamendi's yellow card rescinded.
While Yamal caught the eye with his brilliant pieces of play, Raphinha also deserves plaudits as his double means he has contributed to 16 goals in the Champions League this season.
Only Lionel Messi (14 goals, five assists in 2011-12) has had a hand in more goals in a single season for Barcelona in the competition than Raphinha this season (11 goals, five assists).
Barca could have won by an even bigger margin but Frenkie de Jong missed a golden chance to add a fourth on the night, firing wide from close range after a lovely move.
Hansi Flick's side will face Borussia Dortmund or Lille in the quarter-finals.
Harry Kane made history as Bayern Munich confirmed their place in the Champions League quarter-finals with victory against Bayer Leverkusen.
12 Mar 2025
The striker's close-range finish in the 52nd minute was his 10th in Europe this season, more than any other English player has scored in a single campaign in the competition's history.
Bayern came into the second-leg tie with a 3-0 lead following a commanding performance at home last week, and were again the better side in Leverkusen.
Vincent Kompany's men posed the greater threat in the first half, with Michael Olise and Kingsley Coman both firing narrowly wide.
Leverkusen needed to come out and attack after the break, but it was Bayern who put the tie beyond doubt when Patrik Schick's attempted clearance of a Joshua Kimmich free-kick fell straight at the feet of Kane who bundled home from a few yards out.
With their star man Florian Wirtz ruled out with an ankle ligament injury, the hosts lacked invention and impact in the attacking third.
Xabi Alonso's side were looking to become only the fifth side in Champions League history to overturn a three-goal first leg deficit, yet it took them 65 minutes to register a shot on target.
Jeremie Frimpong forced Bayern goalkeeper Jonas Urbig into a smart low stop, before Schick headed straight at the visiting stopper moments later
Leverkusen's desperation left more space for Bayern to exploit and Alphonso Davies took full advantage by converting Kane's cross from close range in the 71st minute.
The England captain then spurned a good chance to add a third when he placed wide under little pressure, before he rattled the crossbar with a snap-shot on the turn. Jamal Musiala also struck the post from a tight angle with 10 minutes left after being sent away by Serge Gnabry's pass.
Bayern will face Inter Milan in the quarter-finals after the Serie A champions defeated Feyenoord. The first leg will take place on 7/8 April with the second leg a week later.