The Champions League quarter-finals did NOT disappoint. Four mouth-watering ties were on offer and each one provided its own dose of incredible European drama and astonishing footballing talent.
The Champions League quarter-finals were a spectacle to behold, leaving fans on the edge of their seats with a plethora of unforgettable moments. From Barcelona’s thrilling encounter against PSG, where the aggregate scoreline of 4-6 showcased the sheer intensity of their battle, to Borussia Dortmund’s narrow victory over Atletico Madrid, it was a showcase of skill and determination.
Manchester City’s clash with Real Madrid kept spectators guessing until the very end, with the tie ultimately decided by penalties after a 4-4 draw on aggregate. Meanwhile, Bayern Munich’s triumph over Arsenal demonstrated their resilience and prowess, securing their spot in the semi-finals with a 3-2 aggregate scoreline.
With two German teams, one Spanish, and one French team advancing to the semi-finals, this year’s competition promises an electrifying culmination. Moreover, the absence of any English team in the final stages marks a significant deviation from recent trends, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the tournament as it will be the first time since 2020 that no English side appears in the final.
From stunning goals to contentious red cards, the quarter-finals delivered a cocktail of emotions, ensuring that the quest for European glory remains as captivating as ever. Here’s the rundown on each game.
Barcelona 4-6 PSG (aggregate)
This was the fixture of the round. Incredible. The first leg at PSG saw Barcelona edge a 3-2 win as Raphinha scored his first and second Champions League goals of his career. The match seesawed back and forth as both teams were winning at different points of the game.
The second leg saw Barcelona start to dominate at home as well. Under Xavi, they have been enjoying a resurgence in form and are even making a title charge. For a fleeting moment, it even looked like a dream double could be on the cards as some Lamine Yamal magic for a Raphinha goal saw Barcelona take the lead. Unfortunately for them, it was short-lived.
Ronald Araujo picked up a straight red card and from that point it was capitulation. Mbappé scored twice and Ousmane Dembele bagged against his former side. This was an exceptional Champions League quarter-final.
Best Player: Kylian Mbappé
Mbappé has a point to prove. He’s in his final few months with his hometown team before his inevitable dream move to Real Madrid. If he’s going to be a hit in the Spanish capital, scoring lots of goals against Barcelona is a good start. That was his eighth UCL goal of the campaign already. There’s no stopping the Frenchman.
Honorable Mention: Raphinha
Borussia Dortmund 5-4 Atletico Madrid (aggregate)
Another thrilling Champions League quarter-final. Atletico rushed to a 2-0 headstart in Madrid as they stunned Dortmund from the get-go. Dortmund had to make some changes. On came Julian Brandt and Sebastian Haller at the half and the German side started to get into the came. Haller pulled one back late and the game headed back to Dortmund.
It was now Dortmund’s time to take an early two-goal lead. Atleti weren’t giving up easily, however. They bagged twice to bring themselves back into the game before Dortmund dealt the final blows. Nine goals in this thrilling tie between these two excellent European sides. Well done Dortmund!
(365Scores)
Best Player: Marcel Sabitzer
Marcel Sabitzer has done well to reinsert some life into his career. A poor loan spell at Manchester United last season would’ve knocked his confidence but he has bounced back. He was solid in Madrid and then in Dortmund, he scored and provided two assists for his grateful teammates. To do that in a Champions League quarter-final shows serious talent.
Honorable Mention: Antoine Griezmann
Manchester City 4-4 Real Madrid (3-4 Real after penalties) (aggregate)
Manchester City must be gutted. This isn’t the first time that this has happened to them. They dominate the Spanish side, entirely outplay them and Real still win. The problem with Los Blancos is that if you give them an inch, they’ll take ten miles. After a thrilling 3-3 in Madrid, City were out for blood in Manchester. Rodrygo scored early for Real but then City came gunning. They had 33 shots to Real’s eight. Yet football is a game of goals and in this Champions League quarter-final, those were shared evenly. It was then Real Madrid who prevailed on the penalties.
Khoren, [4/18/2024 11:02 AM]Best Player: Rodrygo
Real Madrid didn’t have so many chances, so when they had some, they needed to have someone clinical to convert them. Rodrygo was that guy. He’s in lethal form, and he scored goals in both Madrid and Manchester. Rodrygo often goes under the radar, it’s easy to be in a team with such talent. Nonetheless, he is a fantastic talent and is a massive reason why Madrid are in the Champions League semi-finals once again.
Honorable Mention: Kevin de Bruyne
Bayern Munich 3-2 Arsenal (aggregate)
Mikel Arteta will have learnt a similar lesson to Pep Guardiola. In European football, it is not always about which team plays the better football, it is often about heritage. The Champions League quarter-final is Bayern Munich’s bread and butter. A Champions League quarter-final is new territory for Arsenal.
At The Emirates, it was pretty even. The game ebbed and flowed before Leandro Trossard scored a terrific goal to equalise for The Gunners. It was a solid base to take to Munich. In the Bavarian city, Arsenal had chances to take the lead but they squandered them. Gabriel Martinelli will be scratching his head at how he didn’t convert in the first half. Bayern were only going to let them off so many times. Joshua Kimmich scored an excellent goal and it’s yet another final-four appearance for the Bavarian giants.
(365Scores)
Best Player: Joshua Kimmich
He scored the winning goal in an enormous fixture just when Bayern’s backs were against the wall. That merits serious praise. Kimmich is Mr. Consistent. He always shows up for Bayern Munich. He does it in the cups, he does it in the Bundesliga and he does it in the Champions League quarter-final. If Bayern win the Champions League, Kimmich will certainly play a huge part.
Honorable Mention: Jamal Musiala
By Nicky Helfgott / @NickyH3lfgott on Twitter
Keep up with all the latest Champions League scores and news on the 365Scores website and app!
