UEFA Champions League Quarter-Finals First Legs

Sporting CP 0-1 Arsenal - Jose Alvalade Stadium 

A narrow victory for Arsenal in Lisbon as a 91st minute goal from Kai Havertz gives them the advantage as they head back to North London. The game had chances for both sides as they both hit the crossbar and had chances for more goals. A disallowed goal for Arsenal and Zubimendi which was rightfully ruled out due to offside against Gyokeres in the build up. The second leg is now finely poised with only 1 goal in it with the return leg at the Emirates next week. 

The goal in the final minute of the match was created by Gabriel Martinelli. A driving run from the left side into the middle of the pitch caused problems and made Sporting players close him down and leave their men. One man that was left was Kai Havertz as he drifted into the box and was found by a floated ball from Martinelli into the box. Havertz took a touch out of his feet and finished it into the bottom corner. A great goal and finish from Arsenal to win the game. 

Real Madrid 1-2 Bayern Munich - Santiago Bernabeu Stadium

This tie lived up to the expectations in the first leg as both teams went all out to get the advantage in the tie. Ultimately, it was Bayern who won the game being the more clinical of the 2 teams. Both teams had around 20 shots each but from the 4 on target for Bayern 2 of them resulted in a goal to the Real Madrid conversion rate of 1 in 10 on target resulting in a goal. 

There could have been a lot more goals in the game with both teams unable to make their chances count and end to end football for the majority of the game. A man of the match performance from Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer at the age of 40 showed that Real Madrid did have the chances. A slender advantage to take back to the Allianz Arena for Bayern as they look to win the Champions League for the first time since 2020. 

Bayern opened the scoring with a lovely team goal through the middle of the pitch just before half time. Serge Gnabry with a give and go back from Harry Kane before a ball through the Real Madrid defence had Luis Diaz through on goal. He made no mistake firing it past Lunin in goal to make it 1-0. 

Just after the restart Harry Kane doubled Bayern’s lead just 21 seconds into the second half. Bayern did well to dispossess Real Madrid in the middle of the pitch and Michael Olise ran down the right side before he cut in and laid the ball off to Kane on the edge of the box. He had too much time to get his shot off with little pressure and curled it into the bottom corner. 

Madrid did get a goal back with just over 15 minutes of the game left through Kylian Mbappe. A good run down the right side by Trent Alexander-Arnold caused problems for Bayern. He fizzed the ball across the face of goal and into the path of Mbappe. His shot ricocheted off the crossbar and bounced out with Neuer doing his best to avoid a rebound. However, after checking his watch the referee gave the goal after the goal line technology confirmed that the ball had gone over the line. 

Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid - Camp Nou Stadium

The all Spanish quarter-final promised a good game and drama and it did exactly them two things. Barcelona were the team that dominated the stats despite only having 10 men when the game seemed to change. A red card for Pau Cubarsi just before half time was hotly disputed by the Barcelona players, staff and fans inside the Camp Nou. After an initial yellow card a VAR review from the referee had the decision upgraded to a red card. 

A pivotal moment in the match and the tie as a whole as Cubarsi will not be able to play in the return fixture and there was a whole half of football played with 10 for Barca which will have reduced their attacking abilities. However, Atletico did exactly what they needed to do after that and controlled the game well. A goal from Alvarez from the resulting freekick from the red card and a counter attack goal for Sorloth showed their game management skills worked perfectly. 

Following Cubarsi’s red card, Atleti had a free kick in a dangerous area just past the D on the edge of the box. Julian Alvarez stepped up and curled a stunning effort past Joan García Pons. A sensational pinpoint effort from the Argentine to make the Barcelona mood go from bad to worse following the dismissal of Cubarsi. This gave Atletico the lead right before half time with something to protect in the second half. 

The super sub Sorloth then made it 2-0 just 10 minutes after coming off the bench with a typical poachers finish from the Norwegian. Patient play down the right side from Atletico resulted in the ball being played to Ruggeri. He crossed the ball into the box straight to the feet of Sorloth. He hit it on the volley into the ground where it bounced over the Pons in the Barca goal to make it 2-0. 

Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 Liverpool - Parc Des Princes 

A dominant performance in every aspect from the defending champions as they take a 2 goal lead to Anfield to defend. In last season's competition they were able to overcome a 1-0 defeat when going to Anfield. Therefore, this will seem a lot easier on paper for PSG but you can never write off Liverpool at Anfield. 

The stats showed grim reading for the Premier League champions as they were beaten comfortably in all categories. This includes nearly 75% of possession for PSG as well as 17 shots with 7 on target compared to 3 shots and 0 on target for Liverpool. However, with only a 2 goal advantage it would only take an early goal for Liverpool to put themselves straight back into the tie. 

Just 11 minutes was needed for Desire Doue to put PSG ahead with a deflected shot that looped over Mamardashvili who was helpless in the Liverpool goal. It was far too easy for Doue with one turn of direction on the corner of the box to give himself space and take 2 Liverpool players out of the attack. He let off a shot which nicked off the heel of Gravenberch and over the keeper for his 5th UCL goal of the season. 

A second for PSG came in the 65th minute with a pass from Joao Neves through the Liverpool defence to put through Kvaratskhelia. An attempted tackle from Gravenberch at the last second was overcome by Kvaratskhelia. He then skipped past his compatriot Mamardashvili and delayed his shot and passed the ball into the empty side of the net. There were 2 Liverpool players trying to get back to block on the line but the brilliant delay and dummy from Kvaratskhelia gave him an empty net to score.