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The big winners
Another traumatic week for the self-worth of the Premier League, one in which Europe’s big beasts got into their stride. The defending champions, Paris Saint-Germain, put on a devastating display at Chelsea. Bradley Barcola’s goal, their second, was the highlight of a 3-0 win. Barcelona ran out 7-2 winners over Newcastle, having been level at half-time at 2-2, 3-3 on aggregate. Real Madrid continue to be Pep Guardiola’s great tormentors, with Vinícius Júnior getting both goals at Manchester City. His crybaby celebration was aimed at those City supporters who mocked him after Rodri pipped the Brazilian to the Ballon d’Or in 2024. Bayern Munich continue to look irresistible. Harry Kane scored twice, and Lennart Karl’s strike continued his trajectory as German football’s next big thing in a 4-1 win over Atalanta, a mighty 10-2 on aggregate.
Two quarter-finalists from six last-16 qualifiers is a poor return for the Premier League. Recriminations will continue if one of Liverpool or Arsenal do not lift the trophy in Budapest. Arsenal enjoyed the easiest progress, with Eberechi Eze’s pirouette and lash to take control against Bayer Leverkusen showing how dangerous he can be. Beyond the fatigue that many cite, the differences in refereeing standards and the continental teams’ greater ability to maintain possession are also contributing factors. The most encouraging display of the English exits came from Tottenham, for whom Igor Tudor may, at last, be having a positive effect. It briefly looked as if Spurs could stage a comeback against Atlético Madrid before Julián Alvarez’s brilliant finish kept the tie in Atléti’s grasp. Xavi Simons’s late penalty, to follow an earlier, exemplary strike, secured a first win for Tudor, the first for Spurs since January. They still lost 7-5 on aggregate though.
Better tidings for Liverpool. Anfield, after a quiet start against Galatasaray, caught fire; Mohamed Salah eventually turned up to the party. His 50th goal in the competition, and an assist for Hugo Ekitike, made up for a comical penalty miss from the Egyptian. Dominik Szoboszlai had opened the scoring, continuing his brilliant season. Restored to his rightful place in midfield, he set the tone. “We beat Real Madrid, we beat Atlético Madrid, we beat Inter. We are playing a fantastic Champions League season,” said Arne Slot, a coach keen to defend his own record.
The Bodø/Glimt dream sequence had to stop eventually. It did so in Lisbon, where Sporting assumed the mantle of the tournament’s surprise package. The Norwegians led 3-0 after the first leg, but Luis Suárez’s penalty levelled the score on aggregate as Rui Borges’s men learned from their mistakes against a team who have beaten Manchester City, Atlético Madrid and Inter in this season’s competition. Once Maxi Araújo scored in the second minute of extra time, Sporting were heading through. “People thought it was impossible,” said the Uruguayan after a glorious 5-0 second-leg win. Kjetil Knutsen, the Bodø/Glimt coach, acknowledged his team had not met the moment: “We did not play the game, we played the occasion, and it became far too big for us.”
Player of the week
Barcelona took down Newcastle, and Raphinha was the fulcrum, scoring their first and seventh goals as well as supplying two assists, including a sumptuous pass for Fermín López. The Brazilian continued the form that saw him score a weekend hat-trick against Sevilla, and received glowing praise from Bruno Fernandes, his former Sporting teammate, on Instagram.
The pundit’s chair
“Six goals behind, with five minutes left and he’s sending on notes … the game’s dead … the only way that note of paper’s got any use to it if he says on it: ‘Everyone, meet me in the pub in the Kings Road, one hour after the game, and we’ll have a beer.’ Anything else is a waste of time.” – former Chelsea player Craig Burley, on ESPN, takes a dim view of Liam Rosenior passing messages to Alejandro Garnacho in the closing moments of their 8-2 aggregate defeat to PSG.
They said it
“We have been in other finals, a lot of semi-finals and unfortunately in the last two editions of the Champions League we have been out. But this club, we arrived to set the bar a little bit high in terms of Champions League, and we didn’t achieve that. Always this is not a good thing, but it’s fine, that is good. I would love the club to have the feeling that Madrid has; if you don’t win the Champions League, it’s a failure. That is pressure. But not [at] Man City.” – Guardiola fielding questions over whether his team should have collected more than one European Cup during his 10 years in charge.
Looking ahead
Arsenal should be wary of their quarter-final opponents: Sporting have won all five home games in this season’s competition. The Gunners won 5-1 there in November 2024 in the aftermath of Ruben Amorim’s departure but Mikel Arteta may recall being knocked out of the Europa League by the same opponents in 2023.
Real Madrid v Bayern is the blockbuster tie, and Vincent Kompany’s team are fighting against the tides of recent history. In four meetings since 2013-14, Madrid have been the winners each time. In 2023-24, Joselu’s two late goals in the second leg of the semi-final sealed Real’s progress. The last time Bayern beat Madrid over two legs was 2011-12, denying José Mourinho’s team.
Slot has often returned to last season’s meeting between Liverpool and PSG in the last 16. “My football is Paris Saint-Germain v Liverpool, Liverpool v Paris Saint-Germain,” he said earlier this season, talking of the privilege of his team taking part in a game that went to penalties. With Liverpool dropping away in the Premier League the reunion takes on significant importance for a manager with nothing like unanimous support from his club’s fanbase.
Barcelona and Atlético’s all-Spanish tie is a repeat of this season’s epic Copa del Rey semi-final, which was edged 4-3 by Atléti over two legs.
