Paris, France
Paris Saint-Germain secured a dramatic victory over Liverpool in a tense penalty shootout at Anfield, sealing their place in the Champions League quarterfinals. After a 1-0 win on the night, PSG leveled the aggregate score at 1-1, forcing the game into penalties. Ousmane Dembélé capitalized on a defensive error to score early in the match, setting the stage for a nail-biting contest.
Despite Mohamed Salah successfully converting Liverpool’s first penalty, Darwin Núñez and Curtis Jones saw their efforts denied by PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. Desire Doué, the young French star who won Olympic gold last year, etched his name into the record books by netting the decisive spot-kick, making him the youngest player to score a winning penalty in Champions League history.
Liverpool dominated much of the game, with Jarell Quansah rattling the post and forcing several saves from Donnarumma, but it wasn’t enough to break PSG’s resilience.
Barcelona, Bayern, and Inter Secure Comfortable Wins
Barcelona eased past Benfica with a commanding 3-1 victory at the Camp Nou, progressing with a 4-1 aggregate score. Raphinha stole the spotlight with two goals, while 17-year-old Lamine Yamal made history by becoming the youngest player to score and assist in a Champions League match. Yamal’s dazzling performance saw him assist Raphinha’s second goal and score one himself, further cementing his rising stardom.
Benfica’s veteran defender Nicolás Otamendi briefly equalized in the 13th minute, becoming the third-oldest scorer in a Champions League knockout game at 37 years and 27 days. However, Barcelona’s attacking prowess proved too much for the Portuguese side.
Meanwhile, Bayern Munich showed their class with a dominant 2-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen, sealing a 5-0 aggregate win. Harry Kane was instrumental, scoring his 10th Champions League goal of the season and assisting Alphonso Davies’ strike in the 71st minute. Leverkusen struggled to overturn their first-leg deficit, with Bayern nearly adding more through Jamal Musiala, who hit both the crossbar and post.
Inter Milan also made light work of their tie against Feyenoord, winning 2-1 at the San Siro and advancing 4-1 on aggregate. Marcus Thuram produced a stunning solo effort early in the game, weaving through the Feyenoord defense before smashing the ball into the top corner. Feyenoord equalized through Jakub Moder’s penalty just before halftime, but Inter restored their lead in the second half when Hakan Çalhanoğlu converted a spot-kick after Mehdi Taremi was fouled.
With the quarterfinal lineup now taking shape, fans can anticipate thrilling encounters as the top European clubs battle for Champions League glory.
