ROME (ITALPRESS) – Psg, Bayern Munich and Barcelona advance to the quarterfinals of the Champions League. These are the verdicts, net of Inter Milan’s success against a modest Feyenoord, of the evening in Tuesday’s company of the round of 16. Out went Liverpool, surprisingly and on penalties at Anfield against the Parisians, as well as Benfica and Bayer Leverkusen, who were unable to put up a fight.
Rigori decisivi ad Anfield
Paris Saint-Germain won on penalties against Liverpool and flew to the quarterfinals of the Champions League. The match, after the 1-0 signed by Dembélé, was decided from the penalty spot: protagonist Gianluigi Donnarumma, the Italian goalkeeper neutralized two penalties. Having eliminated Liverpool, Psg continues its European journey: in the next round Luis Enrique’s team will meet the winner of Aston Villa-Bruges (the English start from a 3-1 advantage). Crazy rhythms, right from the first moments. The first ten minutes were dominated by Arne Slot’s team – two chances wasted by Salah -, but at the first real chance Psg took the lead with Dembélé (12’pt) after a defensive botch by the Liverpool defense. The Reds responded with a long-distance finish by Konaté (deflected into the corner by Donnarumma), but the most delicious chance came to Barcola, who alone in front of Alisson failed to score the 2-0 goal. Liverpool tried to sound the charge in the second half, Salah finding the net at 8′, but the action was previously stopped for an initial offside by Luis Diaz.
The plot of the match traced what happened at the Parc des Princes, but with Liverpool playing the game: futile assaults in the final 90′ of regulation time, the contest continued into extra time. In 4′ of the first half Doué came close to scoring the 2-0 goal, in the 3′ minute of the second half Alisson performed a half-miracle on Dembélé’s roundabout conclusion: barring a few accelerations, the English failed to score the qualifying goal. The match was decided on penalties, Donnarumma’s double save first on Nunez, then on Jones being decisive. Gigio is the hero at Anfield as he was at Wembley in 2021, Psg in the quarters, Reds eliminated.
Barcellona sul velluto
First up, Flick’s boys repeated their first leg success and bent Benfica 3-1 on Montjuic Hill. At the Olympic Stadium he enchants everyone with his plays Lamine Yamal (a goal and an assist), but it also takes the concreteness of Raphihna who makes 2 and reaches 11 European goals. For the Portuguese there is only the flash of Otamendi. A minute’s silence for the Barcelona doctor, struck down by a heart attack a few hours before Saturday’s match (later postponed) with Osasuna, and off we go with the Catalans immediately mastering the field. Trubin blocks Yamal’s first shot of the match on the ground, and this will be one of the rare times in the evening when someone will be able to stop the 17-year-old Spaniard, who in the 11′ minute propitiates his side’s lead: serpentine ball on the foot from the right and perfect suggestion on the other side where Raphinha cannot miss. Benfica’s reaction is almost immediate, just two turns of the clock to make it 1-1. Schjelderup’s corner and Otamendi’s header under goal: Szczesny touches but does not hold.
Incident on the road of a beautiful and entertaining Barcelona that just before the half-hour mark found the lead again. Another marvel by Yamal, this time with a dribble over Tomas Araujo and a left-footed shot into the corner, for which the whole stadium rises to its feet. With Benfica in dollops, the Blaugrana can kill off the game before halftime. Trubin thwarts a close finish by Lewandowski, but can do nothing about Raphinha, who finalizes a fine sprinting move by Balde. There are no particular thrills in the second half, and in the next round Barcelona will find one between Lille and Borussia Dortmund.
Tutto facile per il Bayern Monaco
No upset at the BayArena. Bayern Munich, on the strength of a 3-0 win in the first leg, deservedly won 2-0 at the field of Bayer Leverkusen, gaining access to the quarterfinals where they will face Inter Milan. It was Kane and Davies who put the seal on the result thanks to goals scored in the second half. The first chance comes on the quarter-hour and it is for the guests. Kane recovers a ball, advances and goes for a shot from the edge, but Hradecky saves in the dive. A minute later it is Olise who tries with a left-footed left-footed shot, but the ball goes out to the right of the post. The Rossoneri’s first gasp came at 44′, when Schick sent a header on the outside of the net following a corner taken from the left. The first half ended 0-0. On 4′ of the second half, Olise has a good chance on the right from inside the box but a defender rebounds his conclusion and the ball ends up on the bottom. The Kompany-coached team unlocks the result at 7′. Kimmich kicks a free kick from the three-quarter line, Schick smoothly defends and Kane takes advantage from two steps for the 1-0 that definitely puts the passage of the round on ice.
The guest double came in 26′. Gnabry recovers the ball and fishes out Kane, who from the right serves a kiss-perfect assist in the center of the area for Davies, who inserts with his first intention for 2-0. At 36′ it is Musiala who comes close to the hat-trick, hitting the right post with his right foot after a nice assist from the right by Gnabry. The result would not change again. Bayern can thus celebrate access to the quarterfinals, where they will meet Inter Milan in April.
– IPA Agency photo –
(ITALPRESS).
