Champions League Quarter Finals (First Leg)

The following article contains details of the 2024-25 Champions League.

Champions League Quarter Finals (First Leg)

 

Four of the original top eight teams from the League phase progressed to the Quarter Finals, whilst Girona, Atlético Madrid, Inter Milan and Barcelona had to reach this stage via the playoffs. The Champions League was as wide open as could be as a result.

 

Girona v Atlético Madrid

Girona and Atlético both had chances to score early, only for the respective goalkeepers to hold firm. Atlético then absorbed much of the pressure of the first half, and then the second half saw the game stay mostly in the middle of the park, as neither side wanted to go for glory whilst exposing their defence. Viktor Tsygankov worked for Girona down the right wing the most, earning a Player of the Match award, but it was not enough to post a lead heading into the away leg.

 

Real Madrid v Liverpool

Liverpool came out attacking in their encounter with Real Madrid, with Andrew Robertson attempting a scissor kick for goal. Real then reversed the pressure and attacked for most of the half, not allowing Liverpool beyond the high press for long periods. In the second half, the match evened, with Kylian Mbappé’s the closest effort to date. However, upon another attack, Trent Alexander-Arnold fouled in the box, and Mbappé powered the penalty before the goalkeeper had time to respond. From there, Real held on for the solitary-goal victory.

 

Inter Milan v Arsenal

The first blow of the match came via Inter Milan’s Marcus Thuram for his thirteenth goal of the tournament. Lautaro Martínez doubled the lead from a fast break after an Arsenal corner. Thuram made it three with an easy tap in after an initial goalkeeping save. However, it was six goals that Inter scored in the second half, routing Arsenal, and guaranteeing their place in the Semi Finals before the second leg. Hakan Çalhanoglu, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Martínez all contributed before Thuram scored three more to set the home fans aflame with such a dominant victory of 9-0.

 

Barcelona v PSG

PSG losing Ayman Kari to injury early, and then Mendez with a red card put their backs against the wall, especially when Barcelona’s Jules Koundé at right back would not let them past. That led to Player of the Match Dani Olmo’s goal in the 41st minute, when Robert Lewandowski drew two defenders out of position to set up the attacking midfielder, and he made no mistake. Frenkie de Jong perhaps should have had a second yellow card to even up the players on the pitch for both sides but was fortunate. Warren Zaïre-Emery earlier had a header ruled offside from de Jong’s first yellow card. In the second half, Barcelona took charge, with Lewandowski scoring after running onto a through ball from Olmo. PSG did not let up; instead, they attacked and Koundé gathered a straight red card. From there, PSG had a chance for a crucial away goal, all to no avail. Lamine Yamal had the last header of the match, firing just over the goal. The two red cards and subsequent suspensions put pressure on both defences for the second leg.