It’s that time of year again, and it’s do-or-die for the remaining eight teams seeking European glory. Arsenal vs. Real Madrid, Paris-Saint-Germain (PSG) vs. Aston Villa, Barcelona vs. Dortmund, and Bayern vs. Inter; these are the quarter-final matches that will determine so much, but how did we get here, and what’s next?
This season is the first season in which the group stage of the Champions, where teams battle for round of 16 qualification in groups of four, will instead be played in one massive table featuring all 36 teams head to head. The top eight teams progressed to the round of 16, while the 16 below them battled in the knockout stage playoffs, and the eight winners went to the round of 16.
The playoffs were a sight to behold, and while not even technically being in the bracket, they had some massive matches. The main event of this part, though was Real Madrid vs. Manchester City, with both teams having won the last two Champions Leagues.
This was the teams’ fourth meeting in four years, which many have highlighted as odd, as they both do not play in the same domestic competition, the Premier League and La Liga, respectively. Real Madrid ultimately triumphed in the match on a six-three aggregate, with star player Kylian Mbappé getting a hat-trick.
So the round of 16 was set, and once again, a host of bitter rivals and electric teams faced off before even the word “Final” was introduced in the rounds. The Standout matches were Bayern vs. Leverkusen, the two teams at the summit of the German Bundesliga, Liverpool and PSG, both atop the English Premier League and Ligue 1, respectively.
No doubt the biggest match of the round was the Madrid Derby, between Real Madrid and Atlético de Madrid. These two teams, who are both in the race for La Liga, have a bit more than just league standings between them but less than a city of space. This being one of the most heated derbies, it did not disappoint, and neither did the others.
The first matchup, Benfica vs. Barcelona, ended up four-one on aggregate, with Barcelona paying tribute to the team’s recently deceased doctor, Carles Miñarro. The next draw was Dortmund vs. Lille, with the games going three-two to Dortmund, with a two-one comeback being the main talking point. Bayern vs. Leverkusen was one to remember, with the Bundesliga leaders demolishing Leverkusen five-zero. Inter vs. Feyenoord was as expected, with Inter dispatching Feyenoord four-one. Arsenal thoroughly buried PSV nine-three, including a seven-zero thrashing. Aston Villa took out Club Brugge on a six-one scoreline, mostly thanks to new signing Marco Asensio.
The first of the two blockbuster matches, Liverpool vs. PSG, only ended on a one-one scoreline, but the action was much more intense. After 210 minutes, the two sides went on to a penalty shootout, where Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma made two heroic saves to send the French side through.
The second spectacle, Real Madrid vs. Atlético de Madrid, ended on a two-two scoreline, and much like PSG vs Liverpool, went to penalties as well. Real Madrid ultimately triumphed, but it was so tainted that the governing body of UEFA is currently reviewing a rule. For Athletico Madrid’s 2nd penalty, Julian Alvarez put the ball in the top of the net, but after a check it was disallowed, leading to Athletico losing the match. The call was a double touch, but it was not till a day later that conclusive evidence showing the offense was shown, leading to massive controversy. Currently, UEFA is investigating the rule and will decide if it needs changing. With the round of 16 in the books, the quarterfinals are sure to be exhilarating.
