Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim said on Tuesday that missing out on Champions League football could be a blessing in disguise in his attempts to rebuild the fallen giants.The Portuguese coach addressed the media in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur fresh from United's worst season since 1974, having come 15th in the Premier League.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/al-nassr-ronaldo-leaving-where-is-cristiano-ronaldo-going-next-team-1748340430235">Cristiano Ronaldo hints at leaving Al Nassr after two and a half years. Where's he headed?</a>They missed out on a Champions League lifeline -- and with it a financial windfall -- by losing to fellow strugglers Spurs 1-0 in the Europa League final last week."I have to say that for us not to be in the Champions League could be an advantage to perform better, to prepare better for games, to build that core that we need for the future," said Amorim, who replaced Erik ten Hag during the season but failed to spark a turnaround."So I think it’s a good thing for us to take advantage not to have European games," added Amorim, whose phone alarm went off during the press conference ahead of Wednesday's friendly against a Southeast Asian XI, sparking laughter among members of the media.With money tight to get the right players in over the summer for his favoured formation, Amorim faces a stiff task to get United back among the elite next season."The target for now is to win the first game. We have a lot to do during this summer. We have to prepare the team," he said."When you are Manchester United, people are going to expect us to be at the top. But we have to understand the context."I don’t want the team to think about a big target, just a small target by winning the first game and then to the second game," added Amorim, who hinted he could give the fringe players a chance in their first post-season friendly.United hope friendlies in Malaysia and against Hong Kong on Friday will bring in some much-needed revenue, with the BBC reporting that the trip will generate about $10 million (£7.8m) for the club.Midfielder Mason Mount insisted he was delighted to arrive in steamy Kuala Lumpur despite jetting off just hours after the 2-0 win over Aston Villa on Sunday.Fans gathered at Kuala Lumpur's airport to welcome the team on Monday evening."We got off the plane, there were hundreds of people waiting for us to take pictures and welcome us to the country. We’re excited to be over here and obviously looking forward to the game tomorrow," he said.Highs of 37 degrees Celsius (99 Fahrenheit) are forecast in Kuala Lumpur this week and thunderstorms predicted on the day of the game at the 84,000-capacity Bukit Jalil national stadium.Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Manchester United missed out on a Champions League lifeline -- and with it a financial windfall -- by losing to fellow strugglers Spurs 1-0 in the Europa League final last week.

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim said on Tuesday that missing out on Champions League football could be a blessing in disguise in his attempts to rebuild the fallen giants. The Portuguese coach addressed the media in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur fresh from United's worst season since 1974, having come 15th in the Premier League. Also Read - Cristiano Ronaldo hints at leaving Al Nassr after two and a half years. Where's he headed? They missed out on a Champions League lifeline -- and with it a financial windfall -- by losing to fellow strugglers Spurs 1-0 in the Europa League final last week. "I have to say that for us not to be in the Champions League could be an advantage to perform better, to prepare better for games, to build that core that we need for the future," said Amorim, who replaced Erik ten Hag during the season but failed to spark a turnaround. "So I think it’s a good thing for us to take advantage not to have European games," added Amorim, whose phone alarm went off during the press conference ahead of Wednesday's friendly against a Southeast Asian XI, sparking laughter among members of the media. With money tight to get the right players in over the summer for his favoured formation, Amorim faces a stiff task to get United back among the elite next season. "The target for now is to win the first game. We have a lot to do during this summer. We have to prepare the team," he said. "When you are Manchester United, people are going to expect us to be at the top. But we have to understand the context. "I don’t want the team to think about a big target, just a small target by winning the first game and then to the second game," added Amorim, who hinted he could give the fringe players a chance in their first post-season friendly. United hope friendlies in Malaysia and against Hong Kong on Friday will bring in some much-needed revenue, with the BBC reporting that the trip will generate about $10 million (£7.8m) for the club. Midfielder Mason Mount insisted he was delighted to arrive in steamy Kuala Lumpur despite jetting off just hours after the 2-0 win over Aston Villa on Sunday. Fans gathered at Kuala Lumpur's airport to welcome the team on Monday evening. "We got off the plane, there were hundreds of people waiting for us to take pictures and welcome us to the country. We’re excited to be over here and obviously looking forward to the game tomorrow," he said. Highs of 37 degrees Celsius (99 Fahrenheit) are forecast in Kuala Lumpur this week and thunderstorms predicted on the day of the game at the 84,000-capacity Bukit Jalil national stadium. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Manchester United missed out on a Champions League lifeline -- and with it a financial windfall -- by losing to fellow strugglers Spurs 1-0 in the Europa League final last week.

'It’s a good thing,' says boss Ruben Amorim about Manchester United missing on Champions League

Atalanta qualified for the Champions League on Monday by beating Roma 2-1 and mathematically securing a place in Serie A's top four.
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">Atalanta secure Champions League spot</h2>
Ibrahim Sulemana's strike in the 76th minute moved Atalanta, in third, seven points ahead of fifth-placed Lazio with two matches remaining in the season.
Gian Piero Gasperini's team had taken an early lead through Ademola Lookman only for Atalanta old boy Bryan Cristante to head Roma level in the 32nd minute.
But Sulemana ended Roma's long unbeaten run at 19 matches and left Claudio Ranieri's side one point behind Lazio and Juventus, who sit fourth.
Roma can still snatch a spot in Europe's top club competition but host in-form AC Milan next weekend while Juve welcome Udinese.
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Reaching the Champions League would be a huge triumph for Ranieri as Roma looked like relegation candidates when he came out of retirement in November to take charge of his boyhood club for the third time.
Gasperini has been tipped to take over Ranieri after nine hugely successful years in the Atalanta dugout, winning the Europa League last season.
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Ibrahim Sulemana's strike in the 76th minute moved Atalanta, in third, seven points ahead of fifth-placed Lazio with two matches remaining in the season. Football | Sports

Atalanta qualified for the Champions League on Monday by beating Roma 2-1 and mathematically securing a place in Serie A's top four. Atalanta secure Champions League spot Ibrahim Sulemana's strike in the 76th minute moved Atalanta, in third, seven points ahead of fifth-placed Lazio with two matches remaining in the season. Gian Piero Gasperini's team had taken an early lead through Ademola Lookman only for Atalanta old boy Bryan Cristante to head Roma level in the 32nd minute. But Sulemana ended Roma's long unbeaten run at 19 matches and left Claudio Ranieri's side one point behind Lazio and Juventus, who sit fourth. Roma can still snatch a spot in Europe's top club competition but host in-form AC Milan next weekend while Juve welcome Udinese. ALSO READ | BCCI releases IPL 2025 revised schedule, tournament to restart on May 17, final in June Reaching the Champions League would be a huge triumph for Ranieri as Roma looked like relegation candidates when he came out of retirement in November to take charge of his boyhood club for the third time. Gasperini has been tipped to take over Ranieri after nine hugely successful years in the Atalanta dugout, winning the Europa League last season. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Serie A: Atalanta beat Roma to secure Champions League spot

Paris Saint-Germain clinched a place in the Champions League final as goals by Fabian Ruiz and Achraf Hakimi gave them a 2-1 win over Arsenal in the second leg of their last-four tie on Wednesday, securing a 3-1 aggregate triumph.
Ruiz crashed in a shot from the edge of the area in the 27th minute at the Parc des Princes to leave PSG firmly in the driving seat after they had withstood an early bombardment from the visitors.
Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sports-champions-league-davide-frattesi-shoots-inter-milan-into-final-after-thrilling-end-against-barcelona-9042720">Champions League: Davide Frattesi shoots Inter Milan into final after thrilling end against Barcelona</a>
Already leading in the tie after Ousmane Dembele's goal in last week's first leg, PSG then saw Vitinha have a second-half penalty saved.
However, Hakimi put the tie beyond Arsenal when he scored in the 72nd minute, even if Bukayo Saka did then pull one back for the visitors.
PSG advance to a showdown in Munich on May 31 against Inter Milan, and it will be the second Champions League final in their history, five years after a defeat by Bayern Munich in Lisbon.
Arsenal, meanwhile, saw their European dream come to an end as they fell short of reaching what would have been their second final, 19 years after losing to Barcelona in Paris.
Still without a trophy since the 2020 FA Cup, all that is left to play for now for Mikel Arteta's side is securing a third consecutive second-place finish in the Premier League.
There was an electric atmosphere all evening in Paris, and PSG were able to celebrate getting to a final in front of their fans for the first time, after their victory against RB Leipzig in the last four in 2020 was played behind closed doors during the pandemic.
There was a feverish mood in and around the ground pre-match, but PSG have tripped up in big Champions League ties plenty of times over the last decade.
In addition, their top scorer Dembele was not in the starting line-up having come off with a hamstring problem in the first leg.
<h2>Gunners bombardment</h2>
Arsenal, with Thomas Partey back in midfield after missing the first leg through suspension, did their best to silence the raucous home support by throwing everything at the Parisians right from the off.
Declan Rice headed just wide, and goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma denied Gabriel Martinelli from close range before producing a stunning save low to his left to keep out a Martin Odegaard shot, all inside the opening eight minutes.
PSG did eventually settle, and they almost went ahead on 17 minutes when Desire Doue teed up Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, whose curling shot hit the far post.
Then Doue wasted a great chance, shooting straight at David Raya in the Arsenal goal after Bradley Barcola had intercepted a loose ball.
But PSG did score before the half-hour mark, the goal coming in the wake of a free-kick awarded for a Rice foul on Kvaratskhelia.
Vitinha's delivery was headed out by Partey but fell to Ruiz on the edge of the box, and he controlled before smashing in a left-foot shot as the ball bounced back up.
It was the ideal moment for the 29-year-old Spaniard to score his first Champions League goal.
Barcola failed to convert a good chance for the hosts to score again moments later, and Arsenal still had some hope going into the second half.
Only another stunning Donnarumma save with his fingertips prevented Saka from pulling one back on 64 minutes, before PSG were awarded a spot-kick.
German referee Felix Zwayer gave the penalty after being summoned to the pitchside monitor when a shot by Hakimi brushed the outstretched hand of Myles Lewis-Skelly.
Arteta was furious at the decision, yet Vitinha's kick was turned away by Raya diving to his left.
Nevertheless, PSG made it 2-0 on the night when Dembele, on from the bench, teed up Hakimi to finish in style.
This being PSG, however, there was a wobble as Saka quickly pulled one back from close range after Arsenal substitute Leandro Trossard had got the better of Marquinhos on the wing.
Saka then somehow blazed over with an open goal gaping from Riccardo Calafiori's cross, ensuring that there would be no miracle Arsenal comeback and it would be PSG's night.
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PSG advance to a showdown in Munich on May 31 against Inter Milan, and it will be the second Champions League final in their history, five years after a defeat by Bayern Munich. Football Sports

Paris Saint-Germain clinched a place in the Champions League final as goals by Fabian Ruiz and Achraf Hakimi gave them a 2-1 win over Arsenal in the second leg of their last-four tie on Wednesday, securing a 3-1 aggregate triumph. Ruiz crashed in a shot from the edge of the area in the 27th minute at the Parc des Princes to leave PSG firmly in the driving seat after they had withstood an early bombardment from the visitors. Also Read - Champions League: Davide Frattesi shoots Inter Milan into final after thrilling end against Barcelona Already leading in the tie after Ousmane Dembele's goal in last week's first leg, PSG then saw Vitinha have a second-half penalty saved. However, Hakimi put the tie beyond Arsenal when he scored in the 72nd minute, even if Bukayo Saka did then pull one back for the visitors. PSG advance to a showdown in Munich on May 31 against Inter Milan, and it will be the second Champions League final in their history, five years after a defeat by Bayern Munich in Lisbon. Arsenal, meanwhile, saw their European dream come to an end as they fell short of reaching what would have been their second final, 19 years after losing to Barcelona in Paris. Still without a trophy since the 2020 FA Cup, all that is left to play for now for Mikel Arteta's side is securing a third consecutive second-place finish in the Premier League. There was an electric atmosphere all evening in Paris, and PSG were able to celebrate getting to a final in front of their fans for the first time, after their victory against RB Leipzig in the last four in 2020 was played behind closed doors during the pandemic. There was a feverish mood in and around the ground pre-match, but PSG have tripped up in big Champions League ties plenty of times over the last decade. In addition, their top scorer Dembele was not in the starting line-up having come off with a hamstring problem in the first leg. Gunners bombardment Arsenal, with Thomas Partey back in midfield after missing the first leg through suspension, did their best to silence the raucous home support by throwing everything at the Parisians right from the off. Declan Rice headed just wide, and goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma denied Gabriel Martinelli from close range before producing a stunning save low to his left to keep out a Martin Odegaard shot, all inside the opening eight minutes. PSG did eventually settle, and they almost went ahead on 17 minutes when Desire Doue teed up Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, whose curling shot hit the far post. Then Doue wasted a great chance, shooting straight at David Raya in the Arsenal goal after Bradley Barcola had intercepted a loose ball. But PSG did score before the half-hour mark, the goal coming in the wake of a free-kick awarded for a Rice foul on Kvaratskhelia. Vitinha's delivery was headed out by Partey but fell to Ruiz on the edge of the box, and he controlled before smashing in a left-foot shot as the ball bounced back up. It was the ideal moment for the 29-year-old Spaniard to score his first Champions League goal. Barcola failed to convert a good chance for the hosts to score again moments later, and Arsenal still had some hope going into the second half. Only another stunning Donnarumma save with his fingertips prevented Saka from pulling one back on 64 minutes, before PSG were awarded a spot-kick. German referee Felix Zwayer gave the penalty after being summoned to the pitchside monitor when a shot by Hakimi brushed the outstretched hand of Myles Lewis-Skelly. Arteta was furious at the decision, yet Vitinha's kick was turned away by Raya diving to his left. Nevertheless, PSG made it 2-0 on the night when Dembele, on from the bench, teed up Hakimi to finish in style. This being PSG, however, there was a wobble as Saka quickly pulled one back from close range after Arsenal substitute Leandro Trossard had got the better of Marquinhos on the wing. Saka then somehow blazed over with an open goal gaping from Riccardo Calafiori's cross, ensuring that there would be no miracle Arsenal comeback and it would be PSG's night. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Champions League: PSG in final after Fabian Ruiz and Achraf Hakimi goals against Arsenal

Paris Saint-Germain forward <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ousmane-dembele" rel="dofollow">Ousmane Dembele</a>, who suffered a hamstring injury last week, has been passed fit to play in their <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-league">Champions League</a> semi-final second leg against Arsenal, coach Luis Enrique said on Tuesday.
Dembele came off in the 70th minute of the first leg in London, after scoring the only goal of the game in the fourth minute, prompting the coach to suggest after the match that there was "a doubt" over his chances of playing in Wednesday's return match.
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He missed Saturday's Ligue 1 defeat against Strasbourg but resumed training at the start of the week.
<h2>'He's been training for the last two days'&nbsp;</h2>
"He's been training with us for the last two days," said Luis Enrique. "You saw him today, a normal training session for him. He'll be available tomorrow."&nbsp;
The France international has been <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/psg">PSG</a>'s star performer this season, scoring 33 goals in all competitions.
South Korean midfielder Lee Kang-in also took part in the team training session following the knock he received in Strasbourg.
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Ousmane Dembele, who suffered a hamstring injury last week, has been passed fit to play in their Champions League semi-final second leg against Arsenal. Football Sports

Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele, who suffered a hamstring injury last week, has been passed fit to play in their Champions League semi-final second leg against Arsenal, coach Luis Enrique said on Tuesday. Dembele came off in the 70th minute of the first leg in London, after scoring the only goal of the game in the fourth minute, prompting the coach to suggest after the match that there was "a doubt" over his chances of playing in Wednesday's return match. Also Read - Italian Open: World no. 1 Jannik Sinner returns after serving three-month doping ban He missed Saturday's Ligue 1 defeat against Strasbourg but resumed training at the start of the week. 'He's been training for the last two days' "He's been training with us for the last two days," said Luis Enrique. "You saw him today, a normal training session for him. He'll be available tomorrow." The France international has been PSG's star performer this season, scoring 33 goals in all competitions. South Korean midfielder Lee Kang-in also took part in the team training session following the knock he received in Strasbourg. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Champions League: PSG's Ousmane Dembele fit to play in semis second-leg against Arsenal

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/matheus-nunes" rel="dofollow">Matheus Nunes</a> says Champions League qualification would be <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/manchester-city">Manchester City</a>'s "Premier League trophy" after a poor campaign by their stellar standards.
The Portugal international scored a last-gasp winner against Aston Villa on Tuesday to lift Pep Guardiola's men to third in the table, four points ahead of seventh-placed Villa.&nbsp;With Liverpool on the brink of the Premier League title and Arsenal sitting comfortably in second place, five clubs are battling for the three remaining places in Europe's top club competition next season.
Nottingham Forest, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/newcastle-united">Newcastle United</a> and Chelsea are the other sides in the mix for a top-five finish. City, who were hunting a fifth straight league title at the start of the season, suffered a costly collapse in form from late October.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/pakistan/cricket-former-pakistan-pacer-mohammad-amir-breaks-silence-on-retirement-from-international-cricket-8994033">Former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir breaks silence on retirement from international cricket</a>
But they can still end their season on a high, with Sunday's FA Cup semi-final against Forest at Wembley coming hot on the heels of their vital win against Unai Emery's Villa.
<h2>'Club's standards are much higher than this'</h2>
"This is our Premier League trophy now, to qualify for the Champions League," Nunes said after scoring his first league goal for City in his second season at the club.
"I think it's massively important for us, in terms of everything, the club, in terms of the players, the mentality."
The 26-year-old admitted though that Champions League qualification for the 15th season running and FA Cup glory would not equal a good campaign.&nbsp;"The club's standards are much higher than this," he said. "We know that there is not the standards we want this club to be at.
"But this is our reality now and we have to accept it. And we just have to go for it like it's the Champions League, the Premier League trophy."

Football, Sports: Manchester City, who were hunting a fifth straight league title at the start of the season, suffered a costly collapse in form from late October 2024

Matheus Nunes says Champions League qualification would be Manchester City's "Premier League trophy" after a poor campaign by their stellar standards. The Portugal international scored a last-gasp winner against Aston Villa on Tuesday to lift Pep Guardiola's men to third in the table, four points ahead of seventh-placed Villa. With Liverpool on the brink of the Premier League title and Arsenal sitting comfortably in second place, five clubs are battling for the three remaining places in Europe's top club competition next season. Nottingham Forest, Newcastle United and Chelsea are the other sides in the mix for a top-five finish. City, who were hunting a fifth straight league title at the start of the season, suffered a costly collapse in form from late October. Also Read: Former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir breaks silence on retirement from international cricket But they can still end their season on a high, with Sunday's FA Cup semi-final against Forest at Wembley coming hot on the heels of their vital win against Unai Emery's Villa. 'Club's standards are much higher than this' "This is our Premier League trophy now, to qualify for the Champions League," Nunes said after scoring his first league goal for City in his second season at the club. "I think it's massively important for us, in terms of everything, the club, in terms of the players, the mentality." The 26-year-old admitted though that Champions League qualification for the 15th season running and FA Cup glory would not equal a good campaign. "The club's standards are much higher than this," he said. "We know that there is not the standards we want this club to be at. "But this is our reality now and we have to accept it. And we just have to go for it like it's the Champions League, the Premier League trophy."

Champions League spot would be 'Premier League trophy' for Manchester City: Nunes

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said he would bet on Kai Havertz returning before the end of the season as his recovery from a hamstring injury is ahead of schedule.
The German international had initially been ruled out for the campaign after having surgery on the injury suffered during a Dubai warm-weather training camp in February.
Also Read - <a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/football/football-manchester-united-the-theatre-of-dreams-where-the-impossible-happens-8976871" aria-label="Manchester United: The Theatre of Dreams, where the impossible happens">Manchester United: The Theatre of Dreams, where the impossible happens</a>
Arsenal have survived the loss of both Havertz and Gabriel Jesus to make the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since 2009 with a famous 5-1 aggregate victory over Real Madrid.
Arteta cooled speculation Havertz could return in time to face Paris Saint-Germain in the last four.
But he is on track to be available should Arsenal get the final in Munich on May 31.
"For the semi-finals? I think that is too close," said Arteta.
"But if I have to bet on him (being available) earlier than expected I would say: 'Yes'.
"The way he works, every day he is in the gym, pushing everybody, and I don't think you can hold him back any longer."
Arsenal's European run has softened the blow of seeing their Premier League title challenge peter out.
The Gunners are on course to finish second for a third consecutive season.
But they trail Liverpool by 13 points with just six games remaining.
The title could be sealed as early as Sunday should Liverpool beat Leicester and Arsenal lose at struggling Ipswich.
Arteta is keen to avoid that scenario and warned against easing up in the league with Champions League qualification for next season not yet confirmed.
"We'll make sure that we win the game and that doesn't happen," added the Spaniard on the possibility of Liverpool winning the league on Sunday.
"We need to step up and start to win the games."
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Arsenal have survived the loss of both Havertz and Gabriel Jesus to make the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since 2009 with a famous 5-1 aggregate victory over Real Madrid. Football

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said he would bet on Kai Havertz returning before the end of the season as his recovery from a hamstring injury is ahead of schedule. The German international had initially been ruled out for the campaign after having surgery on the injury suffered during a Dubai warm-weather training camp in February. Also Read - Manchester United: The Theatre of Dreams, where the impossible happens Arsenal have survived the loss of both Havertz and Gabriel Jesus to make the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since 2009 with a famous 5-1 aggregate victory over Real Madrid. Arteta cooled speculation Havertz could return in time to face Paris Saint-Germain in the last four. But he is on track to be available should Arsenal get the final in Munich on May 31. "For the semi-finals? I think that is too close," said Arteta. "But if I have to bet on him (being available) earlier than expected I would say: 'Yes'. "The way he works, every day he is in the gym, pushing everybody, and I don't think you can hold him back any longer." Arsenal's European run has softened the blow of seeing their Premier League title challenge peter out. The Gunners are on course to finish second for a third consecutive season. But they trail Liverpool by 13 points with just six games remaining. The title could be sealed as early as Sunday should Liverpool beat Leicester and Arsenal lose at struggling Ipswich. Arteta is keen to avoid that scenario and warned against easing up in the league with Champions League qualification for next season not yet confirmed. "We'll make sure that we win the game and that doesn't happen," added the Spaniard on the possibility of Liverpool winning the league on Sunday. "We need to step up and start to win the games." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Kai Havertz could be back for Arsenal should they make it to Champions League final, believes Arteta

Arsenal staved off Champions League holders Real Madrid's superstars and rich history of unlikely comebacks to snatch a 2-1 victory on Wednesday and reach the semi-finals with a superb 5-1 aggregate triumph.
The Gunners' 3-0 quarter-final first leg triumph last week gave them a vital cushion in the Spanish capital as they made the final four for the first time since 2009, where they will face Paris Saint-Germain.
Bukayo Saka, who missed a first-half penalty, sent Arsenal ahead and although Vinicius Junior levelled the 15-time winners were never close to making up the deficit.
Gabriel Martinelli rubbed salt in their wounds with a stoppage-time winner for Arsenal, who are yet to lift the Champions League trophy.
"We knew we were going to suffer but we knew we were going to win," Declan Rice, who netted two stunning free-kicks in the first leg, told TNT Sports.
"It's such a special night for this club, it's a historic night for this club... we want to win this competition."
Los Blancos, far more brittle than when they won a Champions League and La Liga double last season, were convinced they could turn the game around but created too little against Arsenal's tight defence.
The Premier League side held their nerve to reach the semi-finals for only the third time in their history.
"We lost against a superior Arsenal and we have to accept it," Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois told Movistar.
"We've had the happy part of football many times and then there's the sad part, which is today," added coach Carlo Ancelotti.
Kylian Mbappe chested home in the opening stages but was clearly offside, with the forward gesturing to the crowd to turn up the volume to create the fabled aura which helps Madrid pull off near-impossible feats at the Santiago Bernabeu.
David Alaba was booked for hacking down Saka as Madrid tried to add the grit they badly lacked in their first leg demolition in London.
Arsenal were awarded a penalty seemingly out of the blue when the VAR booth instructed French referee Francois Letexier to review an incident from an earlier corner.
Raul Asencio pulled back Arsenal forward Mikel Merino in the area and Letexier pointed to the spot, to the bemusement of the home crowd.
<h2>Saka penalty saved</h2>
Saka stepped up to take it but his poorly-executed Panenka, skewing off to the left, was saved by Courtois.
It spurred Real Madrid on and soon they had a penalty of their own, when Mbappe hit the turf after Rice tussled with him.
However after a lengthy VAR review Letexier was called to take a second look and he then decided Rice had not fouled the French superstar.
The breaks in play, along with Arsenal's dallying at every opportunity, disrupted Madrid's momentum and Raya did not need to make a save in the first half.
"We didn't have the accuracy upfront," said Courtois.
Martin Odegaard, facing his former employers whom he joined as a 'wonderkid' a decade ago, helped forge Arsenal's opening goal after 65 minutes.
The Norwegian linked with Merino, who slipped Saka in behind and the Englishman made amends for his penalty blunder with an ice-cool dinked finish.
Four goals ahead in the tie, Arsenal thought their work was done, with defender William Saliba not concentrating on the edge of his box in possession.
Vinicius stole the ball away from him and beat the out-of-position Raya to level, two minutes after Saka's opener.
Madrid's increasingly slim hopes were dashed when Mbappe limped off with an ankle problem with 15 minutes remaining, and Martinelli made sure with a cool finish after Merino set him up.
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<h2>Inter hold Bayern</h2>
Inter Milan's treble dream is alive and kicking after reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League on Wednesday thanks to 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich, as the Serie A giants won a pulsating last-eight tie 4-3 on aggregate.
Italian champions Inter will face Barcelona in the semis after goals in the space of three minutes from captain Lautaro Martinez and Benjamin Pavard cancelled out a Harry Kane strike for Bayern which levelled the tie in the 52nd minute.
Eric Dier's looping header in the 76th minute earned Bayern a draw on the night in soaking and blustery Milan but that wasn't enough for Vincent Kompany's side to continue their bid to be crowned kings of Europe for a seventh time.
Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

World | Football | Sports: Arsenal's 3-0 first leg triumph last week gave them a vital cushion in against Madrid as they made the semis for the first time since 2009.

Arsenal staved off Champions League holders Real Madrid's superstars and rich history of unlikely comebacks to snatch a 2-1 victory on Wednesday and reach the semi-finals with a superb 5-1 aggregate triumph. The Gunners' 3-0 quarter-final first leg triumph last week gave them a vital cushion in the Spanish capital as they made the final four for the first time since 2009, where they will face Paris Saint-Germain. Bukayo Saka, who missed a first-half penalty, sent Arsenal ahead and although Vinicius Junior levelled the 15-time winners were never close to making up the deficit. Gabriel Martinelli rubbed salt in their wounds with a stoppage-time winner for Arsenal, who are yet to lift the Champions League trophy. "We knew we were going to suffer but we knew we were going to win," Declan Rice, who netted two stunning free-kicks in the first leg, told TNT Sports. "It's such a special night for this club, it's a historic night for this club... we want to win this competition." Los Blancos, far more brittle than when they won a Champions League and La Liga double last season, were convinced they could turn the game around but created too little against Arsenal's tight defence. The Premier League side held their nerve to reach the semi-finals for only the third time in their history. "We lost against a superior Arsenal and we have to accept it," Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois told Movistar. "We've had the happy part of football many times and then there's the sad part, which is today," added coach Carlo Ancelotti. Kylian Mbappe chested home in the opening stages but was clearly offside, with the forward gesturing to the crowd to turn up the volume to create the fabled aura which helps Madrid pull off near-impossible feats at the Santiago Bernabeu. David Alaba was booked for hacking down Saka as Madrid tried to add the grit they badly lacked in their first leg demolition in London. Arsenal were awarded a penalty seemingly out of the blue when the VAR booth instructed French referee Francois Letexier to review an incident from an earlier corner. Raul Asencio pulled back Arsenal forward Mikel Merino in the area and Letexier pointed to the spot, to the bemusement of the home crowd. Saka penalty saved Saka stepped up to take it but his poorly-executed Panenka, skewing off to the left, was saved by Courtois. It spurred Real Madrid on and soon they had a penalty of their own, when Mbappe hit the turf after Rice tussled with him. However after a lengthy VAR review Letexier was called to take a second look and he then decided Rice had not fouled the French superstar. The breaks in play, along with Arsenal's dallying at every opportunity, disrupted Madrid's momentum and Raya did not need to make a save in the first half. "We didn't have the accuracy upfront," said Courtois. Martin Odegaard, facing his former employers whom he joined as a 'wonderkid' a decade ago, helped forge Arsenal's opening goal after 65 minutes. The Norwegian linked with Merino, who slipped Saka in behind and the Englishman made amends for his penalty blunder with an ice-cool dinked finish. Four goals ahead in the tie, Arsenal thought their work was done, with defender William Saliba not concentrating on the edge of his box in possession. Vinicius stole the ball away from him and beat the out-of-position Raya to level, two minutes after Saka's opener. Madrid's increasingly slim hopes were dashed when Mbappe limped off with an ankle problem with 15 minutes remaining, and Martinelli made sure with a cool finish after Merino set him up. ALSO READ | IPL 2025: 'Wish they checked bats when I was bowling', says SRH head coach Daniel Vettori Inter hold Bayern Inter Milan's treble dream is alive and kicking after reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League on Wednesday thanks to 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich, as the Serie A giants won a pulsating last-eight tie 4-3 on aggregate. Italian champions Inter will face Barcelona in the semis after goals in the space of three minutes from captain Lautaro Martinez and Benjamin Pavard cancelled out a Harry Kane strike for Bayern which levelled the tie in the 52nd minute. Eric Dier's looping header in the 76th minute earned Bayern a draw on the night in soaking and blustery Milan but that wasn't enough for Vincent Kompany's side to continue their bid to be crowned kings of Europe for a seventh time. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Champions League: Arsenal oust holders Real Madrid to reach semis; Inter beat Bayern 3-2 on aggregate

Paris Saint-Germain survived a second half onslaught to beat Aston Villa 5-4 on aggregate and reach the Champions League semi-finals despite a 3-2 defeat on Tuesday.
The French champions were cruising towards the last four when full-backs Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes struck in the first 27 minutes to add to their 3-1 first leg lead.
Youri Tielemans pulled a goal back for the English side before half-time and two goals in two minutes from John McGinn and Ezri Konsa transformed the tie early in the second period.
PSG were thankful to goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma for keeping Unai Emery's men at bay and preventing another famous collapse in the Champions League knockout stages.
"At the end, we got them suffering like we did," said Emery.
"To get this level is the next step forward that I want to try to build with Aston Villa."
Villa boss Emery was in charge of PSG when Luis Enrique's Barcelona overturned a 4-0 first leg deficit with a dramatic 6-1 win in 2017.
Luis Enrique again emerged victorious over his compatriot but this time was the one who watched his team almost blow a seemingly unassailable lead.
"I have to say that match for us is something that allows us to grow up and try to compete even better," said Luis Enrique. &nbsp;
"On the whole two matches we deserved to win and we are very happy because it's the second year in a row in the semi-finals."
Villa had not experienced a European night like this since 1983 and there was an embarrassing moment for the hosts before a ball was kicked as the Europa League anthem was played instead of the famous pre-match hymn of the Champions League.
Luis Enrique's surprise decision to start Bradley Barcola ahead of Desire Doue was justified just 11 minutes in when he sprinted down the left and Emiliano Martinez spilled his cross into the path of Hakimi, who fired home the opener.
Another blistering break from the visitors cut Villa open as Ousmane Dembele squared for left-back Mendes to stroke in his fourth Champions League goal of the season and second of the tie.
<h2>Royals in raptures</h2>
Villa's refusal to give up the fight was rewarded when Tielemans' deflected effort pulled a goal back before half-time.
Villa fanatic Prince William and his son George were among the home support that were in raptures as what seemed an impossible fightback came closer to reality.
McGinn's deflected effort flew into the top corner to restore parity on the night at 2-2.
Emery's decision to start with Marcus Rashford up front ahead of top scorer Ollie Watkins was a controversial one before kick-off.
Rashford has been reborn since a January loan move from Manchester United.
The England international was denied a goal by a stunning save from Donnarumma.
But from the resulting corner, Rashford nutmegged Fabian Ruiz, skipped past Vitinha and cut the ball back for Konsa to slot in at the near post.
A PSG side that looked imperious in the first 45 minutes were suddenly all at sea as Villa missed a series of chances to take the game to extra time.
Donnarumma produced more brilliant saves to deny Tielemans and then Marco Asensio against his parent club.
Willian Pacho blocked Ian Maatsen's goalbound effort in stoppage time to deny Villa at the death.
But they have surpassed expectations in their first experience of the elite level of European football for over four decades.
For PSG, their quest to win the competition for the first time goes on and they have rarely had a better opportunity to end that wait.
Arsenal are their likely semi-final opponents as the Gunners take a 3-0 quarter-final, first leg advantage away to holders Real Madrid on Wednesday.
On the other half of the draw Barcelona will face either Inter Milan or Bayern Munich in a heavyweight clash.
But PSG are arguably the continent's form side and with the Ligue 1 title long since sewn up, can focus entirely on conquering Europe in Munich on May 31.
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<h2>Barcelona hold off Borussia Dortmund challenge</h2>
Barcelona were through to the Champions League semi-finals with a 5-3 aggregate win, despite losing 3-1 at Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday with Serhou Guirassy hitting a hat-trick.
Holding a 4-0 lead after a dominant performance in Catalonia, the visitors were made to sweat as Dortmund and Guirassy nearly pulled off a stunning turnaround.&nbsp;
Guirassy put Dortmund in front with a Panenka from the spot with 11 minutes gone and headed them two goals clear early in the second half.
Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

World News, Sports: PSG were cruising towards the last four when full-backs Hakimi and Mendes struck in the first 27 minutes to add to their 3-1 first leg lead.

Paris Saint-Germain survived a second half onslaught to beat Aston Villa 5-4 on aggregate and reach the Champions League semi-finals despite a 3-2 defeat on Tuesday. The French champions were cruising towards the last four when full-backs Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes struck in the first 27 minutes to add to their 3-1 first leg lead. Youri Tielemans pulled a goal back for the English side before half-time and two goals in two minutes from John McGinn and Ezri Konsa transformed the tie early in the second period. PSG were thankful to goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma for keeping Unai Emery's men at bay and preventing another famous collapse in the Champions League knockout stages. "At the end, we got them suffering like we did," said Emery. "To get this level is the next step forward that I want to try to build with Aston Villa." Villa boss Emery was in charge of PSG when Luis Enrique's Barcelona overturned a 4-0 first leg deficit with a dramatic 6-1 win in 2017. Luis Enrique again emerged victorious over his compatriot but this time was the one who watched his team almost blow a seemingly unassailable lead. "I have to say that match for us is something that allows us to grow up and try to compete even better," said Luis Enrique. "On the whole two matches we deserved to win and we are very happy because it's the second year in a row in the semi-finals." Villa had not experienced a European night like this since 1983 and there was an embarrassing moment for the hosts before a ball was kicked as the Europa League anthem was played instead of the famous pre-match hymn of the Champions League. Luis Enrique's surprise decision to start Bradley Barcola ahead of Desire Doue was justified just 11 minutes in when he sprinted down the left and Emiliano Martinez spilled his cross into the path of Hakimi, who fired home the opener. Another blistering break from the visitors cut Villa open as Ousmane Dembele squared for left-back Mendes to stroke in his fourth Champions League goal of the season and second of the tie. Royals in raptures Villa's refusal to give up the fight was rewarded when Tielemans' deflected effort pulled a goal back before half-time. Villa fanatic Prince William and his son George were among the home support that were in raptures as what seemed an impossible fightback came closer to reality. McGinn's deflected effort flew into the top corner to restore parity on the night at 2-2. Emery's decision to start with Marcus Rashford up front ahead of top scorer Ollie Watkins was a controversial one before kick-off. Rashford has been reborn since a January loan move from Manchester United. The England international was denied a goal by a stunning save from Donnarumma. But from the resulting corner, Rashford nutmegged Fabian Ruiz, skipped past Vitinha and cut the ball back for Konsa to slot in at the near post. A PSG side that looked imperious in the first 45 minutes were suddenly all at sea as Villa missed a series of chances to take the game to extra time. Donnarumma produced more brilliant saves to deny Tielemans and then Marco Asensio against his parent club. Willian Pacho blocked Ian Maatsen's goalbound effort in stoppage time to deny Villa at the death. But they have surpassed expectations in their first experience of the elite level of European football for over four decades. For PSG, their quest to win the competition for the first time goes on and they have rarely had a better opportunity to end that wait. Arsenal are their likely semi-final opponents as the Gunners take a 3-0 quarter-final, first leg advantage away to holders Real Madrid on Wednesday. On the other half of the draw Barcelona will face either Inter Milan or Bayern Munich in a heavyweight clash. But PSG are arguably the continent's form side and with the Ligue 1 title long since sewn up, can focus entirely on conquering Europe in Munich on May 31. ALSO READ | LA 2028 Games: IOC reveals venue for cricket’s Olympics return Barcelona hold off Borussia Dortmund challenge Barcelona were through to the Champions League semi-finals with a 5-3 aggregate win, despite losing 3-1 at Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday with Serhou Guirassy hitting a hat-trick. Holding a 4-0 lead after a dominant performance in Catalonia, the visitors were made to sweat as Dortmund and Guirassy nearly pulled off a stunning turnaround. Guirassy put Dortmund in front with a Panenka from the spot with 11 minutes gone and headed them two goals clear early in the second half. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Champions League: PSG survive Aston Villa scare to reach semis, Barcelona hold Borussia Dortmund for aggregate win

Real Madrid midfielder <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/jude-bellingham">Jude Bellingham</a> said everyone at the club believes the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-league">Champions League</a> holders can mount an historic comeback against Arsenal on Wednesday.
The Gunners won the quarter-final first leg clash in London 3-0 last week, leaving Real facing an uphill struggle at the Santiago Bernabeu.
However Bellingham said Real Madrid's belief, history and quality can help the record 15-time winners triumph to reach the semi-finals, despite never previously overturning a first leg defeat of this magnitude in the Champions League era.
"It's a weird environment, the last few days, it was one of the worst (first leg) results we could possibly imagine, and for some reason everyone thinks it's nailed-on we'll come back, and it's a nice feeling I have to say," the England international told a press conference on Tuesday.
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"It means there's a lot of trust in the talent, it means that you're at a club that's like no other, the best in the world, and that's what it represents and signifies to me.
"There's a pressure that comes along with that for sure, we want to deliver on what everyone thinks, that we can come back and that's obviously the goal for us."
Bellingham said the word 'remontada' -- comeback in Spanish -- has been flying around since Madrid's capitulation at the Emirates.
"Remontada... I've heard it about a million times this week, I've seen a million videos online," continued Bellingham.&nbsp;"(It's) really motivating stuff, it's a night that's made for Real Madrid, a night that people are familiar with in this part of the world, hopefully we can add another special night."
Bellingham said Madrid players had to use the fans' energy at the Bernabeu to help fuel them as they bid to add another spectacular European night to an ever-growing collection.
"They are huge in creating an atmosphere and an energy inside the stadium that's infectious and the players really thrive off that... it brings a better level from us," said the 21-year-old, who helped drive Madrid to Champions League glory in his debut season after joining in 2023.
"We have to match their desire to win, their energy and produce a performance they can be proud of," continued Bellingham.&nbsp;"There's an expectation from Real Madrid that when we get into these kind of holes we can come back, even if it's a really tough one, a really difficult one.
"Just because the club has done it so many times, that's what's so impressive about the size of this club, and the expectations are obviously huge."
<h2>'We need him'</h2>
Real Madrid coach <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/carlo-ancelotti">Carlo Ancelotti</a>, who has won the competition five times as a manager, more than anyone else, said he was calm ahead of the game.
"I'm focussed, with a very cool head, it's not my first night like this and I hope it will not be the last," he said.&nbsp;"More than worried, I am excited to be able to take part in games like this from the bench, that excitement allows me to keep a cool head."
Ancelotti called on his players to play with "head, heart and balls" against Arsenal, and said he needs striker Kylian Mbappe to deliver.
The French superstar was sent off against Alaves on Sunday as his team scraped a tight La Liga win.&nbsp;"He's hurt, disappointed about what happened, yesterday he trained very well, very motivated," added the coach.&nbsp;"We need him... he has to score goals, more than ever, we need his goals tomorrow."
Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Sports: The Gunners won the quarter-final first leg clash in London 3-0 last week, leaving Real facing an uphill struggle at the iconic Santiago Bernabeu

Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham said everyone at the club believes the Champions League holders can mount an historic comeback against Arsenal on Wednesday. The Gunners won the quarter-final first leg clash in London 3-0 last week, leaving Real facing an uphill struggle at the Santiago Bernabeu. However Bellingham said Real Madrid's belief, history and quality can help the record 15-time winners triumph to reach the semi-finals, despite never previously overturning a first leg defeat of this magnitude in the Champions League era. "It's a weird environment, the last few days, it was one of the worst (first leg) results we could possibly imagine, and for some reason everyone thinks it's nailed-on we'll come back, and it's a nice feeling I have to say," the England international told a press conference on Tuesday. Also Read: Ultimate Table Tennis: Veteran Manika Batra to lead Ahmedabad Pipers after successful acquisition in season 6 auctions "It means there's a lot of trust in the talent, it means that you're at a club that's like no other, the best in the world, and that's what it represents and signifies to me. "There's a pressure that comes along with that for sure, we want to deliver on what everyone thinks, that we can come back and that's obviously the goal for us." Bellingham said the word 'remontada' -- comeback in Spanish -- has been flying around since Madrid's capitulation at the Emirates. "Remontada... I've heard it about a million times this week, I've seen a million videos online," continued Bellingham. "(It's) really motivating stuff, it's a night that's made for Real Madrid, a night that people are familiar with in this part of the world, hopefully we can add another special night." Bellingham said Madrid players had to use the fans' energy at the Bernabeu to help fuel them as they bid to add another spectacular European night to an ever-growing collection. "They are huge in creating an atmosphere and an energy inside the stadium that's infectious and the players really thrive off that... it brings a better level from us," said the 21-year-old, who helped drive Madrid to Champions League glory in his debut season after joining in 2023. "We have to match their desire to win, their energy and produce a performance they can be proud of," continued Bellingham. "There's an expectation from Real Madrid that when we get into these kind of holes we can come back, even if it's a really tough one, a really difficult one. "Just because the club has done it so many times, that's what's so impressive about the size of this club, and the expectations are obviously huge." 'We need him' Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti, who has won the competition five times as a manager, more than anyone else, said he was calm ahead of the game. "I'm focussed, with a very cool head, it's not my first night like this and I hope it will not be the last," he said. "More than worried, I am excited to be able to take part in games like this from the bench, that excitement allows me to keep a cool head." Ancelotti called on his players to play with "head, heart and balls" against Arsenal, and said he needs striker Kylian Mbappe to deliver. The French superstar was sent off against Alaves on Sunday as his team scraped a tight La Liga win. "He's hurt, disappointed about what happened, yesterday he trained very well, very motivated," added the coach. "We need him... he has to score goals, more than ever, we need his goals tomorrow." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Champions League: Everyone thinks Real Madrid comeback 'nailed-on', says Bellingham

Kylian Mbappe joined Real Madrid in search of Champions League glory, hoping to be on the right side of exactly the kind of magical night they need against Arsenal on Wednesday if they are to progress to the semi-finals.
The Gunners lead 3-0 after dismantling the holders in London last week in the quarter-final first leg, leaving Madrid craving the sort of dramatic comeback the 15-time winners are renowned for.
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Returning from a three-goal defeat would be step further than anything Los Blancos have managed so far, but that is precisely why they tried to lure Mbappe to the club for years.
The French superstar's explosive edge gives Madrid hope of achieving what appears to be borderline impossible.
"Of course we can," said Mbappe on his way out of the Emirates last Tuesday, heading to the team bus after Arsenal's stunning victory.
Declan Rice struck two sublime free-kicks and Mikel Merino's third helped Mikel Arteta's side put one foot in the final four.
Arsenal will be fully aware the job is not yet complete, having seen Mbappe's devastating impact against Premier League champions Manchester City earlier this season.
Mbappe netted a hat-trick against Pep Guardiola's side in February at the Santiago Bernabeu in the play-off round, helping Madrid eliminate City 6-3 on aggregate.
The striker was sent off for a wild challenge against Alaves in La Liga on Sunday, putting his team-mates under pressure, but can make it up to them with a special performance at the Santiago Bernabeu against Arsenal.
Madrid scraped a 1-0 win and Mbappe only played 38 minutes before his dismissal, so he should be fresh for Wednesday.
Mbappe has 33 goals in 49 games across all competitions this season, matching Madrid's all-time top goalscorer Cristiano Ronaldo's tally in his first season at the club.
<h2>'Big night'</h2>
Mbappe failed to lift the Champions League trophy with Paris Saint-Germain during his seven seasons at the club and in 2022, was on the sharp end of a spectacular Real Madrid comeback.
PSG led 1-0 from the last 16 first leg, with Mbappe on target, and he netted his second goal of the tie to give the French side the lead at the Bernabeu.
It sparked Real Madrid into life and a remarkable 17-minute Karim Benzema hat-trick turned the tie around and powered Los Blancos into the quarter-finals, on the way to lifting the trophy.
Mbappe said his treble against Man City was exactly the kind of night he was craving.
"I've been dreaming of moments like this since I was a kid, to play for this club and to feel what it's like on a big night at the Bernabeu," said the Frenchman.
"A lot of people have told me about it, but now I've seen it with my own eyes, and I hope we'll have many more."
In 2022 Madrid made a stunning comeback to beat Man City despite trailing 5-3 on aggregate in the final minutes of the semi-final second leg, progressing 6-5 in the end.
Perhaps their most important comeback came in the 2014 final against rivals Atletico, trailing 1-0 until Sergio Ramos headed home in the 93rd minute to force extra-time, with Los Blancos winning 4-1 to claim 'La Decima', their 10th Champions League trophy.
They also overcame a 2-0 quarter-final first leg deficit against Wolfsburg in 2016, winning the second leg 3-0 with a Ronaldo hat-trick.
Mbappe would dearly love to emulate the Portuguese forward's feat against Arsenal.
"At the Santiago Bernabeu, comebacks are always on everyone's lips," said Ronaldo.
Madrid and comebacks have been synonomous since the 1980s when winger Juanito was involved in several, including the UEFA Cup semi-finals in 1985.
"90 minutes at the Bernabeu is a long time," he warned Inter Milan after the hosts won the first leg 2-0 in Italy, with Madrid going on to triumph 3-0 on their way to glory.
Mbappe came to Madrid to add to their rich history and Arsenal's visit presents the ideal opportunity.
"We have to believe, we have to have confidence," said coach Carlo Ancelotti last week. "Because sometimes, quite often at the Bernabeu, it happens."
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Returning from a three-goal defeat would be step further than anything Los Blancos have managed so far, but that is precisely why they tried to lure Mbappe to the club for years. Sports Football

Kylian Mbappe joined Real Madrid in search of Champions League glory, hoping to be on the right side of exactly the kind of magical night they need against Arsenal on Wednesday if they are to progress to the semi-finals. The Gunners lead 3-0 after dismantling the holders in London last week in the quarter-final first leg, leaving Madrid craving the sort of dramatic comeback the 15-time winners are renowned for. Also Read - PSL 2025: For a second time in a year, Pakistani bowler Usman Tariq reported for suspect bowling action Returning from a three-goal defeat would be step further than anything Los Blancos have managed so far, but that is precisely why they tried to lure Mbappe to the club for years. The French superstar's explosive edge gives Madrid hope of achieving what appears to be borderline impossible. "Of course we can," said Mbappe on his way out of the Emirates last Tuesday, heading to the team bus after Arsenal's stunning victory. Declan Rice struck two sublime free-kicks and Mikel Merino's third helped Mikel Arteta's side put one foot in the final four. Arsenal will be fully aware the job is not yet complete, having seen Mbappe's devastating impact against Premier League champions Manchester City earlier this season. Mbappe netted a hat-trick against Pep Guardiola's side in February at the Santiago Bernabeu in the play-off round, helping Madrid eliminate City 6-3 on aggregate. The striker was sent off for a wild challenge against Alaves in La Liga on Sunday, putting his team-mates under pressure, but can make it up to them with a special performance at the Santiago Bernabeu against Arsenal. Madrid scraped a 1-0 win and Mbappe only played 38 minutes before his dismissal, so he should be fresh for Wednesday. Mbappe has 33 goals in 49 games across all competitions this season, matching Madrid's all-time top goalscorer Cristiano Ronaldo's tally in his first season at the club. 'Big night' Mbappe failed to lift the Champions League trophy with Paris Saint-Germain during his seven seasons at the club and in 2022, was on the sharp end of a spectacular Real Madrid comeback. PSG led 1-0 from the last 16 first leg, with Mbappe on target, and he netted his second goal of the tie to give the French side the lead at the Bernabeu. It sparked Real Madrid into life and a remarkable 17-minute Karim Benzema hat-trick turned the tie around and powered Los Blancos into the quarter-finals, on the way to lifting the trophy. Mbappe said his treble against Man City was exactly the kind of night he was craving. "I've been dreaming of moments like this since I was a kid, to play for this club and to feel what it's like on a big night at the Bernabeu," said the Frenchman. "A lot of people have told me about it, but now I've seen it with my own eyes, and I hope we'll have many more." In 2022 Madrid made a stunning comeback to beat Man City despite trailing 5-3 on aggregate in the final minutes of the semi-final second leg, progressing 6-5 in the end. Perhaps their most important comeback came in the 2014 final against rivals Atletico, trailing 1-0 until Sergio Ramos headed home in the 93rd minute to force extra-time, with Los Blancos winning 4-1 to claim 'La Decima', their 10th Champions League trophy. They also overcame a 2-0 quarter-final first leg deficit against Wolfsburg in 2016, winning the second leg 3-0 with a Ronaldo hat-trick. Mbappe would dearly love to emulate the Portuguese forward's feat against Arsenal. "At the Santiago Bernabeu, comebacks are always on everyone's lips," said Ronaldo. Madrid and comebacks have been synonomous since the 1980s when winger Juanito was involved in several, including the UEFA Cup semi-finals in 1985. "90 minutes at the Bernabeu is a long time," he warned Inter Milan after the hosts won the first leg 2-0 in Italy, with Madrid going on to triumph 3-0 on their way to glory. Mbappe came to Madrid to add to their rich history and Arsenal's visit presents the ideal opportunity. "We have to believe, we have to have confidence," said coach Carlo Ancelotti last week. "Because sometimes, quite often at the Bernabeu, it happens." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Champions League: Mbappe to lead charge for Real Madrid vs Arsenal in hunt for glory

Robert Lewandowski is one of the modern greats and the Polish footballer proved his mettle once again during the Champions League fixture between Barcelona and Dortmund on Wednesday (Apr 9). Lewandowski netted the football twice in the quarter-final first-leg as Barcelona won 4-0 against Dortmund.
With his two goals, the Polish player took his Champions League goal tally to 11 this season. He is now the first footballer in Champions League history to score 10 or more goals for three different teams.
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Before his 11 goals for Barcelona in the ongoing 2024-25 Champions League season, he had scored 10 goals for Dortmund in 2012-13 season. Playing for Bayern Munich, Lewandowski did it twice - 15 goals in 2019-20 season and 13 goals in 2021-22 season.
In the current Champions League season, 36-year-old Lewandowski is only outscored by teammate Raphinha.&nbsp;
He's also leading the goal-scoring charts in La Liga where he playing his third season after shifting to Barcelona for 2022-23 season. Lewandowski has scored 25 goals so far for the Catalan giants - the most in the Spanish league this season and more than his tally of 23 goals in 33 games in 2022-23 season and 19 goals in 32 games in 2023-24 season.
In the match against Dortmund, Lewandowski scored both his goals in second half - in 48th and 66th minute. The other two goals were scored by Raphinha in 25th minute and teenager Lamine Yamal in 77th minute as Barca won the one-sided contest 4-0.
Hansi Flick's Barca are a step away from reaching the semi-finals for the first time since 2019 and extended their unbeaten run to 23 matches.
Barca, who last lifted the trophy in 2015 are aiming to seal a final four clash against Inter Milan or Bayern Munich when they visit Germany next Tuesday (Apr 15).
(With inputs from agency)

Before his 11 goals for Barcelona in the ongoing Champions League season, Lewandowski had scored 10 goals for Dortmund in 2012-13 and for Bayern Munich with 15 goals in 2019-20 and 13 goals in 2021-22 season. Football Sports

Robert Lewandowski is one of the modern greats and the Polish footballer proved his mettle once again during the Champions League fixture between Barcelona and Dortmund on Wednesday (Apr 9). Lewandowski netted the football twice in the quarter-final first-leg as Barcelona won 4-0 against Dortmund. With his two goals, the Polish player took his Champions League goal tally to 11 this season. He is now the first footballer in Champions League history to score 10 or more goals for three different teams. Also Watch - CONCACAF Champions Cup: Lionel Messi conjures surreal magic as Inter Miami snatch come-from-behind victory over LAFC Before his 11 goals for Barcelona in the ongoing 2024-25 Champions League season, he had scored 10 goals for Dortmund in 2012-13 season. Playing for Bayern Munich, Lewandowski did it twice - 15 goals in 2019-20 season and 13 goals in 2021-22 season. In the current Champions League season, 36-year-old Lewandowski is only outscored by teammate Raphinha. He's also leading the goal-scoring charts in La Liga where he playing his third season after shifting to Barcelona for 2022-23 season. Lewandowski has scored 25 goals so far for the Catalan giants - the most in the Spanish league this season and more than his tally of 23 goals in 33 games in 2022-23 season and 19 goals in 32 games in 2023-24 season. In the match against Dortmund, Lewandowski scored both his goals in second half - in 48th and 66th minute. The other two goals were scored by Raphinha in 25th minute and teenager Lamine Yamal in 77th minute as Barca won the one-sided contest 4-0. Hansi Flick's Barca are a step away from reaching the semi-finals for the first time since 2019 and extended their unbeaten run to 23 matches. Barca, who last lifted the trophy in 2015 are aiming to seal a final four clash against Inter Milan or Bayern Munich when they visit Germany next Tuesday (Apr 15). (With inputs from agency)

Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski becomes first player in Champions League history to...

Robert Lewandowski hit a brace to help a devastating Barcelona rout Borussia Dortmund 4-0 in a one-sided Champions League quarter-final first leg on Wednesday.
Hansi Flick's Barca are a step away from reaching the semi-finals for the first time since 2019 and extended their unbeaten run to 23 matches.
The five-time winners took the lead against last year's runners-up through red-hot winger Raphinha before Lewandowski reached 40 goals for the season with his double.
Teenager Lamine Yamal was an unstoppable force throughout and deftly prodded home Barcelona's fourth as Dortmund collapsed.
Barca, who last lifted the trophy in 2015 are aiming to seal a final four clash against Inter Milan or Bayern Munich when they visit Germany next Tuesday.
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<h2>Kvaratskhelia inspires Paris Saint Germain win</h2>
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored one of the great Champions League goals as Paris Saint-Germain came from behind to beat Aston Villa 3-1 in the first leg of their quarter-final tie on Wednesday.
Morgan Rogers had given Villa a 35th-minute lead at the Parc des Princes to silence the home fans, but PSG were quickly back level through a fine strike by Desire Doue.
Kvaratskhelia then took centre stage with a stunning effort on 49 minutes, before Nuno Mendes added a crucial third in stoppage time, giving PSG a significant two-goal cushion to take into the return in Birmingham next Tuesday.
Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Sports, Football: Hansi Flick's Barca are a step away from reaching the semi-finals for the first time since 2019 and extended their unbeaten run to 23 matches.

Robert Lewandowski hit a brace to help a devastating Barcelona rout Borussia Dortmund 4-0 in a one-sided Champions League quarter-final first leg on Wednesday. Hansi Flick's Barca are a step away from reaching the semi-finals for the first time since 2019 and extended their unbeaten run to 23 matches. The five-time winners took the lead against last year's runners-up through red-hot winger Raphinha before Lewandowski reached 40 goals for the season with his double. Teenager Lamine Yamal was an unstoppable force throughout and deftly prodded home Barcelona's fourth as Dortmund collapsed. Barca, who last lifted the trophy in 2015 are aiming to seal a final four clash against Inter Milan or Bayern Munich when they visit Germany next Tuesday. ALSO READ | 'Updated IPL 2025 Points Table': Check points table, match results, NRR with wins, loss and other key details Kvaratskhelia inspires Paris Saint Germain win Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored one of the great Champions League goals as Paris Saint-Germain came from behind to beat Aston Villa 3-1 in the first leg of their quarter-final tie on Wednesday. Morgan Rogers had given Villa a 35th-minute lead at the Parc des Princes to silence the home fans, but PSG were quickly back level through a fine strike by Desire Doue. Kvaratskhelia then took centre stage with a stunning effort on 49 minutes, before Nuno Mendes added a crucial third in stoppage time, giving PSG a significant two-goal cushion to take into the return in Birmingham next Tuesday. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Champions League: Barcelona destroy Dortmund in one-sided contest, PSG come from behind to win against Villa

Mikel Arteta admitted Arsenal defied the odds with their stunning 3-0 win against Real Madrid as Declan Rice's free-kick magic left the Champions League holders in disarray.
Rice inspired one of the greatest results in Arsenal's storied history with two blistering free-kicks in the second half of the quarter-final first leg at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday.
Mikel Merino scored the third goal for Arteta's side as they moved within touching distance of a first Champions League semi-final appearance since 2009.
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It was an incredible moment for England midfielder Rice, who had never scored a free-kick in his career -- a period spanning 338 previous matches -- before the first of his thunderbolts flashed past Real keeper Thibaut Courtois.
Arsenal had also failed to find the net from a direct set-piece in almost four years, with their last coming via Martin Odegaard against Burnley in September 2021.
Gunners captain Odegaard put his hands on his head in disbelief when Rice completed his set-piece double, while Arteta was equally surprised.
"Declan's been very determined because we have said in the last few months that we have not scored a direct free-kick in three-and-half years," the Arsenal manager said.
"So, to score two goals in 12 minutes of that magnitude and of that quality from the same player, a player that has never scored a free-kick before in his career, what are the odds?
"If there's a player who can do it, how clean he strikes it it's Declan. But you have to execute it at the highest level. And against one of the best keepers in the world as well. It's amazing."
It was a cathartic result for Arsenal, who have endured a rocky season marred by their failure to keep pace with Liverpool in the Premier League title race.
The north Londoners are 11 points adrift of Liverpool, leaving the Champions League as their last chance this season to win a first trophy since the 2020 FA Cup.
Few would have expected them to get past 15-time European champions Real before the first leg.
But now Arsenal will travel to the Bernabeu for the return tie next week as firm favourites to progress to a last four clash against Paris Saint-Germain or Aston Villa.
<h2>'Magic moments'</h2>
"Beautiful. So proud of the team. I've never seen the stadium like this," Arteta said.
"For big European nights you need the big stadiums that create atmosphere and you need individual magic moments and there you go. That's the beauty of whoever invented this sport."
Arsenal famously knocked out Real in the last 16 on route to their only Champions League final appearance in 2006.
Repeating that run to the final and winning the tournament for the first time would end any doubts about Arteta, who had been questioned at times during his team's inconsistent campaign.
But the Spaniard, whose team blew significant leads in the title race over the previous two seasons, has no intention of taking victory for granted against Carlo Ancelotti's star-studded side.
"When you have not played against this team for the past 20 years, and not had a proper run in this competition, you have to be prepared to write your own history, and it is on nights like this where you can do that. We did that but we have a lot more to give," he said.
"It's another step in the right direction as a team. But we have to make another one and replicate what we've done tonight. Now we have to go to the Bernabeu and do it. That will be another step.
"I will enjoy the win because we deserve it. But we have to be even better in Madrid. We are just in the middle of the tie. There is so much to do yet."
For Real to produce an incredible escape act in the second leg, they will have to set a new mark in their glittering European history.
The Spanish giants have never overturned a three-goal first leg Champion League deficit, but Ancelotti is convinced there is still a chance. &nbsp;
"There is always a first time. The only thing you can do together is to try. The comeback starts tonight," said Ancelotti.
"The possibilities are quite low but we have to try at 100 percent and do all we can. It is an opportunity to show our game."
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Rice inspired one of the greatest results in Arsenal's storied history with two blistering free-kicks in the second half of the quarter-final first leg at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday. Football Sports

Mikel Arteta admitted Arsenal defied the odds with their stunning 3-0 win against Real Madrid as Declan Rice's free-kick magic left the Champions League holders in disarray. Rice inspired one of the greatest results in Arsenal's storied history with two blistering free-kicks in the second half of the quarter-final first leg at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday. Mikel Merino scored the third goal for Arteta's side as they moved within touching distance of a first Champions League semi-final appearance since 2009. Also Read: Neeraj Chopra to kick off 2025 season at Doha Diamond League on May 16 It was an incredible moment for England midfielder Rice, who had never scored a free-kick in his career -- a period spanning 338 previous matches -- before the first of his thunderbolts flashed past Real keeper Thibaut Courtois. Arsenal had also failed to find the net from a direct set-piece in almost four years, with their last coming via Martin Odegaard against Burnley in September 2021. Gunners captain Odegaard put his hands on his head in disbelief when Rice completed his set-piece double, while Arteta was equally surprised. "Declan's been very determined because we have said in the last few months that we have not scored a direct free-kick in three-and-half years," the Arsenal manager said. "So, to score two goals in 12 minutes of that magnitude and of that quality from the same player, a player that has never scored a free-kick before in his career, what are the odds? "If there's a player who can do it, how clean he strikes it it's Declan. But you have to execute it at the highest level. And against one of the best keepers in the world as well. It's amazing." It was a cathartic result for Arsenal, who have endured a rocky season marred by their failure to keep pace with Liverpool in the Premier League title race. The north Londoners are 11 points adrift of Liverpool, leaving the Champions League as their last chance this season to win a first trophy since the 2020 FA Cup. Few would have expected them to get past 15-time European champions Real before the first leg. But now Arsenal will travel to the Bernabeu for the return tie next week as firm favourites to progress to a last four clash against Paris Saint-Germain or Aston Villa. 'Magic moments' "Beautiful. So proud of the team. I've never seen the stadium like this," Arteta said. "For big European nights you need the big stadiums that create atmosphere and you need individual magic moments and there you go. That's the beauty of whoever invented this sport." Arsenal famously knocked out Real in the last 16 on route to their only Champions League final appearance in 2006. Repeating that run to the final and winning the tournament for the first time would end any doubts about Arteta, who had been questioned at times during his team's inconsistent campaign. But the Spaniard, whose team blew significant leads in the title race over the previous two seasons, has no intention of taking victory for granted against Carlo Ancelotti's star-studded side. "When you have not played against this team for the past 20 years, and not had a proper run in this competition, you have to be prepared to write your own history, and it is on nights like this where you can do that. We did that but we have a lot more to give," he said. "It's another step in the right direction as a team. But we have to make another one and replicate what we've done tonight. Now we have to go to the Bernabeu and do it. That will be another step. "I will enjoy the win because we deserve it. But we have to be even better in Madrid. We are just in the middle of the tie. There is so much to do yet." For Real to produce an incredible escape act in the second leg, they will have to set a new mark in their glittering European history. The Spanish giants have never overturned a three-goal first leg Champion League deficit, but Ancelotti is convinced there is still a chance. "There is always a first time. The only thing you can do together is to try. The comeback starts tonight," said Ancelotti. "The possibilities are quite low but we have to try at 100 percent and do all we can. It is an opportunity to show our game." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Champions League QF: Declan Rice conjures free-kick magic as Arsenal stun title-holders Real Madrid

UEFA opened an investigation into four Real Madrid stars including Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior on Thursday for alleged "indecent conduct" during their Champions League last 16 win over Atletico Madrid.
Madrid's two superstar forwards, as well as defender Antonio Rudiger and midfielder Dani Ceballos, face potential punishment ahead of their quarter-final first leg clash at Arsenal on April 8.
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"A UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector has been appointed to investigate allegations of indecent conduct by Real Madrid CF players," said the European football governing body in a statement.
Spanish media reports suggested Real Madrid players are being scrutinised by UEFA for the manner of their celebrations after the win.
UEFA and Real Madrid did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment.
Record 15-time champions and current holders Madrid beat their rivals on penalties at Atletico's Metropolitano stadium on March 12 after a 2-2 aggregate draw.
The night ended in controversy after Atletico forward Julian Alvarez had a penalty controversially disallowed in the shoot-out for supposedly touching the ball twice.
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits for grammar and punctuation. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.AFp

Spanish media reports suggested Real Madrid players are being scrutinised by UEFA for the manner of their celebrations after the win. Football Sports

UEFA opened an investigation into four Real Madrid stars including Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior on Thursday for alleged "indecent conduct" during their Champions League last 16 win over Atletico Madrid. Madrid's two superstar forwards, as well as defender Antonio Rudiger and midfielder Dani Ceballos, face potential punishment ahead of their quarter-final first leg clash at Arsenal on April 8. Also Read: Star culture returns with CSK-RCB Southern Derby: Why is it IPL's biggest draw? "A UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector has been appointed to investigate allegations of indecent conduct by Real Madrid CF players," said the European football governing body in a statement. Spanish media reports suggested Real Madrid players are being scrutinised by UEFA for the manner of their celebrations after the win. UEFA and Real Madrid did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment. Record 15-time champions and current holders Madrid beat their rivals on penalties at Atletico's Metropolitano stadium on March 12 after a 2-2 aggregate draw. The night ended in controversy after Atletico forward Julian Alvarez had a penalty controversially disallowed in the shoot-out for supposedly touching the ball twice. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits for grammar and punctuation. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.AFp

Real Madrid players including Mbappe, Vinicius under UEFA probe for 'indecent conduct'

UEFA on Thursday said it would consider a potential rule change after Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez's penalty was controversially disallowed in their Champions League shootout loss to Real Madrid.
Real Madrid won Wednesday's shootout 4-2 after a 2-2 draw on aggregate to qualify for the quarter-finals, with Atletico coach Diego Simeone casting suspicion on the decision to rule out Alvarez's spot-kick.
The Argentina international was deemed by VAR to have kicked the ball twice, touching it with his standing foot as he slipped before striking to score.
"Although minimal, the player made contact with the ball using his standing foot before kicking it," UEFA said in a statement.
"Under the current rule, the VAR had to call the referee signalling that the goal should be disallowed."&nbsp;
However, European football's governing body said it would hold talks with the sport's lawmakers regarding the rule on double touches.
"UEFA will enter discussions with FIFA and IFAB to determine whether the rule should be reviewed in cases where a double touch is clearly unintentional," it added.
Simeone said he wanted to believe the officials got the penalty decision right.
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"I've never seen a penalty where they've called the VAR, but well, they would have seen that he touched it, I want to believe, I want to believe they saw he touched it."
The coach asked members of the media during his press conference to raise their hand if they had seen a replay in which it was clear Alvarez had touched the ball twice.
"Raise your hand, anyone who saw Julian touch it twice, who is going to raise their hand? Nobody has raised their hand," shouted Simeone.
Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Sports, Football: The Argentina international was deemed by VAR to have kicked the ball twice, touching it with his standing foot as he slipped before striking to score.

UEFA on Thursday said it would consider a potential rule change after Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez's penalty was controversially disallowed in their Champions League shootout loss to Real Madrid. Real Madrid won Wednesday's shootout 4-2 after a 2-2 draw on aggregate to qualify for the quarter-finals, with Atletico coach Diego Simeone casting suspicion on the decision to rule out Alvarez's spot-kick. The Argentina international was deemed by VAR to have kicked the ball twice, touching it with his standing foot as he slipped before striking to score. "Although minimal, the player made contact with the ball using his standing foot before kicking it," UEFA said in a statement. "Under the current rule, the VAR had to call the referee signalling that the goal should be disallowed." However, European football's governing body said it would hold talks with the sport's lawmakers regarding the rule on double touches. "UEFA will enter discussions with FIFA and IFAB to determine whether the rule should be reviewed in cases where a double touch is clearly unintentional," it added. Simeone said he wanted to believe the officials got the penalty decision right. ALSO READ | Aussie T20I skipper Mitchell Marsh declared fit for IPL 2025 after missing out Champions Trophy with injury "I've never seen a penalty where they've called the VAR, but well, they would have seen that he touched it, I want to believe, I want to believe they saw he touched it." The coach asked members of the media during his press conference to raise their hand if they had seen a replay in which it was clear Alvarez had touched the ball twice. "Raise your hand, anyone who saw Julian touch it twice, who is going to raise their hand? Nobody has raised their hand," shouted Simeone. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Champions League: UEFA to mull penalty rule rethink after Julian Alvarez controversy

The Champions League R16 had a controversial moment on Wednesday (Mar 12) after Real Madrid knocked out traditional rivals Atletico 4-2 on penalties to reach the quarterfinal. The match was marred by a series of big moments, but one particular moment that stood out was Julian Alvarez&rsquo;s disallowed goal in the penalty shootout. The striker was deemed to have touched the ball twice, which resulted in the controversial moment before Atletico crashed out. <o:p></o:p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Here's why Julian Alvarez's penalty was disallowed<o:p></o:p></h2>
According to the International Football Association Board&rsquo;s (IFAB) 2024/25 Laws of the Game, in describing the procedure of a penalty shoot-out it is stated: "(A penalty) kick is completed when the ball stops moving, goes out of play or the referee stops play for any offence; the kicker may not play the ball a second time."<o:p></o:p>
The above rule clearly states that a player taking a penalty should not touch the ball twice when the penalty is taken. Referee Szymon Marciniak took the help of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) to check the incident while it was also confirmed that the panel used semi-automated offside technology to get a pr&eacute;cised decision. <o:p></o:p>
It was hard to judge the deflection of the ball with the naked eye when Alvarez took the penalty as his left foot was close to the ball. The incident sparked anger among Atletico boss Diego Simeone, was he wasn't happy with the referee&rsquo;s decision to take time and get the help of the VAR.
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<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Real heartbreak continues for Atletico<o:p></o:p></h2>
This is not the first time Atletico have been on the wrong end of the result against Real Madrid in the Champions League. Atletico lost to Real in the Champions League final in 2014 and 2016 and were knocked out in the quarterfinal in the 2015 season over two legs. Wednesday&rsquo;s defeat means Atletico&rsquo;s dream of winning the Champions League was halted for another season.

Sports, Football: The Champions League R16 had a controversial moment after Real Madrid knocked out traditional rivals Atletico 4-2 on penalties to reach the quarterfinal.

The Champions League R16 had a controversial moment on Wednesday (Mar 12) after Real Madrid knocked out traditional rivals Atletico 4-2 on penalties to reach the quarterfinal. The match was marred by a series of big moments, but one particular moment that stood out was Julian Alvarez’s disallowed goal in the penalty shootout. The striker was deemed to have touched the ball twice, which resulted in the controversial moment before Atletico crashed out. Here's why Julian Alvarez's penalty was disallowed According to the International Football Association Board’s (IFAB) 2024/25 Laws of the Game, in describing the procedure of a penalty shoot-out it is stated: "(A penalty) kick is completed when the ball stops moving, goes out of play or the referee stops play for any offence; the kicker may not play the ball a second time." The above rule clearly states that a player taking a penalty should not touch the ball twice when the penalty is taken. Referee Szymon Marciniak took the help of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) to check the incident while it was also confirmed that the panel used semi-automated offside technology to get a précised decision. It was hard to judge the deflection of the ball with the naked eye when Alvarez took the penalty as his left foot was close to the ball. The incident sparked anger among Atletico boss Diego Simeone, was he wasn't happy with the referee’s decision to take time and get the help of the VAR. ALSO READ | Aussie T20I skipper Mitchell Marsh declared fit for IPL 2025 after missing out Champions Trophy with injury Real heartbreak continues for Atletico This is not the first time Atletico have been on the wrong end of the result against Real Madrid in the Champions League. Atletico lost to Real in the Champions League final in 2014 and 2016 and were knocked out in the quarterfinal in the 2015 season over two legs. Wednesday’s defeat means Atletico’s dream of winning the Champions League was halted for another season.

Champions League: Here's why Julian Alvarez's penalty was disallowed in Real Madrid defeat

Arsenal drew 2-2 with PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday to complete an emphatic 9-3 aggregate win and set up a Champions League quarter-final against holders Real Madrid.<o:p></o:p>
The Gunners demolished the Dutch champions 7-1 in the Netherlands last week, making the second leg at the Emirates a formality.<o:p></o:p>
Arsenal, who made seven changes from Sunday's 1-1 draw at Manchester United, were quickly out of the blocks, scoring in the sixth minute through Oleksandr Zinchenko.<o:p></o:p>
Croatian veteran Ivan Perisic pulled PSV level on the night with a fine finish past the sprawling David Raya but midfielder Declan Rice headed Arsenal back in front.<o:p></o:p>
PSV, seeking to salvage pride after last week's humiliation, equalised with 20 minutes to go with a well-taken goal from Couhaib Driouech.<o:p></o:p>
Arsenal, who have never been crowned European champions, will play 15-time winners Real Madrid in the last eight after Carlo Ancelotti's side squeaked past Atletico Madrid on penalties following a 2-2 draw on aggregate.<o:p></o:p>
The two sides have met just twice previously, with Arsenal winning 1-0 on aggregate in the round of 16 in the 2005/06 season.<o:p></o:p>
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said the club should enjoy the achievement of reaching back-to-back quarter-finals for the first time since 2010, when Arsene Wenger was manager of the club.<o:p></o:p>
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/atletico-madrid-coach-diego-simeone-on-alvarezs-controversial-penalty-call-against-real-madrid-in-champions-league-ball-didnt-move-8848680" rel="dofollow">Champions League: Atletico coach on Alvarez&rsquo;s controversial penalty call - 'Ball didn&rsquo;t move'</a>
"That tells you the difficulty of it," said the Spaniard. "We have to value that and recognise that it is very difficult to do it. <o:p></o:p>
"We've done it consistently and now we want to make the next step, which is going to be really difficult, but we are very capable of that."<o:p></o:p>
Arteta's men, whose Premier League challenge has fizzled out in recent weeks, were quickly in the driving seat in the second leg against PSV on Wednesday.<o:p></o:p>
Raheem Sterling received the ball on the right of the Arsenal attack and found his former Manchester City team-mate Zinchenko, who glided along the 18-yard box before unleashing a superb left-footed shot past Walter Benitez.<o:p></o:p>
Former Tottenham player Perisic levelled in the 18th minute and Raya had to be alert to produce a fingertip save from the lively Driouech moments later.<o:p></o:p>
But the home side were back in front in the 37th minute<o:p></o:p>
Sterling, who has been out of favour under Arteta despite his lack of forward options, charged down the right and produced a teasing cross that Rice headed home.<o:p></o:p>
Raya produced another fine save 10 minutes into the second half, diving full length to his left to keep out an effort from Isaac Babadi.<o:p></o:p>
But PSV were level with 20 minutes to go after Moroccan youth international Driouech, making his first Champions League start, dinked the ball over the stranded Arsenal goalkeeper.<o:p></o:p>
The Dutch champions were now on top but neither side could find a winner.<o:p></o:p>
The Gunners are realistically out of the Premier League title race with leaders Liverpool 15 points clear at the top.<o:p></o:p>
But they remain on course to win their first-ever Champions League trophy, and their first European silverware since they lifted the now-defunct Cup Winners' Cup in 1994.<o:p></o:p>
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Sports, Football: Arsenal and Real Madrid have met just twice previously, with the Premier League side winning 1-0 on aggregate in the round of 16 in the 2005/06 season.

Arsenal drew 2-2 with PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday to complete an emphatic 9-3 aggregate win and set up a Champions League quarter-final against holders Real Madrid. The Gunners demolished the Dutch champions 7-1 in the Netherlands last week, making the second leg at the Emirates a formality. Arsenal, who made seven changes from Sunday's 1-1 draw at Manchester United, were quickly out of the blocks, scoring in the sixth minute through Oleksandr Zinchenko. Croatian veteran Ivan Perisic pulled PSV level on the night with a fine finish past the sprawling David Raya but midfielder Declan Rice headed Arsenal back in front. PSV, seeking to salvage pride after last week's humiliation, equalised with 20 minutes to go with a well-taken goal from Couhaib Driouech. Arsenal, who have never been crowned European champions, will play 15-time winners Real Madrid in the last eight after Carlo Ancelotti's side squeaked past Atletico Madrid on penalties following a 2-2 draw on aggregate. The two sides have met just twice previously, with Arsenal winning 1-0 on aggregate in the round of 16 in the 2005/06 season. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said the club should enjoy the achievement of reaching back-to-back quarter-finals for the first time since 2010, when Arsene Wenger was manager of the club. Also read | Champions League: Atletico coach on Alvarez’s controversial penalty call - 'Ball didn’t move' "That tells you the difficulty of it," said the Spaniard. "We have to value that and recognise that it is very difficult to do it. "We've done it consistently and now we want to make the next step, which is going to be really difficult, but we are very capable of that." Arteta's men, whose Premier League challenge has fizzled out in recent weeks, were quickly in the driving seat in the second leg against PSV on Wednesday. Raheem Sterling received the ball on the right of the Arsenal attack and found his former Manchester City team-mate Zinchenko, who glided along the 18-yard box before unleashing a superb left-footed shot past Walter Benitez. Former Tottenham player Perisic levelled in the 18th minute and Raya had to be alert to produce a fingertip save from the lively Driouech moments later. But the home side were back in front in the 37th minute Sterling, who has been out of favour under Arteta despite his lack of forward options, charged down the right and produced a teasing cross that Rice headed home. Raya produced another fine save 10 minutes into the second half, diving full length to his left to keep out an effort from Isaac Babadi. But PSV were level with 20 minutes to go after Moroccan youth international Driouech, making his first Champions League start, dinked the ball over the stranded Arsenal goalkeeper. The Dutch champions were now on top but neither side could find a winner. The Gunners are realistically out of the Premier League title race with leaders Liverpool 15 points clear at the top. But they remain on course to win their first-ever Champions League trophy, and their first European silverware since they lifted the now-defunct Cup Winners' Cup in 1994. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Arsenal set up Champions League quarters with Liga giants Real Madrid

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone cast suspicion on the decision to rule out Julian Alvarez's penalty in his team's Champions League defeat by Real Madrid on Wednesday.<o:p></o:p>
Los Blancos won 4-2 on penalties after a 2-2 aggregate draw in the last 16 tie, with Alvarez slipping as he scored in the shoot-out. VAR ruled it out for a supposed double touch on the ball.<o:p></o:p>
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/real-madrid-beat-rivals-atletico-on-penalties-to-reach-champions-league-quarters-8848664" rel="dofollow">Real Madrid beat rivals Atletico on penalties to reach Champions League quarters</a>
"The referee said when Julian got to the penalty spot, he touched the ball with his standing foot, but the ball did not move," Simeone told reporters. "But beyond that, which now just serves to argue about whether it should have counted or not, I am proud of my players, I am happy, truly.<o:p></o:p>
"Why? Because we competed in an exemplary way. And yes, we could not beat Real Madrid in the Champions League, sure, we could not, but they had a really bad time (against us) again."<o:p></o:p>
The Atletico coach said he wanted to believe the officials got the penalty decision right.<o:p></o:p>
"I've never seen a penalty where they've called the VAR, but well, they would have seen that he touched it, I want to believe, I want to believe they saw he touched it."<o:p></o:p>
The coach asked members of the media to raise their hand if they had seen a replay in which it was clear Alvarez had touched the ball twice.<o:p></o:p>
"Raise your hand, anyone who saw Julian touch it twice, who is going to raise their hand? Nobody has raised their hand," shouted Simeone.<o:p></o:p>
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said he felt the former Manchester City striker did touch the ball twice as he slipped.<o:p></o:p>
"In the end it's a lottery, I felt a little that he had touched it twice, that's what I told the referee, it is clearly not easy to see, but it's a bit of bad luck for them there," Courtois told Movistar.<o:p></o:p>
The Belgian goalkeeper criticised Atletico for complaining about the decision, but also appeared to take a swipe at his own club, who have been relentlessly attacking Spanish refereeing in recent weeks and claiming it is "rigged".<o:p></o:p>
"I think UEFA saw it clearly -- I'm sick of this victimhood, always crying about stuff like this, the refs don't want to help particular teams, not in Spain, not in Europe," Courtois told reporters. "They saw it clearly and that's why they made that decision... they saw it clearly with VAR, they have a lot of images and cameras."<o:p></o:p>
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti also believed it was the correct decision.<o:p></o:p>
"They detected it, when we realised there was this doubt, they had already detected it on VAR," said Ancelotti. "I saw it, I think he touches it with his left foot, a second touch."<o:p></o:p>
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Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.
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Sports, Football: The coach asked members of the media to raise their hand if they had seen a replay in which it was clear Alvarez had touched the ball twice.

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone cast suspicion on the decision to rule out Julian Alvarez's penalty in his team's Champions League defeat by Real Madrid on Wednesday. Los Blancos won 4-2 on penalties after a 2-2 aggregate draw in the last 16 tie, with Alvarez slipping as he scored in the shoot-out. VAR ruled it out for a supposed double touch on the ball. Also read | Real Madrid beat rivals Atletico on penalties to reach Champions League quarters "The referee said when Julian got to the penalty spot, he touched the ball with his standing foot, but the ball did not move," Simeone told reporters. "But beyond that, which now just serves to argue about whether it should have counted or not, I am proud of my players, I am happy, truly. "Why? Because we competed in an exemplary way. And yes, we could not beat Real Madrid in the Champions League, sure, we could not, but they had a really bad time (against us) again." The Atletico coach said he wanted to believe the officials got the penalty decision right. "I've never seen a penalty where they've called the VAR, but well, they would have seen that he touched it, I want to believe, I want to believe they saw he touched it." The coach asked members of the media to raise their hand if they had seen a replay in which it was clear Alvarez had touched the ball twice. "Raise your hand, anyone who saw Julian touch it twice, who is going to raise their hand? Nobody has raised their hand," shouted Simeone. Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said he felt the former Manchester City striker did touch the ball twice as he slipped. "In the end it's a lottery, I felt a little that he had touched it twice, that's what I told the referee, it is clearly not easy to see, but it's a bit of bad luck for them there," Courtois told Movistar. The Belgian goalkeeper criticised Atletico for complaining about the decision, but also appeared to take a swipe at his own club, who have been relentlessly attacking Spanish refereeing in recent weeks and claiming it is "rigged". "I think UEFA saw it clearly -- I'm sick of this victimhood, always crying about stuff like this, the refs don't want to help particular teams, not in Spain, not in Europe," Courtois told reporters. "They saw it clearly and that's why they made that decision... they saw it clearly with VAR, they have a lot of images and cameras." Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti also believed it was the correct decision. "They detected it, when we realised there was this doubt, they had already detected it on VAR," said Ancelotti. "I saw it, I think he touches it with his left foot, a second touch." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Champions League: Atletico coach on Alvarez’s controversial penalty call - 'Ball didn’t move'

Liverpool&rsquo;s dream of winning a treble came to an abrupt end on Tuesday (Mar 11) after they lost to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties at Anfield in the Champions League. Having already been dumped out of the FA Cup by Plymouth Argyle, Tuesday&rsquo;s elimination is Arne Slot&rsquo;s second in a cup competition in a month&rsquo;s time. Reflecting on the loss, Slot hailed PSG and stated it was the best football match he was involved in despite the 4-5 defeat in the shootout.
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Slot reflects on Liverpool&rsquo;s exit</h2>
"It was the best game of football I was ever involved in," Slot told reporters after the match. "I don't have the history that Liverpool has as a manager but it was two teams at an incredible level. It was an incredible intensity in the first 25 minutes.
"I also remember the first 25 against Manchester City at home and the first 25 against Real Madrid but this was unbelievable, what we showed in the first 25. But I looked at the scoreboard and we were 1-0 down,&rdquo; added Slot.
Liverpool have so far enjoyed a fantastic season and need not more than 16 points to win their 20th league title and go level with Manchester United. They are also playing in League Cup final on Sunday, an opportunity for Arne Slot to win his first silverware. However, he won&rsquo;t be adding the Champions League crown to his accolade in the 2024-25 season.
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The Reds had a good start to R16 leg against PSG having won the opening leg 1-0 after stunning saves from Alison Becker. However, the tables were turned in Tuesday&rsquo;s second leg with Ousmane Dembele&rsquo;s goal getting them level of aggregate in the 12th minute of the contest. PSG would hold firm and take the match to extra time and then penalties before Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones missed their spot kicks.

Sports, Football: Liverpool’s dream of winning a treble came to an abrupt end after they lost to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties at Anfield in the Champions League.

Liverpool’s dream of winning a treble came to an abrupt end on Tuesday (Mar 11) after they lost to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties at Anfield in the Champions League. Having already been dumped out of the FA Cup by Plymouth Argyle, Tuesday’s elimination is Arne Slot’s second in a cup competition in a month’s time. Reflecting on the loss, Slot hailed PSG and stated it was the best football match he was involved in despite the 4-5 defeat in the shootout. Slot reflects on Liverpool’s exit "It was the best game of football I was ever involved in," Slot told reporters after the match. "I don't have the history that Liverpool has as a manager but it was two teams at an incredible level. It was an incredible intensity in the first 25 minutes. "I also remember the first 25 against Manchester City at home and the first 25 against Real Madrid but this was unbelievable, what we showed in the first 25. But I looked at the scoreboard and we were 1-0 down,” added Slot. Liverpool have so far enjoyed a fantastic season and need not more than 16 points to win their 20th league title and go level with Manchester United. They are also playing in League Cup final on Sunday, an opportunity for Arne Slot to win his first silverware. However, he won’t be adding the Champions League crown to his accolade in the 2024-25 season. ALSO READ | Kush Maini becomes third Indian to join Formula 1, lands Alpine role as test and reserve driver The Reds had a good start to R16 leg against PSG having won the opening leg 1-0 after stunning saves from Alison Becker. However, the tables were turned in Tuesday’s second leg with Ousmane Dembele’s goal getting them level of aggregate in the 12th minute of the contest. PSG would hold firm and take the match to extra time and then penalties before Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones missed their spot kicks.

Champions League: Arne Slot reflects on Liverpool's exit, says 'it was the best game of football'

Paris Saint-Germain produced a historic turnaround to progress to the Champions League quarter-finals at Liverpool's expense as they triumphed 4-1 on penalties after a 1-0 second leg win at Anfield.
Never in Liverpool's history had they lost a European tie after winning the first leg away from home but Ousmane Dembele's early strike brought the French champions level at 1-1 on aggregate.
PSG were then perfect with their four spot-kicks, while Gianluigi Donnarumma saved from Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones.
<h2>Liverpool miss early chances</h2>
Brilliant play by Alexis Mac Allister should have created the opener on four minutes when the Argentine's cross picked out Mohamed Salah, whose goalbound effort was deflected over by Nuno Mendes.
PSG took 10 minutes to ride out the storm from the home side before finding their feet.
The visitors took the lead on 12 minutes when Ibrahima Konate could only turn Bradley Barcola's cross beyond Alisson to leave Dembele with a simple finish.
The French international has now scored 23 goals in his last 17 games and could have had more before the end of the night.
PSG who had the better openings to extend their advantage before half-time.
Twice Alisson had to be at his sharpest to race off his line and save one-on-ones against Barcola and Dembele.
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<h2>Quansah hits inside of post</h2>
PSG beat Liverpool to the signing of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in January and the Georgian proved a constant menace to the Reds' defence.
Kvaratskhelia's shot from Dembele's cross was arrowing towards the top corner until a deflection from Ryan Gravenberch took it just over the crossbar.
Improved second-half performances have been a common theme of Slot's first season at Liverpool and the hosts came roaring out of the traps after the break.
Dominik Szoboszlai had a goal ruled out for offside against Luis Diaz earlier in the move.
Szoboszlai then had a goalbound effort blocked by Willian Pacho before Donnarumma made a vital stop from Diaz from the resulting corner.
Liverpool's momentum could have been halted by the loss of Trent Alexander-Arnold to a knee injury after the right-back landed awkwardly.
But his replacement, Jarell Quansah, was inches away from winning the tie when his header came back off the inside of the post.
PSG barely threatened during the second half of the 90 minutes but Liverpool were left hanging on for penalties in extra time.
Lucas Beraldo's header and Desire Doue's shot flew just wide before more Alisson heroics kept PSG at bay with a stunning stop to turn Dembele's curling effort round the post.
However, Alisson could not save them in the shootout as it was the other goalkeeper who was the hero.
Donnarumma produced great saves to deny Nunez and Jones, either side of four confident strikes from Vitinha, Goncalo Ramos, Dembele and Doue to send PSG into the last eight.
<h2>Bayern knock out Leverkusen</h2>
Harry Kane scored a goal and set up another as Bayern Munich won 2-0 at Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday, going through to the Champions League quarter-finals 5-0 on aggregate.
Bayern were comfortable against last season's unbeaten German champions, having already done the damage with a dominant 3-0 win at home in the first leg.
With the match scoreless at half-time, Leverkusen rolled the dice in search of the goals they needed but it was Bayern who struck, with Kane waltzing through to tap in a Joshua Kimmich cross early in the second period.
With Leverkusen again pushing forward, the visitors added a second in the 71st minute, Alphonso Davies slamming a clever Kane chip low and hard to double Bayern's lead.
Kane, so often criticised for going missing in big games and scoring against the minnows, was again commanding, as he had been when scoring a brace in Munich.
The England captain showed finesse and physicality as he kept Bayern on track for a dream home final and a chance to exorcise the ghosts of their 2012 Champions League final loss to Chelsea.
Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Sports, Football: Paris Saint-Germain produced a historic turnaround to progress to the Champions League quarter-finals at Liverpool's expense as they triumphed 4-1 on penalties.

Paris Saint-Germain produced a historic turnaround to progress to the Champions League quarter-finals at Liverpool's expense as they triumphed 4-1 on penalties after a 1-0 second leg win at Anfield. Never in Liverpool's history had they lost a European tie after winning the first leg away from home but Ousmane Dembele's early strike brought the French champions level at 1-1 on aggregate. PSG were then perfect with their four spot-kicks, while Gianluigi Donnarumma saved from Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones. Liverpool miss early chances Brilliant play by Alexis Mac Allister should have created the opener on four minutes when the Argentine's cross picked out Mohamed Salah, whose goalbound effort was deflected over by Nuno Mendes. PSG took 10 minutes to ride out the storm from the home side before finding their feet. The visitors took the lead on 12 minutes when Ibrahima Konate could only turn Bradley Barcola's cross beyond Alisson to leave Dembele with a simple finish. The French international has now scored 23 goals in his last 17 games and could have had more before the end of the night. PSG who had the better openings to extend their advantage before half-time. Twice Alisson had to be at his sharpest to race off his line and save one-on-ones against Barcola and Dembele. ALSO READ | Kush Maini becomes third Indian to join Formula 1, lands Alpine role as test and reserve driver Quansah hits inside of post PSG beat Liverpool to the signing of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in January and the Georgian proved a constant menace to the Reds' defence. Kvaratskhelia's shot from Dembele's cross was arrowing towards the top corner until a deflection from Ryan Gravenberch took it just over the crossbar. Improved second-half performances have been a common theme of Slot's first season at Liverpool and the hosts came roaring out of the traps after the break. Dominik Szoboszlai had a goal ruled out for offside against Luis Diaz earlier in the move. Szoboszlai then had a goalbound effort blocked by Willian Pacho before Donnarumma made a vital stop from Diaz from the resulting corner. Liverpool's momentum could have been halted by the loss of Trent Alexander-Arnold to a knee injury after the right-back landed awkwardly. But his replacement, Jarell Quansah, was inches away from winning the tie when his header came back off the inside of the post. PSG barely threatened during the second half of the 90 minutes but Liverpool were left hanging on for penalties in extra time. Lucas Beraldo's header and Desire Doue's shot flew just wide before more Alisson heroics kept PSG at bay with a stunning stop to turn Dembele's curling effort round the post. However, Alisson could not save them in the shootout as it was the other goalkeeper who was the hero. Donnarumma produced great saves to deny Nunez and Jones, either side of four confident strikes from Vitinha, Goncalo Ramos, Dembele and Doue to send PSG into the last eight. Bayern knock out Leverkusen Harry Kane scored a goal and set up another as Bayern Munich won 2-0 at Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday, going through to the Champions League quarter-finals 5-0 on aggregate. Bayern were comfortable against last season's unbeaten German champions, having already done the damage with a dominant 3-0 win at home in the first leg. With the match scoreless at half-time, Leverkusen rolled the dice in search of the goals they needed but it was Bayern who struck, with Kane waltzing through to tap in a Joshua Kimmich cross early in the second period. With Leverkusen again pushing forward, the visitors added a second in the 71st minute, Alphonso Davies slamming a clever Kane chip low and hard to double Bayern's lead. Kane, so often criticised for going missing in big games and scoring against the minnows, was again commanding, as he had been when scoring a brace in Munich. The England captain showed finesse and physicality as he kept Bayern on track for a dream home final and a chance to exorcise the ghosts of their 2012 Champions League final loss to Chelsea. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Champions League: PSG stun Liverpool on penalties to reach quarter-final; Bayern beat Leverkusen

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said his team will face Benfica in the Champions League on Tuesday, playing for club doctor Carles Minarro, who died on Saturday. <o:p></o:p>
The Catalan giants hold a 1-0 lead in the last 16 tie from the first leg in Lisbon ahead of the clash at the Olympic Stadium.<o:p></o:p>
Barcelona's La Liga match on Saturday against Osasuna was postponed 20 minutes before kick-off after the 53-year-old doctor died that afternoon.<o:p></o:p>
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"It's a huge loss, Carles was a really great person, but also a great doctor, and this combination of Ricard (Pruna, another club doctor) and him was unbelievable for the club and for the team," Flick told a news conference Monday. "(He was) one of the big puzzle (pieces) for the success, because they are doing a great job, and we miss him, but it's also life. I think he will support us from above.<o:p></o:p>
"The team also, we want to play... for him. Now in this situation, it's very important that we win, and this is the focus, what we want to do tomorrow."<o:p></o:p>
Doctor Minarro had been working with different Barcelona sides since 2017, and began working with the men's football first team a few months ago.<o:p></o:p>
Barcelona beat Benfica 5-4 in Lisbon in the group stage and then again with 10 men for most of the game last week after Pau Cubarsi was sent off.<o:p></o:p>
However, Flick said his squad would not take progress to the quarterfinals as a given, with Benfica beating Juventus on the road in the group stage and thrashing Atletico Madrid at home.<o:p></o:p>
"None of us thinks that it's done, and this is the important thing," continued the coach. "Their away matches in the Champions League, they are doing really great, they won a lot of matches away. So we have to think about that and take care."
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Sports, Football: Barcelona's La Liga match on Saturday against Osasuna was postponed 20 minutes before kick-off after the 53-year-old doctor died that afternoon.

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said his team will face Benfica in the Champions League on Tuesday, playing for club doctor Carles Minarro, who died on Saturday. The Catalan giants hold a 1-0 lead in the last 16 tie from the first leg in Lisbon ahead of the clash at the Olympic Stadium. Barcelona's La Liga match on Saturday against Osasuna was postponed 20 minutes before kick-off after the 53-year-old doctor died that afternoon. Also read | Josh Allen: From small-town farm boy to highest-paid quarterback in NFL history "It's a huge loss, Carles was a really great person, but also a great doctor, and this combination of Ricard (Pruna, another club doctor) and him was unbelievable for the club and for the team," Flick told a news conference Monday. "(He was) one of the big puzzle (pieces) for the success, because they are doing a great job, and we miss him, but it's also life. I think he will support us from above. "The team also, we want to play... for him. Now in this situation, it's very important that we win, and this is the focus, what we want to do tomorrow." Doctor Minarro had been working with different Barcelona sides since 2017, and began working with the men's football first team a few months ago. Barcelona beat Benfica 5-4 in Lisbon in the group stage and then again with 10 men for most of the game last week after Pau Cubarsi was sent off. However, Flick said his squad would not take progress to the quarterfinals as a given, with Benfica beating Juventus on the road in the group stage and thrashing Atletico Madrid at home. "None of us thinks that it's done, and this is the important thing," continued the coach. "Their away matches in the Champions League, they are doing really great, they won a lot of matches away. So we have to think about that and take care." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Flick says Barcelona to play Champions League game against Benfica for late team doctor

Virgil van Dijk believes Liverpool's Champions League suffering at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain is not yet over despite surviving an onslaught to win the first leg of their last 16 tie 1-0 in the French capital.
The Reds were outclassed for almost the entire match at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday but clung on thanks to what goalkeeper Alisson Becker described as the performance "of his life".
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Harvey Elliott came off the bench to score the winner with his first touch on 87 minutes. Liverpool had only two shots, compared with PSG's 27 attempts at goal.
It was the Paris side's first defeat in 23 games, a run stretching back to November.
Liverpool will expect to be much stronger for the second leg at Anfield on Tuesday, but Van Dijk warned the tie is not yet over.
"It should be a great game and we have to be ready to suffer as they are a very good team who were unbeaten for a very long time," said the Liverpool captain.
"What I really liked was the togetherness, everyone put a shift in and we know everyone can be better."
Liverpool boss Arne Slot conceded his side would have been lucky even to escape with a draw.
Van Dijk agreed the backs-to-the-wall display is not how the runaway Premier League leaders are used to winning but paid tribute to the "world-class" opposition they faced.
"We don't want to be playing this way because everyone who plays football wants to have the ball a lot and wants to be dominating opponents," he said.
"But we played against a team with a lot of quality, world-class quality, and they made it very difficult for everyone in the world so far and they made it difficult for us but we found a way and we have to try to finish it off next week."
Slot's substitutes made a telling contribution as Darwin Nunez set up the winner for Elliott, while Curtis Jones and Wataru Endo helped snuff out the PSG threat.
"We are coming to the last stages of the season and the message is pretty clear -- everyone who is part of the team has to play a part when they come on," said Van Dijk.
"With the goal you saw Darwin makes it difficult for Marquinhos and the ball falls and he gives a good pass to Harvey for the finish.
"Even Wataru coming on, Curtis doing a good job is good to see. Everyone needs to feel that importance because there are many big games -- and decisive games -- coming up so we have to keep going."
Liverpool can extend their 13-point lead at the top of the Premier League when bottom-of-the-table Southampton visit Anfield on Saturday.
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The Reds were outclassed for almost the entire match at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday but clung on thanks to what goalkeeper Alisson Becker described as the performance "of his life".

Virgil van Dijk believes Liverpool's Champions League suffering at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain is not yet over despite surviving an onslaught to win the first leg of their last 16 tie 1-0 in the French capital. The Reds were outclassed for almost the entire match at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday but clung on thanks to what goalkeeper Alisson Becker described as the performance "of his life". Also Read: Test greats back Shami’s plea to revoke saliva ban for ‘reverse swing’ Harvey Elliott came off the bench to score the winner with his first touch on 87 minutes. Liverpool had only two shots, compared with PSG's 27 attempts at goal. It was the Paris side's first defeat in 23 games, a run stretching back to November. Liverpool will expect to be much stronger for the second leg at Anfield on Tuesday, but Van Dijk warned the tie is not yet over. "It should be a great game and we have to be ready to suffer as they are a very good team who were unbeaten for a very long time," said the Liverpool captain. "What I really liked was the togetherness, everyone put a shift in and we know everyone can be better." Liverpool boss Arne Slot conceded his side would have been lucky even to escape with a draw. Van Dijk agreed the backs-to-the-wall display is not how the runaway Premier League leaders are used to winning but paid tribute to the "world-class" opposition they faced. "We don't want to be playing this way because everyone who plays football wants to have the ball a lot and wants to be dominating opponents," he said. "But we played against a team with a lot of quality, world-class quality, and they made it very difficult for everyone in the world so far and they made it difficult for us but we found a way and we have to try to finish it off next week." Slot's substitutes made a telling contribution as Darwin Nunez set up the winner for Elliott, while Curtis Jones and Wataru Endo helped snuff out the PSG threat. "We are coming to the last stages of the season and the message is pretty clear -- everyone who is part of the team has to play a part when they come on," said Van Dijk. "With the goal you saw Darwin makes it difficult for Marquinhos and the ball falls and he gives a good pass to Harvey for the finish. "Even Wataru coming on, Curtis doing a good job is good to see. Everyone needs to feel that importance because there are many big games -- and decisive games -- coming up so we have to keep going." Liverpool can extend their 13-point lead at the top of the Premier League when bottom-of-the-table Southampton visit Anfield on Saturday. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits for grammar and punctuation. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

'We have to be ready to suffer': Liverpool's Van Dijk on PSG's return leg in Champions League

Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique hailed the work done by Liverpool boss Arne Slot and said on Tuesday the Dutchman had built an "almost perfect team" since taking over from Jurgen Klopp at Anfield.
Two of Europe's best sides this season meet on Wednesday as PSG host Liverpool at the Parc des Princes in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie.
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PSG are unbeaten in Ligue 1 and coasting towards another French title, while Liverpool sit 13 points clear in the Premier League and finished top of the 36-team league phase in the Champions League.
"It's difficult to imagine a better match-up on paper, between two dominant teams, with two slightly different ways of playing but teams with dominant styles," Luis Enrique told reporters.
Liverpool have lost on both their previous visits to PSG, in 1997 and 2018. The second defeat came months before they went on to lift the trophy later that same season in Madrid, beating Tottenham in the final.
The Reds also twice lost in the final under Klopp, both times to Real Madrid and most recently in 2022 at the Stade de France in a game overshadowed by the chaos outside the ground that left many fans traumatised.
Slot replaced Klopp last summer as the German stood down after nine years at the helm, and has made a remarkable impact on the six-time European champions.&nbsp;
"Liverpool have been one of the best teams in Europe over the past few years, they won the Champions League (in 2019)," said Luis Enrique.&nbsp;
"It was difficult to improve on what Klopp did, but Arne Slot has succeeded in creating an almost perfect team."
Mohamed Salah is enjoying a sensational campaign with 30 goals and 22 assists, emerging as a frontrunner for the Ballon d'Or, but Luis Enrique was quick to point out Liverpool pose a number of dangers to his team.
"There's a player like Salah with incredible stats, but there's not just Salah, there are lots of top-class players, it's a very complete team," said the Spaniard.
"That motivates us and it's time for us to also show we've got what it takes."
He added: "They have one of the best attacks in Europe, we're going to look to keep the ball, but we'll need to be careful with their counter-attacks, they've got three fighter jets up front."
PSG needed to go through the play-offs after a slow start in the Champions League saw them lose three of their opening five matches.
But they crushed domestic rivals Brest 10-0 on aggregate to power into the last 16 and are unbeaten in 22 matches in all competitions.
"We have to be able to do what we've been doing since the start of the season, there's nothing that changes," said Luis Enrique.
"We know that we're facing the most consistent team this season, but the plan doesn't change.
"It's going to be a hard-fought, difficult game. The first match is not going to decide everything, but it's a very important one for us. It's hard for opponents to play at the Parc des Princes with the pressure of the crowd."
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Slot replaced Klopp last summer as the German stood down after nine years at the helm, and has made a remarkable impact on the six-time European champions. Football Sports

Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique hailed the work done by Liverpool boss Arne Slot and said on Tuesday the Dutchman had built an "almost perfect team" since taking over from Jurgen Klopp at Anfield. Two of Europe's best sides this season meet on Wednesday as PSG host Liverpool at the Parc des Princes in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie. Also Read: Indian court grants bail to murder-accused wrestler Sushil Kumar PSG are unbeaten in Ligue 1 and coasting towards another French title, while Liverpool sit 13 points clear in the Premier League and finished top of the 36-team league phase in the Champions League. "It's difficult to imagine a better match-up on paper, between two dominant teams, with two slightly different ways of playing but teams with dominant styles," Luis Enrique told reporters. Liverpool have lost on both their previous visits to PSG, in 1997 and 2018. The second defeat came months before they went on to lift the trophy later that same season in Madrid, beating Tottenham in the final. The Reds also twice lost in the final under Klopp, both times to Real Madrid and most recently in 2022 at the Stade de France in a game overshadowed by the chaos outside the ground that left many fans traumatised. Slot replaced Klopp last summer as the German stood down after nine years at the helm, and has made a remarkable impact on the six-time European champions. "Liverpool have been one of the best teams in Europe over the past few years, they won the Champions League (in 2019)," said Luis Enrique. "It was difficult to improve on what Klopp did, but Arne Slot has succeeded in creating an almost perfect team." Mohamed Salah is enjoying a sensational campaign with 30 goals and 22 assists, emerging as a frontrunner for the Ballon d'Or, but Luis Enrique was quick to point out Liverpool pose a number of dangers to his team. "There's a player like Salah with incredible stats, but there's not just Salah, there are lots of top-class players, it's a very complete team," said the Spaniard. "That motivates us and it's time for us to also show we've got what it takes." He added: "They have one of the best attacks in Europe, we're going to look to keep the ball, but we'll need to be careful with their counter-attacks, they've got three fighter jets up front." PSG needed to go through the play-offs after a slow start in the Champions League saw them lose three of their opening five matches. But they crushed domestic rivals Brest 10-0 on aggregate to power into the last 16 and are unbeaten in 22 matches in all competitions. "We have to be able to do what we've been doing since the start of the season, there's nothing that changes," said Luis Enrique. "We know that we're facing the most consistent team this season, but the plan doesn't change. "It's going to be a hard-fought, difficult game. The first match is not going to decide everything, but it's a very important one for us. It's hard for opponents to play at the Parc des Princes with the pressure of the crowd." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

‘Difficult to imagine a better match-up’: PSG boss Enrique on Slot’s ‘almost perfect’ Liverpool

Liverpool on Friday posted a loss before tax of &pound;57 million ($72 million) for the 2023/24 season as their Champions League absence and soaring administrative costs took a toll.
But the Premier League club's overall revenue rose by &pound;20 million to &pound;614 million, with commercial revenue climbing by &pound;36 million to &pound;308 million.
<h2>Liverpool post $72mn loss</h2>
After a loss of &pound;9 million in the previous season, a &pound;38 million drop in media revenue for 2023/24 contributed to a second straight campaign in the red.
It was the first season since 2016/17 in which the club did not play in the Champions League, Europe's top club competition.
Matchday income rose by &pound;22 million thanks to the opening of the new Anfield Road stand but staff costs -- primarily wages and associated bonuses -- increased by &pound;13 million to &pound;386 million.
That was partly due to bonuses for Champions League qualification and a League Cup win during Jurgen Klopp's final season at Anfield.
Pay-offs to cover the time remaining on the contracts of Klopp and his backroom staff when they left amounted to &pound;9.6 million.
Liverpool finished third in the Premier League and reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup and Europa League in 2023/24.
The wage bill was eased by the departure of a number of higher earners including Roberto Firmino, Fabinho and Jordan Henderson.
The club added Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch to their senior men's squad for a combined figure of around &pound;150 million.
"Operating a financially sustainable club continues to be our priority and, with the continued increase in costs, it's essential to grow income streams year on year to maintain financial stability," said finance officer Jenny Beacham.
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"The success of our commercial operations, together with the opening of the new Anfield Road Stand, has increased our revenues during this reporting period, which demonstrates our desire to continue to compete at the highest levels of football in the men's and women's games."
Liverpool, in their first season under Arne Slot, are closing in on a record-equalling 20th English top-flight title, 13 points clear of second-placed Arsenal in the Premier League with just&nbsp;10 games remaining.
They face Newcastle in the League Cup final at Wembley on March 16 and are through to the last 16 of the Champions League against Paris Saint-Germain.
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Sports, Football: After a loss of £9 million in the previous season, a £38 million drop in media revenue for 2023/24 contributed to a second straight campaign in the red.

Liverpool on Friday posted a loss before tax of £57 million ($72 million) for the 2023/24 season as their Champions League absence and soaring administrative costs took a toll. But the Premier League club's overall revenue rose by £20 million to £614 million, with commercial revenue climbing by £36 million to £308 million. Liverpool post $72mn loss After a loss of £9 million in the previous season, a £38 million drop in media revenue for 2023/24 contributed to a second straight campaign in the red. It was the first season since 2016/17 in which the club did not play in the Champions League, Europe's top club competition. Matchday income rose by £22 million thanks to the opening of the new Anfield Road stand but staff costs -- primarily wages and associated bonuses -- increased by £13 million to £386 million. That was partly due to bonuses for Champions League qualification and a League Cup win during Jurgen Klopp's final season at Anfield. Pay-offs to cover the time remaining on the contracts of Klopp and his backroom staff when they left amounted to £9.6 million. Liverpool finished third in the Premier League and reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup and Europa League in 2023/24. The wage bill was eased by the departure of a number of higher earners including Roberto Firmino, Fabinho and Jordan Henderson. The club added Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch to their senior men's squad for a combined figure of around £150 million. "Operating a financially sustainable club continues to be our priority and, with the continued increase in costs, it's essential to grow income streams year on year to maintain financial stability," said finance officer Jenny Beacham. ALSO READ | ‘Peace at border’ first step to resumption of India-Pakistan bilateral cricket: Gavaskar "The success of our commercial operations, together with the opening of the new Anfield Road Stand, has increased our revenues during this reporting period, which demonstrates our desire to continue to compete at the highest levels of football in the men's and women's games." Liverpool, in their first season under Arne Slot, are closing in on a record-equalling 20th English top-flight title, 13 points clear of second-placed Arsenal in the Premier League with just 10 games remaining. They face Newcastle in the League Cup final at Wembley on March 16 and are through to the last 16 of the Champions League against Paris Saint-Germain. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Liverpool post $72mn loss for 2023-24 season after Champions League absence

Bayern Munich needed a stoppage-time goal to see off Celtic and secure a place in the last 16 of the Champions League on Tuesday, while AC Milan were dumped out by Feyenoord and both Club Brugge and Benfica also advanced.
In Germany, Bayern were defending a 2-1 lead over Celtic in their play-off tie from last week's first leg but the Bundesliga leaders were unable to put the tie to bed, with Harry Kane hitting the bar before half-time.
Instead it was Celtic who went ahead on the night on 63 minutes thanks to Nicolas Kuehn, the former Bayern player, who slotted low into the net after a failed attempt to win the ball by Kim Min-jae.
That meant the tie was heading for extra time, but Bayern ultimately would not need to go that far as they scored in the fourth minute of injury time.
Alphonso Davies bundled the ball in from close range to make the score 1-1 on the night and clinch the tie for six-time European champions Bayern 3-2 on aggregate.
Vincent Kompany's team will find out their last-16 opponents when the draw is made on Friday, but it will be either German rivals Bayer Leverkusen or Atletico Madrid.
"Of course, we always want to dominate and be much better than the opponent, especially here. But the result is always the most important thing," Kompany told UEFA.com
It was a heartbreaking way for Celtic to go out but the Scottish champions will take heart from their performance over the two legs.
"It never looked like we were going to concede the goal that we did and sadly for us, we did. I can only take immense pride from the performance and the guys gave everything," said Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers.
Earlier, seven-time European Cup winners Milan were eliminated by Feyenoord, a 1-1 draw at San Siro taking the Dutch club through 2-1 on aggregate.
Santiago Gimenez, playing against the club he left just last month, had put Milan ahead on the night from close range in the first minute to level the tie on aggregate.
However, Milan had Theo Hernandez sent off early in the second half for a second booking, and Feyenoord levelled on the night through Julian Carranza on 73 minutes.
The visitors had Givairo Read shown a red card at the end of the game after they had held on to win the tie.
They could now come back to San Siro in the next round, with Inter Milan and Arsenal their two possible opponents.
<h2>Benfica and Club Brugge through</h2>
In Lisbon, Benfica drew 3-3 at home with Monaco to win their play-off tie 4-3 on aggregate and go through to play either Barcelona or Liverpool next.
Having won 1-0 in Monaco last week, the Portuguese giants extended their aggregate lead when Kerem Akturkoglu opened the scoring on the night midway through the first half.
Monaco came roaring back with Takumi Minamino and Eliesse Ben Seghir netting either side of half-time to level the tie on aggregate.
Vangelis Pavlidis scored a penalty, his seventh goal in his last six Champions League games, to make it 2-2 on the night, only for substitute George Ilenikhena to hit back for Monaco.
However, the tie swung decisively back towards Benfica as Orkun Kokcu made it 3-3 on the night on 84 minutes.
"It was a tough night, we knew Monaco would put pressure on us from the start and we felt it, we didn't play our best game," Kokcu told broadcaster SportTV.
"Still, we're happy to have progressed to the last 16. I'm happy to have contributed to the result."
Teenage starlet Chemsdine Talbi scored twice as Club Brugge claimed a 3-1 victory away to Atalanta in Italy to win their tie 5-2 on aggregate.
Talbi's brace was followed by a superb Ferran Jutgla strike as the Belgians built on their 2-1 win at home in last week's first leg and advanced to a last 16 tie against either Lille or Aston Villa.
Atalanta had 29 attempts on goal but were punished on the break by the Belgians and Ademola Lookman's reply at the start of the second half was scant consolation.
Lookman also had a penalty saved while Atalanta captain Rafael Toloi was sent off late on, as last season's Europa League winners bowed out.
The remaining play-off second legs will take place on Wednesday, with the standout fixture seeing Real Madrid defend a 3-2 first-leg lead at home to Manchester City.
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Sports, Football: Bayern Munich needed a stoppage-time goal to see off Celtic and secure a place in the last 16 of the Champions League on Tuesday.

Bayern Munich needed a stoppage-time goal to see off Celtic and secure a place in the last 16 of the Champions League on Tuesday, while AC Milan were dumped out by Feyenoord and both Club Brugge and Benfica also advanced. In Germany, Bayern were defending a 2-1 lead over Celtic in their play-off tie from last week's first leg but the Bundesliga leaders were unable to put the tie to bed, with Harry Kane hitting the bar before half-time. Instead it was Celtic who went ahead on the night on 63 minutes thanks to Nicolas Kuehn, the former Bayern player, who slotted low into the net after a failed attempt to win the ball by Kim Min-jae. That meant the tie was heading for extra time, but Bayern ultimately would not need to go that far as they scored in the fourth minute of injury time. Alphonso Davies bundled the ball in from close range to make the score 1-1 on the night and clinch the tie for six-time European champions Bayern 3-2 on aggregate. Vincent Kompany's team will find out their last-16 opponents when the draw is made on Friday, but it will be either German rivals Bayer Leverkusen or Atletico Madrid. "Of course, we always want to dominate and be much better than the opponent, especially here. But the result is always the most important thing," Kompany told UEFA.com It was a heartbreaking way for Celtic to go out but the Scottish champions will take heart from their performance over the two legs. "It never looked like we were going to concede the goal that we did and sadly for us, we did. I can only take immense pride from the performance and the guys gave everything," said Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers. Earlier, seven-time European Cup winners Milan were eliminated by Feyenoord, a 1-1 draw at San Siro taking the Dutch club through 2-1 on aggregate. Santiago Gimenez, playing against the club he left just last month, had put Milan ahead on the night from close range in the first minute to level the tie on aggregate. However, Milan had Theo Hernandez sent off early in the second half for a second booking, and Feyenoord levelled on the night through Julian Carranza on 73 minutes. The visitors had Givairo Read shown a red card at the end of the game after they had held on to win the tie. They could now come back to San Siro in the next round, with Inter Milan and Arsenal their two possible opponents. Benfica and Club Brugge through In Lisbon, Benfica drew 3-3 at home with Monaco to win their play-off tie 4-3 on aggregate and go through to play either Barcelona or Liverpool next. Having won 1-0 in Monaco last week, the Portuguese giants extended their aggregate lead when Kerem Akturkoglu opened the scoring on the night midway through the first half. Monaco came roaring back with Takumi Minamino and Eliesse Ben Seghir netting either side of half-time to level the tie on aggregate. Vangelis Pavlidis scored a penalty, his seventh goal in his last six Champions League games, to make it 2-2 on the night, only for substitute George Ilenikhena to hit back for Monaco. However, the tie swung decisively back towards Benfica as Orkun Kokcu made it 3-3 on the night on 84 minutes. "It was a tough night, we knew Monaco would put pressure on us from the start and we felt it, we didn't play our best game," Kokcu told broadcaster SportTV. "Still, we're happy to have progressed to the last 16. I'm happy to have contributed to the result." Teenage starlet Chemsdine Talbi scored twice as Club Brugge claimed a 3-1 victory away to Atalanta in Italy to win their tie 5-2 on aggregate. Talbi's brace was followed by a superb Ferran Jutgla strike as the Belgians built on their 2-1 win at home in last week's first leg and advanced to a last 16 tie against either Lille or Aston Villa. Atalanta had 29 attempts on goal but were punished on the break by the Belgians and Ademola Lookman's reply at the start of the second half was scant consolation. Lookman also had a penalty saved while Atalanta captain Rafael Toloi was sent off late on, as last season's Europa League winners bowed out. The remaining play-off second legs will take place on Wednesday, with the standout fixture seeing Real Madrid defend a 3-2 first-leg lead at home to Manchester City. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Champions League: Bayern Munich edge out Celtic to reach last 16; Milan dumped out

Jude Bellingham scored the winner in stoppage time as Real Madrid twice came from behind to inflict more misery on Manchester City with a 3-2 Champions League play-off, first leg win at the Etihad on Tuesday.
Erling Haaland twice put City in front with his first goals in five games against Madrid.
But the holders hit back through Kylian Mbappe and Brahim Diaz before Bellingham stroked home in the 92nd minute on his return to England.
"It was a weird one. We played some of our best football of the season and ended up behind," said Bellingham
"I don't care what form City are in they are still an unbelievable team. It's always tricky to play against them and we finally took the chance at the end."
City now have a monumental task ahead to progress to the last 16 when the sides meet again in the Spanish capital on February 19.
"It's a feeling of anger and frustration," said City defender John Stones.
"We need to see games out better. The manager said we need to take accountability for what we do on the pitch. We need to step up when these bad moments happen."
The clubs were meeting for the fourth consecutive season in the Champions League, with the winners in each of the previous three years going on to lift the trophy.
If that familiarity did not breed enough contempt, Madrid's decision to boycott City midfielder Rodri's crowning as Ballon d'Or winner last year added extra animosity as the Spanish giants took umbrage at Vinicius Junior being overlooked for the prize.
Rodri's absence since September with a season-ending knee injury has played a major role in City's decline this season as the English champions sit 15 points off the pace in the Premier League.
In recent years Madrid have been pegged back on the ropes at the Etihad, twice conceding four times in three visits.
This time the visitors had a series of early chances to sow more doubt in City minds.
Vinicius' every touch was booed and the home fans were delighted when he had a penalty ruled out for straying offside before he was wiped out by Ederson.
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<h2>City punished late</h2>
Pep Guardiola's men hit the visitors with a sucker punch on 19 minutes thanks to a brilliant team goal.
Jack Grealish's dinked cross was chested down by Josko Gvardiol into Haaland's path, who stayed millimetres onside before stroking home his 26th goal of the season.
Real came roaring back as Vinicius' effort came back off the bar.
City also hit the woodwork through Manuel Akanji and Thibaut Courtois was forced into a spectacular save from Phil Foden.
Haaland remained a constant threat to Madrid's injury-ravaged defence.
Ancelotti was forced to name midfielders Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni in his backline alongside the inexperienced Raul Asencio.
Haaland's deflected effort that came back off the crossbar seconds into the second half proved a turning point as Madrid again took control.
Bellingham headed wide and Ederson denied Mbappe as the pressure built before it finally told on the hour mark.
Mbappe's finish was far from his cleanest but his mishit from Dani Ceballos' cross deceived Ederson and looped into the net.
Madrid smelt blood and went for the kill. Valverde drilled inches wide before Bellingham should have scored when he shot low into the legs of Ederson.
But it was City who got the third goal when Foden was brought down by Ceballos as he weaved a way into the penalty area and French referee Clement Turpin pointed to the spot.
Haaland sent Courtois the wrong way for his 49th goal in 48 Champions League appearances.
Yet, by full-time the Norwegian was a disconsolate figure as City's poor campaign took another turn for the worse.
Diaz had only been on the pitch a matter of seconds when he fired in against his old club after Ederson parried Vinicius' effort into his path.
Moments later the Brazilian goalkeeper was caught in no man's land as Vinicius ran through and, even as his attempt was heading wide, Bellingham stole in for a simple finish.
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Sports, Football: Jude Bellingham scored the winner in stoppage time as Real Madrid twice came from behind to inflict more misery on Man City with a 3-2 Champions League play-off.

Jude Bellingham scored the winner in stoppage time as Real Madrid twice came from behind to inflict more misery on Manchester City with a 3-2 Champions League play-off, first leg win at the Etihad on Tuesday. Erling Haaland twice put City in front with his first goals in five games against Madrid. But the holders hit back through Kylian Mbappe and Brahim Diaz before Bellingham stroked home in the 92nd minute on his return to England. "It was a weird one. We played some of our best football of the season and ended up behind," said Bellingham "I don't care what form City are in they are still an unbelievable team. It's always tricky to play against them and we finally took the chance at the end." City now have a monumental task ahead to progress to the last 16 when the sides meet again in the Spanish capital on February 19. "It's a feeling of anger and frustration," said City defender John Stones. "We need to see games out better. The manager said we need to take accountability for what we do on the pitch. We need to step up when these bad moments happen." The clubs were meeting for the fourth consecutive season in the Champions League, with the winners in each of the previous three years going on to lift the trophy. If that familiarity did not breed enough contempt, Madrid's decision to boycott City midfielder Rodri's crowning as Ballon d'Or winner last year added extra animosity as the Spanish giants took umbrage at Vinicius Junior being overlooked for the prize. Rodri's absence since September with a season-ending knee injury has played a major role in City's decline this season as the English champions sit 15 points off the pace in the Premier League. In recent years Madrid have been pegged back on the ropes at the Etihad, twice conceding four times in three visits. This time the visitors had a series of early chances to sow more doubt in City minds. Vinicius' every touch was booed and the home fans were delighted when he had a penalty ruled out for straying offside before he was wiped out by Ederson. ALSO READ | Champions Trophy 2025: Jasprit Bumrah ruled out due to back injury; Harshit Rana roped in as replacement City punished late Pep Guardiola's men hit the visitors with a sucker punch on 19 minutes thanks to a brilliant team goal. Jack Grealish's dinked cross was chested down by Josko Gvardiol into Haaland's path, who stayed millimetres onside before stroking home his 26th goal of the season. Real came roaring back as Vinicius' effort came back off the bar. City also hit the woodwork through Manuel Akanji and Thibaut Courtois was forced into a spectacular save from Phil Foden. Haaland remained a constant threat to Madrid's injury-ravaged defence. Ancelotti was forced to name midfielders Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni in his backline alongside the inexperienced Raul Asencio. Haaland's deflected effort that came back off the crossbar seconds into the second half proved a turning point as Madrid again took control. Bellingham headed wide and Ederson denied Mbappe as the pressure built before it finally told on the hour mark. Mbappe's finish was far from his cleanest but his mishit from Dani Ceballos' cross deceived Ederson and looped into the net. Madrid smelt blood and went for the kill. Valverde drilled inches wide before Bellingham should have scored when he shot low into the legs of Ederson. But it was City who got the third goal when Foden was brought down by Ceballos as he weaved a way into the penalty area and French referee Clement Turpin pointed to the spot. Haaland sent Courtois the wrong way for his 49th goal in 48 Champions League appearances. Yet, by full-time the Norwegian was a disconsolate figure as City's poor campaign took another turn for the worse. Diaz had only been on the pitch a matter of seconds when he fired in against his old club after Ederson parried Vinicius' effort into his path. Moments later the Brazilian goalkeeper was caught in no man's land as Vinicius ran through and, even as his attempt was heading wide, Bellingham stole in for a simple finish. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Champions League: Jude Bellingham strikes late as Real Madrid pile misery on Man City

Chelsea overcame a howler from goalkeeper Robert Sanchez to beat relegation-threatened Wolves 3-1 on Monday, ending a five-game winless run to climb back into the Premier League's top four.
Enzo Maresca's team were just two points behind leaders Liverpool in mid-December, raising hopes of an unlikely title challenge before losing their way.
Now they are back on track to qualify for next season's Champions League after second-half goals from Marc Cucurella and Noni Madueke spared Sanchez's blushes.
The Spanish goalkeeper had dropped the ball moments before half-time, allowing Matt Doherty to cancel out Tosin Adarabioyo's opener.
Maresca said Chelsea had dominated the first 40 minutes before problems that have haunted them in recent weeks returned.
"We lost a little bit of confidence, we conceded a goal and we started to struggle a little bit and then the second half I think we started quite well and then after the second and third goals the game was in control," he told Sky Sports.
He added: "In the past five games we didn't win but I said many times that the performance was there. We created many chances, we didn't score and tonight finally we scored three goals."
Chelsea's top-scorer Cole Palmer, a doubt before the game, was fit to start as Maresca made five changes from last week's draw against Bournemouth including bringing in centre-back Trevoh Chalobah, recalled from his loan spell at Crystal Palace.
The home side dominated possession in the early stages and Palmer had a couple of early efforts, curling one wide and forcing Jose Sa into a diving save.
The home side were rewarded for their dominance midway through the first half when Adarabioyo fired home for his first Premier League goal for the club.
The defender controlled the ball well after it was deflected into his path from Reece James's shot from the edge of the box.
A number of Chelsea players were in offside positions in a crowded penalty area and the flag was raised but the on-field decision was overturned after a VAR check.
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<h2>Sanchez blunder</h2>
Wolves, anaemic in attack for most of the first half, came back into the game as half-time approached, scoring with their first shot on target thanks to Sanchez's error.
The visitors won a corner and the goalkeeper dropped the inswinging delivery from Matheus Cunha under intense pressure when he could have punched clear, with Doherty poking home.
The home side started the second half brightly and were back in front on the hour mark when Cucurella hooked home on the stretch after Madueke's cross was flicked on by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
Five minutes later Chelsea had a two-goal cushion when Madueke scored his fourth goal of the season against Wolves, heading home Chalobah's goal-bound effort.
Sanchez palmed a Cunha shot behind with 10 minutes to go but Chelsea were largely comfortable despite the occasional minor scare and leapfrogged Newcastle and Manchester City, whom they face next.
Former Leicester boss Maresca, in his first season in charge at Stamford Bridge, stubbornly insisted his team were not in the title race even when they were flying high after five straight wins from late November.
Starting with a 0-0 draw at Everton just before Christmas, they took just three points from five games before returning to winning ways on Monday.
Wolves, who have conceded a league-high 51 goals, are outside the relegation zone on goal difference alone after three straight defeats following a bright start for new manager Vitor Pereira.
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Sports, Football: Enzo Maresca's Chelsea were just two points behind leaders Liverpool in mid-December, raising hopes of an unlikely title challenge before losing their way.

Chelsea overcame a howler from goalkeeper Robert Sanchez to beat relegation-threatened Wolves 3-1 on Monday, ending a five-game winless run to climb back into the Premier League's top four. Enzo Maresca's team were just two points behind leaders Liverpool in mid-December, raising hopes of an unlikely title challenge before losing their way. Now they are back on track to qualify for next season's Champions League after second-half goals from Marc Cucurella and Noni Madueke spared Sanchez's blushes. The Spanish goalkeeper had dropped the ball moments before half-time, allowing Matt Doherty to cancel out Tosin Adarabioyo's opener. Maresca said Chelsea had dominated the first 40 minutes before problems that have haunted them in recent weeks returned. "We lost a little bit of confidence, we conceded a goal and we started to struggle a little bit and then the second half I think we started quite well and then after the second and third goals the game was in control," he told Sky Sports. He added: "In the past five games we didn't win but I said many times that the performance was there. We created many chances, we didn't score and tonight finally we scored three goals." Chelsea's top-scorer Cole Palmer, a doubt before the game, was fit to start as Maresca made five changes from last week's draw against Bournemouth including bringing in centre-back Trevoh Chalobah, recalled from his loan spell at Crystal Palace. The home side dominated possession in the early stages and Palmer had a couple of early efforts, curling one wide and forcing Jose Sa into a diving save. The home side were rewarded for their dominance midway through the first half when Adarabioyo fired home for his first Premier League goal for the club. The defender controlled the ball well after it was deflected into his path from Reece James's shot from the edge of the box. A number of Chelsea players were in offside positions in a crowded penalty area and the flag was raised but the on-field decision was overturned after a VAR check. READ MORE | Virat Kohli to play in Delhi's Ranji Trophy match vs Railways Sanchez blunder Wolves, anaemic in attack for most of the first half, came back into the game as half-time approached, scoring with their first shot on target thanks to Sanchez's error. The visitors won a corner and the goalkeeper dropped the inswinging delivery from Matheus Cunha under intense pressure when he could have punched clear, with Doherty poking home. The home side started the second half brightly and were back in front on the hour mark when Cucurella hooked home on the stretch after Madueke's cross was flicked on by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Five minutes later Chelsea had a two-goal cushion when Madueke scored his fourth goal of the season against Wolves, heading home Chalobah's goal-bound effort. Sanchez palmed a Cunha shot behind with 10 minutes to go but Chelsea were largely comfortable despite the occasional minor scare and leapfrogged Newcastle and Manchester City, whom they face next. Former Leicester boss Maresca, in his first season in charge at Stamford Bridge, stubbornly insisted his team were not in the title race even when they were flying high after five straight wins from late November. Starting with a 0-0 draw at Everton just before Christmas, they took just three points from five games before returning to winning ways on Monday. Wolves, who have conceded a league-high 51 goals, are outside the relegation zone on goal difference alone after three straight defeats following a bright start for new manager Vitor Pereira. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Premier League: Chelsea beat Wolves to stay in Champions League qualification race

Manchester City defender Kyle Walker has called for tough action to tackle online abuse after he received a "vile, racist and threatening" message following Wednesday's 2-0 loss at Juventus.

Walker played the whole Champions League match in Turin but could not help Pep Guardiola's team avoid a seventh defeat in 10 matches.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/manchester-united-comes-from-behind-to-beat-viktoria-plzen-spurs-held-by-rangers-in-europa-league-783614">Manchester United comes from behind to beat Viktoria Plzen; Spurs held by Rangers in Europa League</a>

The England international posted a screenshot of a message he received on Instagram from an unnamed user to his social media accounts on Thursday that used obscene racist language.

"No one should ever be subjected to the sort of vile, racist and threatening abuse I have received online since last night's match," Walker wrote on his X and Instagram accounts. "Instagram and the authorities need to stop this happening for the sake of all who are suffering this abuse. It is never acceptable.

"To our fans, we will continue to work as a team to do better, to improve and to turn the corner together."
<img alt="Kyle Walker racial abuse" data-align="center" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="015a101d-0e80-419e-a863-d95e2426f191" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/KYLE%20WALKER%20RACIAL%20ABUSE.jpg" />
City condemned the racist attack. A club statement read: "Manchester City strongly condemns the racist abuse that Kyle Walker was subject to online following last night's fixture.

"We refuse to tolerate discrimination of any kind, regardless of whether that be in stadiums or online."

A Premier League statement read: "The Premier League condemns all forms of discrimination. Racism has no place in our game or anywhere in society. We encourage anyone who hears or sees discriminatory abuse to report it so action can be taken.

"The Premier League will support Kyle Walker and the club to tackle online hate."

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Manchester City defender Kyle Walker has called for tough action to tackle online abuse after he received a "vile, racist and threatening" message following Wednesday's 2-0 loss at Juventus.

Manchester City defender Kyle Walker has called for tough action to tackle online abuse after he received a "vile, racist and threatening" message following Wednesday's 2-0 loss at Juventus. Walker played the whole Champions League match in Turin but could not help Pep Guardiola's team avoid a seventh defeat in 10 matches. ALSO READ: Manchester United comes from behind to beat Viktoria Plzen; Spurs held by Rangers in Europa League The England international posted a screenshot of a message he received on Instagram from an unnamed user to his social media accounts on Thursday that used obscene racist language. "No one should ever be subjected to the sort of vile, racist and threatening abuse I have received online since last night's match," Walker wrote on his X and Instagram accounts. "Instagram and the authorities need to stop this happening for the sake of all who are suffering this abuse. It is never acceptable. "To our fans, we will continue to work as a team to do better, to improve and to turn the corner together." City condemned the racist attack. A club statement read: "Manchester City strongly condemns the racist abuse that Kyle Walker was subject to online following last night's fixture. "We refuse to tolerate discrimination of any kind, regardless of whether that be in stadiums or online." A Premier League statement read: "The Premier League condemns all forms of discrimination. Racism has no place in our game or anywhere in society. We encourage anyone who hears or sees discriminatory abuse to report it so action can be taken. "The Premier League will support Kyle Walker and the club to tackle online hate." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Kyle Walker receives racial abuse after Manchester City’s Champions League slump, calls for action

Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe suffered a thigh injury in this week's Champions League match at Atalanta, the Spanish club confirmed Thursday without giving details on his absence.

"Following tests carried out on Kylian Mbappe today by the Real Madrid medical department, the player has been diagnosed with a thigh injury in his left leg. His progress will be monitored," Real said in a statement.

On Tuesday, Mbappe opened the scoring in the 10th minute in a 3-2 win in Bergamo to revive the holders' flagging Champions League campaign.&nbsp;

But the 25-year-old pulled up with a muscle pain after 36 minutes and was replaced by Rodrygo.&nbsp;

"Mbappe has some discomfort in his hamstrings. It doesn't seem serious but we'll see tomorrow," said Real coach Carlo Ancelotti after Tuesday's match.&nbsp;

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"He couldn't sprint, it hurt him a bit and we thought it best to replace him."

Before pulling up Mbappe had one of his best outings in the Madrid jersey since joining last summer from Paris Saint-Germain with three clear scoring chances, including one in the second minute.&nbsp;

He scored the 50th goal of his career in the Champions League and his 12th since joining Real Madrid.

Real play Rayo Vallecano in La Liga on Saturday followed by the FIFA Intercontinental Cup final on December 18 and another Liga game at home against Sevilla four days later.

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Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe suffered a thigh injury in this week's Champions League match at Atalanta, the Spanish club confirmed Thursday without giving details on his absence.

Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe suffered a thigh injury in this week's Champions League match at Atalanta, the Spanish club confirmed Thursday without giving details on his absence. "Following tests carried out on Kylian Mbappe today by the Real Madrid medical department, the player has been diagnosed with a thigh injury in his left leg. His progress will be monitored," Real said in a statement. On Tuesday, Mbappe opened the scoring in the 10th minute in a 3-2 win in Bergamo to revive the holders' flagging Champions League campaign. But the 25-year-old pulled up with a muscle pain after 36 minutes and was replaced by Rodrygo. "Mbappe has some discomfort in his hamstrings. It doesn't seem serious but we'll see tomorrow," said Real coach Carlo Ancelotti after Tuesday's match. ALSO READ | India's D Gukesh beats China's Ding Liren to win 2024 World Chess Championship; becomes youngest champion "He couldn't sprint, it hurt him a bit and we thought it best to replace him." Before pulling up Mbappe had one of his best outings in the Madrid jersey since joining last summer from Paris Saint-Germain with three clear scoring chances, including one in the second minute. He scored the 50th goal of his career in the Champions League and his 12th since joining Real Madrid. Real play Rayo Vallecano in La Liga on Saturday followed by the FIFA Intercontinental Cup final on December 18 and another Liga game at home against Sevilla four days later. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Real Madrid confirm Kylian Mbappe's left thigh injury after Atalanta clash

Substitute Ferran Torres struck twice in 10 minutes to earn Barcelona a 3-2 win at Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday and seal their place in the knockout phase of the Champions League.

Raphinha opened the scoring for Barcelona on 53 minutes in Germany, latching onto a Dani Olmo pass on the counter, but Serhou Guirassy equalised seven minutes later from the penalty spot.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/manchester-city-scars-deepen-after-juventus-loss-in-the-champions-league-783342">Manchester City scars deepen after Juventus loss in the Champions League</a>

Torres, who replaced the ineffective former Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski, tapped in a rebound with 15 minutes to play only for Guirassy to again haul Dortmund level.

With the hosts pushing for a first ever victory over Barcelona on their fifth attempt, Lamine Yamal fed Torres on a fast break and the winger drilled the ball past Gregor Kobel.

"Dortmund are a team who push you to the limit always," Barcelona midfielder Olmo told DAZN. "I think we played a great game and had our chances. I think we can leave satisfied."

The win ensured Barcelona will reach at least the playoffs while putting them in pole position for a top-eight berth and direct qualification for the last 16.

Dortmund suffered their first loss at home in all competitions this season, sliding down to ninth in the Champions League table.

"We played a really good game, (but) we were too naive and we simply gave away the goals we conceded," said Kobel.

Beset by injuries, Dortmund coach Nuri Sahin named a surprise starting XI, opting for pace and youth to try and catch out Hansi Flick's high-risk, high-reward visitors.

Sahin handed Julien Duranville, 18, a starting debut while Gio Reyna started for the first time this season.

Raphinha caused Dortmund problems early and was inches away from a tap in before he blasted just wide with an open goal beckoning moments later.

When Dortmund did make it out of their own half, they did so through the fleet-footed Duranville, who found Marcel Sabitzer in a crowded penalty box but he blazed over.

The visitors' high defensive line was a pre-game target for Dortmund but the hosts were caught out early in the second half when Olmo put Raphinha in acres of space, allowing the captain to race goalwards and slot a low shot home.

Pau Cubarsi's needless shove on Guirassy in the box resulted in the Guinean equalising for Dortmund from the spot.

Dortmund began playing with renewed confidence but Barcelona struck on the counter, Torres turning in a rebound after Kobel parried Fermin Lopez's volley.

The lead lasted three minutes as Yan Couto spotted the run of Pascal Gross, with the former Brighton midfielder squaring to Guirassy who rolled into an empty net after Inaki Pena came charging out of his area.

But Barcelona snatched their fifth win in six games in Europe as Yamal played in Torres, who atoned for a poor first touch by hammering low into the corner five minutes from time.

Dortmund's injury woes look set to worsen, with centre-back Nico Schlotterbeck stretchered off the pitch with an ankle injury after trying to head the hosts level with the last play of the game.

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Substitute Ferran Torres struck twice in 10 minutes to earn Barcelona a 3-2 win at Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday and seal their place in the knockout phase of the Champions League.

Substitute Ferran Torres struck twice in 10 minutes to earn Barcelona a 3-2 win at Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday and seal their place in the knockout phase of the Champions League. Raphinha opened the scoring for Barcelona on 53 minutes in Germany, latching onto a Dani Olmo pass on the counter, but Serhou Guirassy equalised seven minutes later from the penalty spot. ALSO READ: Manchester City scars deepen after Juventus loss in the Champions League Torres, who replaced the ineffective former Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski, tapped in a rebound with 15 minutes to play only for Guirassy to again haul Dortmund level. With the hosts pushing for a first ever victory over Barcelona on their fifth attempt, Lamine Yamal fed Torres on a fast break and the winger drilled the ball past Gregor Kobel. "Dortmund are a team who push you to the limit always," Barcelona midfielder Olmo told DAZN. "I think we played a great game and had our chances. I think we can leave satisfied." The win ensured Barcelona will reach at least the playoffs while putting them in pole position for a top-eight berth and direct qualification for the last 16. Dortmund suffered their first loss at home in all competitions this season, sliding down to ninth in the Champions League table. "We played a really good game, (but) we were too naive and we simply gave away the goals we conceded," said Kobel. Beset by injuries, Dortmund coach Nuri Sahin named a surprise starting XI, opting for pace and youth to try and catch out Hansi Flick's high-risk, high-reward visitors. Sahin handed Julien Duranville, 18, a starting debut while Gio Reyna started for the first time this season. Raphinha caused Dortmund problems early and was inches away from a tap in before he blasted just wide with an open goal beckoning moments later. When Dortmund did make it out of their own half, they did so through the fleet-footed Duranville, who found Marcel Sabitzer in a crowded penalty box but he blazed over. The visitors' high defensive line was a pre-game target for Dortmund but the hosts were caught out early in the second half when Olmo put Raphinha in acres of space, allowing the captain to race goalwards and slot a low shot home. Pau Cubarsi's needless shove on Guirassy in the box resulted in the Guinean equalising for Dortmund from the spot. Dortmund began playing with renewed confidence but Barcelona struck on the counter, Torres turning in a rebound after Kobel parried Fermin Lopez's volley. The lead lasted three minutes as Yan Couto spotted the run of Pascal Gross, with the former Brighton midfielder squaring to Guirassy who rolled into an empty net after Inaki Pena came charging out of his area. But Barcelona snatched their fifth win in six games in Europe as Yamal played in Torres, who atoned for a poor first touch by hammering low into the corner five minutes from time. Dortmund's injury woes look set to worsen, with centre-back Nico Schlotterbeck stretchered off the pitch with an ankle injury after trying to head the hosts level with the last play of the game. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Champions League: Ferran Torres hits brace in Dortmund win as Barcelona cruises into knockouts

Manchester City were plunged further into crisis on Wednesday after falling to a 2-0 defeat at Juventus which threatens their chances of reaching the last 16.

Second-half goals from Dusan Vlahovic and Weston McKennie were enough for Juve to inflict a seventh defeat in 10 matches on Pep Guardiola's struggling City.

English champions City languish in 22nd place in Europe's top club competition after having collected just eight points from their six matches in the revamped league phase.

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That leaves City just one point above the bottom 12 places and elimination, with matches against Paris Saint-Germain and Club Brugge remaining, a position that would have been unthinkable at the start of the season.

But City have unravelled in less than six weeks and are way off the pace both in the Premier League and Champions League thanks to just one win, over Nottingham Forest, since the end of October.

City now have the Manchester derby at the weekend, hardly the sort of fixture they need in the midst of this dismal run from.

"We have to get points, we'll go to Paris to try and do that and the same goes for the final match at home," said Guardiola to Amazon Prime in Italy. "We can get out of this period by playing like we did today. We lost very few balls and I think we played very well... they deserve more because they give everything."

Vlahovic's header, his 10th goal of the season, and substitute McKennie's fine volley with 15 minutes remaining also snapped a frustrating four-match run of draws for Juventus and brightened the mood among fans who have been disappointed with Thiago Motta's opening few months as coach.

Juve had drawn 11 of their 20 matches in all competitions coming into Wednesday's match, but a rugged display moved them up to 11 points and ended with fans roaring with joy and colouring the stands of the Allianz Stadium with flag waving.

<h2>Juve sink City</h2>

"The whole team played well; we did everything that we had to do. It's a fantastic result and can push us on for the rest of the season," said Vlahovic. "We're lacking a bit of experience because we're a very young side but here at Juve there isn't time, you have to get results straight away."

Motta's team are level with fellow Serie A outfit Atalanta and two points from the top eight positions which give direct access to the last 16.

There was little suggestion of Juve grabbing such a big result after a very drab opening period in frigid Turin, where two off-form teams ineffectually bumped up against one another.

The best chance of the half came five minutes before the break when Michele Di Gregorio did well to charge down Erling Haaland as the Norway striker tried to flick home Kevin De Bruyne's neat through ball.

Juve produced even less in front in increasingly frustrated supporters, who only had a Kenan Yildiz pot shot to shout about in a largely dismal opening period for the hosts.

However, that all changed in the 53rd minute thanks to Vlahovic just about forcing his close-range header across the line after City goalkeeper Ederson had kept out Federico Gatti's flying volley.

Stunned into action, City pushed for a leveller as Juve retreated into their own box, a move reminiscent of dozens of similarly dogged Italian defensive displays.

Di Gregorio did brilliantly to keep out Ilkay Gundogan's powerful long-range effort in the 68th minute, seconds before McKennie came on for Khephren Thuram.

The American turned out to be an inspired choice as he was on hand, completely unmarked, to lash in fellow countryman Timothy Weah's deftly clipped cross and kill off City's hopes of saving a point.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Manchester City were plunged further into crisis on Wednesday after falling to a 2-0 defeat at Juventus which threatens their chances of reaching the last 16. Second-half goals from Dusan Vlahovic and Weston McKennie were enough for Juve to inflict a seventh defeat in 10 matches on Pep Guardiola's struggling City.

Manchester City were plunged further into crisis on Wednesday after falling to a 2-0 defeat at Juventus which threatens their chances of reaching the last 16. Second-half goals from Dusan Vlahovic and Weston McKennie were enough for Juve to inflict a seventh defeat in 10 matches on Pep Guardiola's struggling City. English champions City languish in 22nd place in Europe's top club competition after having collected just eight points from their six matches in the revamped league phase. ALSO READ: FIFA World Cup: Saudi Arabia becomes 2034 host; Morocco, Spain and Portugal to co-host in 2030 That leaves City just one point above the bottom 12 places and elimination, with matches against Paris Saint-Germain and Club Brugge remaining, a position that would have been unthinkable at the start of the season. But City have unravelled in less than six weeks and are way off the pace both in the Premier League and Champions League thanks to just one win, over Nottingham Forest, since the end of October. City now have the Manchester derby at the weekend, hardly the sort of fixture they need in the midst of this dismal run from. "We have to get points, we'll go to Paris to try and do that and the same goes for the final match at home," said Guardiola to Amazon Prime in Italy. "We can get out of this period by playing like we did today. We lost very few balls and I think we played very well... they deserve more because they give everything." Vlahovic's header, his 10th goal of the season, and substitute McKennie's fine volley with 15 minutes remaining also snapped a frustrating four-match run of draws for Juventus and brightened the mood among fans who have been disappointed with Thiago Motta's opening few months as coach. Juve had drawn 11 of their 20 matches in all competitions coming into Wednesday's match, but a rugged display moved them up to 11 points and ended with fans roaring with joy and colouring the stands of the Allianz Stadium with flag waving. Juve sink City "The whole team played well; we did everything that we had to do. It's a fantastic result and can push us on for the rest of the season," said Vlahovic. "We're lacking a bit of experience because we're a very young side but here at Juve there isn't time, you have to get results straight away." Motta's team are level with fellow Serie A outfit Atalanta and two points from the top eight positions which give direct access to the last 16. There was little suggestion of Juve grabbing such a big result after a very drab opening period in frigid Turin, where two off-form teams ineffectually bumped up against one another. The best chance of the half came five minutes before the break when Michele Di Gregorio did well to charge down Erling Haaland as the Norway striker tried to flick home Kevin De Bruyne's neat through ball. Juve produced even less in front in increasingly frustrated supporters, who only had a Kenan Yildiz pot shot to shout about in a largely dismal opening period for the hosts. However, that all changed in the 53rd minute thanks to Vlahovic just about forcing his close-range header across the line after City goalkeeper Ederson had kept out Federico Gatti's flying volley. Stunned into action, City pushed for a leveller as Juve retreated into their own box, a move reminiscent of dozens of similarly dogged Italian defensive displays. Di Gregorio did brilliantly to keep out Ilkay Gundogan's powerful long-range effort in the 68th minute, seconds before McKennie came on for Khephren Thuram. The American turned out to be an inspired choice as he was on hand, completely unmarked, to lash in fellow countryman Timothy Weah's deftly clipped cross and kill off City's hopes of saving a point. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Manchester City scars deepen after Juventus loss in the Champions League

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