Home » Champions League Round of 16: PSG Knock Out Liverpool, Barcelona Cruise Past Benfica

Champions League Round of 16: PSG Knock Out Liverpool, Barcelona Cruise Past Benfica

PSG delivered a statement victory by eliminating Liverpool at Anfield after a dramatic penalty shootout, while Barcelona showcased their firepower with a dominant win over Benfica to secure a spot in the quarter-finals.

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Liverpool 0-1 PSG (1-1 AET, 1-4 PEN): PSG Shatter Anfield Fortress, Advance to Quarter-finals

There are no more regrets or complaints of “unfairness” or “bad luck” from PSG fans or manager Luis Enrique—Paris Saint-Germain have avenged their first-leg defeat by knocking Liverpool out of the Champions League at Anfield.

Having dominated but lost 0-1 in Paris due to Harvey Elliott’s lone goal, PSG entered the second leg with determination to turn the tie around. They struck early, with Ousmane Dembélé pouncing on an error from Alisson Becker and Ibrahima Konaté to put PSG ahead in the 12th minute.

The match turned into a battle between goalkeepers, with Gianluigi Donnarumma shining brighter than his Liverpool counterpart. Mohamed Salah, Luis Díaz, and later Darwin Núñez struggled to break through PSG’s disciplined defense.

Meanwhile, PSG’s attacking trio of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Bradley Barcola, and Dembélé constantly troubled the Liverpool backline. Despite PSG registering eight shots on target, they failed to find a second goal in regular time. Dembélé and substitute Desire Doué came agonizingly close multiple times but lacked the final touch.

With the aggregate score locked at 1-1 after extra time, the match was decided by a penalty shootout. Vitinha and Salah converted their opening spot-kicks, but Liverpool faltered next. Substitutes Darwin Núñez and Curtis Jones saw their efforts saved by Donnarumma, while Dembélé and Gonçalo Ramos confidently dispatched their attempts. The final blow came from Doué, who slotted home the decisive penalty to end Liverpool’s campaign.

https://twitter.com/ChampionsLeague/status/1899609573071147425

This marks the first time Liverpool have been eliminated from a European knockout stage after winning the first leg away—a streak that lasted through 30 previous ties. PSG now moves on to the quarter-finals, where they will face either Aston Villa or Club Brugge in nearly a month.

Barcelona 3-1 Benfica (4-1 AGG): Yamal’s Brilliance and Raphinha’s Form Propel Barca to Quarter-finals

Another near-perfect performance from Lamine Yamal and Raphinha helped Barcelona secure a convincing 3-1 victory over Benfica, sealing their place in the Champions League quarter-finals.

After grinding out a narrow 1-0 win in the first leg despite being reduced to 10 men, Barca returned to their home ground in full force. Dominating possession (65%) and registering 20 shots, they displayed clear superiority over the Portuguese side.

The breakthrough came early, as Yamal showcased his skill down the right wing before delivering a stunning assist for Raphinha to score in the 11th minute. However, Benfica responded swiftly, equalizing just two minutes later when veteran defender Nicolás Otamendi headed past Wojciech Szczęsny.

But that was as far as Benfica’s resistance went. Order was restored in the 27th minute when Yamal cut inside from the left flank and curled a magnificent strike into the net from 18 yards, making it 2-1. Though not the fastest shot, it was placed perfectly beyond goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin’s reach.

At just 17 years and 241 days old, Yamal became the youngest player in Champions League history to both score and assist in the same match.

By the 42nd minute, the tie was effectively over. Alejandro Balde won the ball in his own half and sprinted forward before setting up Raphinha, who struck a precise shot across Trubin to seal the 3-1 victory.

Raphinha’s goal was his third in Barcelona’s four goals over the two legs, propelling him to the top of the Champions League scoring charts with 11 goals. He now leads Dortmund’s Serhou Guirassy and Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane (both on 10 goals), while teammate Robert Lewandowski sits third with nine.

In the quarter-finals, Barcelona will face the winner of Lille vs. Borussia Dortmund. Their first leg ended in a 1-1 draw in Germany.

Other Champions League Round of 16 Second Leg Results:

• Bayer Leverkusen 0-2 Bayern Munich (0-5 AGG)
• Inter Milan 2-1 Feyenoord (4-1 AGG)