The Champions League quarterfinals saw two exciting matches, with Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint Germain joining Real Madrid and Bayern Munich in the semifinals. Let's take a closer look at these thrilling encounters.
First, Borussia Dortmund qualified for the semifinals by defeating Atlético de Madrid 4-2 (5-4 aggregate). In the second leg, Erling Haaland and Jadon Sancho scored one goal each to secure their team's place in the next round. Meanwhile, Paris Saint Germain turned the tie against Barcelona around with a 4-1 (6-5 overall) victory. Neymar and Kylian Mbappé both contributed two goals apiece, leading PSG to their semifinal berth.
In another exciting matchup, Real Madrid defeated Manchester City in the penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw following extra time. Rodrygo opened the scoring for Real Madrid in the first half, but Riyad Mahrez equalized for Manchester City late in the game. Both teams had their chances throughout regulation and extra time but were unable to find a winner.
The semifinals will feature Borussia Dortmund vs Paris Saint Germain and Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid. The first leg matches are scheduled for April 30, with the second leg matches taking place on May 7 and 8.
Real Madrid's victory over Manchester City marked a significant moment in the Champions League, as they dashed Manchester City's double treble dreams. Despite Manchester City dominating both fixtures with a total of 33 shots and 919 passes, they failed to capitalize on their chances and were unable to score the winning goal.
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti emphasized his team's strong defensive performance in the match, calling it 'about survival.' Goalkeeper Andriy Lunin had an outstanding performance, saving two spot-kicks from Manchester City players. The penalty shootout was tied at 3-3 when Antonio Rüdiger stepped up to score the decisive penalty for Real Madrid.
These results demonstrate that even the most dominant teams can face challenges in high-stakes competitions like the Champions League. Stay tuned for more updates on these exciting semifinal matchups!