(ANSA) - ROMA, 11 MAR - The Champions League sees Barcelona, PSG, and Bayern Munich advancing to the quarter-finals after an exciting round of fixtures. Barcelona put on a brilliant display, spearheaded by the prodigious Yamal, as they overcame Benfica with a resounding 3-1 victory. Meanwhile, Bayern Munich triumphed in their German derby against Bayer Leverkusen, while PSG progressed by knocking out Liverpool through a nail-biting penalty shootout, thanks to the heroics of Italian international Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Commencing the day's Champions League action, Barcelona, following their narrow 1-0 win in the first leg, secured their place in the last eight with another solid performance. It took just 11 minutes for Raphinha to break the deadlock, assisted by a sensational solo effort from Yamal. Benfica swiftly struck back with a well-timed header from Otamendi. Yet, the 17-year-old from Barcelona showcased his talent once more, regaining the lead with a deft curled shot before Raphinha sealed the score at 3-1, confirming their qualification. Yamal’s spectacular goal to make it 2-1 was a true masterpiece, as he outmaneuvered Araujo before unleashing a stunning left-footed effort into the bottom corner. He also played a key role in setting up Raphinha’s opening goal.
In Leverkusen, Bayern Munich maintained their dominance, following a 3-0 first leg advantage with a 2-0 victory at home, thanks to goals from Kane and Davies. Anfield witnessed a thrilling encounter where Liverpool started brightly, with Salah posing an early threat. However, PSG countered superbly, with Dembélé finding the net. Liverpool rallied with a close attempt from Konaté, but Alisson was called into action by Barcola. The game concluded deadlocked after 90 minutes, pushing it into extra time with both sides exchanging attacks but unable to find the breakthrough. It all came down to the penalties, where Donnarumma emerged as the standout figure, saving two shots and guiding PSG through to the quarter-finals of Europe’s premier competition. (ANSA)
