Barcelona and PSG entered Wednesday’s Champions League quarterfinals as joint-favorites to win the competitors. And over 90 minutes apiece in Paris and Catalonia, they earned their lofty standing.
In simultaneous quarterfinal first legs, ; and , with a pair of beautiful solo objectives, and a 3rd which may show essential.
Solely one of many superclubs, Barca, is within the clear as the 2 quarterfinal matchups head to England and Germany for second legs subsequent week. However each, by the tip of the 90 minutes Wednesday, had been ascendant.
In Paris, at a raucous Parc des Princes, PSG truly went behind within the thirty fifth minute. After a half-hour of warning and durable resistance, Villa drove ahead on the counter, and Morgan Rogers gave the guests a stunning lead.
However PSG’s high quality and strain quickly paid off. 4 minutes later, 19-year-old winger Désiré Doué dipped inside and despatched a 25-yard drive whizzing previous Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, in off the crossbar.
4 minutes after halftime, the opposite winger, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, one-upped him.
The 24-year-old Georgian, nicknamed “Kvaradona,” bamboozled Villa. He almost put deputy fullback Axel Disasi on the grass with a feint, then pinged a left-footed shot in off the within of the close to publish. Martinez stood no likelihood. PSG, all of a sudden, was forward.
The hosts would’ve favored to be additional forward by the tip of the evening. As a substitute, for 40-plus minutes, Villa held agency. At 2-1, the historic English membership held important hope going again to Birmingham subsequent Tuesday.
However in second-half stoppage time, Nuno Mendes made it 3-1. PSG’s cohesion and complete brilliance overwhelmed Villa. The ultimate whistle was one thing of a reprieve for the guests — a reprieve from 29 PSG photographs and 75% possession, from an onslaught that can be troublesome to undo in Leg 2.
In Barcelona, in the meantime, the La Liga leaders left little question about their superiority. Whereas PSG was considerably wasteful, Barca was ruthless. Raphinha put them forward within the twenty fifth minute. Robert Lewandowski made it 2-0 quickly after halftime.
Lewandowski tucked away one other excellent crew purpose within the 66th minute, and by that time, Barca was flying, because it so usually is.
Eleven minutes later, Lamine Yamal added a fourth, and the 2024-25 Champions League, for all intents and functions, mentioned goodbye to Borussia Dortmund.
A blow-by-blow recap of each matches is under.
Aston Villa vs. PSG (1-3)Borussia Dortmund vs. Barcelona (0-4)
Actual Madrid vs. Arsenal (0-3)Inter Milan vs. Bayern Munich (2-1)
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Wed, April 9, 2025 at 10:54 p.m. GMT+2FINAL: PSG 3-1 Aston Villa
PSG come again from a purpose right down to crush Aston Villa within the first leg of their UCL quarter-final 💪🔵🏆
Wed, April 9, 2025 at 10:54 p.m. GMT+290+2′ GOAL – Nuno Mendes provides one other one: PSG 3-1 Aston VillaWed, April 9, 2025 at 10:52 p.m. GMT+2FINAL: Barcelona 4-0 Borussia DortmundWed, April 9, 2025 at 10:50 p.m. GMT+2Wed, April 9, 2025 at 10:43 p.m. GMT+2Wed, April 9, 2025 at 10:40 p.m. GMT+2HIGHLIGHT: Yamal unwraps Dortmund’s giftWed, April 9, 2025 at 10:39 p.m. GMT+2Wed, April 9, 2025 at 10:38 p.m. GMT+2Wed, April 9, 2025 at 10:37 p.m. GMT+277′ GOAL – Lamine Yamal makes it 4-0
Barcelona is not letting up and {the teenager} capitalizes on a breakaway after Dortmund provides up the ball.
Wed, April 9, 2025 at 10:31 p.m. GMT+2HIGHLIGHT: Lewandowski’s daggerWed, April 9, 2025 at 10:28 p.m. GMT+266′ GOAL – Lewandowski strikes once more!
After a number of misses by Lopez, Barça catches Dortmund on the counter and Yamal discover Lewandowski, who slams it into the web. It is 3-0 for the Catalans.
Wed, April 9, 2025 at 10:24 p.m. GMT+2Wed, April 9, 2025 at 10:16 p.m. GMT+2HIGHLIGHT: Khvicha’s golazoWed, April 9, 2025 at 10:12 p.m. GMT+2HIGHLIGHT: Lewandowski doubles Barcelona’s leadWed, April 9, 2025 at 10:10 p.m. GMT+249′ GOAL – Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s brilliance makes it PSG 2-1 Aston Villa
What a purpose. 2-1 to the Parisians.
Wed, April 9, 2025 at 10:08 p.m. GMT+248′ GOAL – Robert Lewandowski makes it Barcelona 2-0 Dortmund
Lewandowski receives the peerlessly positioned header from Raphinha and punishes his former crew to place Barcelona’s lead nearly out of attain
Wed, April 9, 2025 at 10:05 p.m. GMT+2The second half has kicked off in each matchesWed, April 9, 2025 at 9:54 p.m. GMT+2Wed, April 9, 2025 at 9:52 p.m. GMT+2Halftime in Barcelona and Paris
Paris Saint-Germain 1-1 Aston VillaBarcelona 1-0 Dortmund