The final eight teams in the 2025-26 Champions League are set after a dramatic end to Wednesday’s round of 16 knockout ties.
Barcelona put together a stunning 7-2 obliteration of Newcastle in the day’s early match. The tie was level at 1-1 after last week’s draw in England, but doubles from Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski capped an incredible display in front of a bouncing Camp Nou.
Liverpool had it all to do after losing the away leg 1-0 against Galatasaray. However, the Turkish side capitulated under the pressure of Anfield on Wednesday, succumbing to a 4-0 defeat as Liverpool rattled through its shellshocked visitors to win 4-1 on aggregate. Mo Salah’s brilliant goal made up for an earlier penalty miss.
Bayern Munich pulled zero punches after beating Atalanta 6-1 last week, adding another four goals in Germany for a 10-2 deficit.
On Tuesday, Real Madrid completed a surprisingly easy job against Manchester City with a 2-1 win, even without the unfit Kylian Mbappé. Los Blancos eased to a 5-1 aggregate score over Pep Guardiola’s side, who many considered a frontrunner for the tournament.
Competition favorite Arsenal brushed aside Bayer Leverkusen, headlined by a sublime Eberechi Eze goal in a 2-0 win (3-1 on aggregate).
Mikel Arteta’s team will face Sporting after the Portuguese club pulled off the comeback of the round.
Sporting headed into Tuesday’s second leg 3-0 down to surprise Norwegian outfit Bodo/Glimt, but an incredible fightback saw the tie finish 5-3 to Rui Borges’ men.
Defending champions Paris Saint-Germain shocked Chelsea with another huge win, beating Liam Rosenior’s struggling side 3-0 at Stamford Bridge and 8-2 on aggregate, capped off by a stunning Senny Mayulu finish.
Champions League Quarterfinal Draw
PSG vs. Liverpool
Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich
Barcelona vs. Atletico Madrid
Sporting vs. Arsenal
Arsenal remain clear favorites as the tournament reaches its climax. Arteta’s squad is arguably the deepest in Europe, with top quality replacements in key positions, propped up by an incredibly physical defense.
The North London side is unbeaten in this year’s Champions League and on the easier side of the draw, avoiding Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and defending champions PSG.
Madrid and Bayern squaring off at the quarterfinal stage is also evidence of the tougher side of the bracket. Mbappe going toe-to-toe with Harry Kane is a mouthwatering prospect that pits two of the best strikers in the world against each other at a relatively early stage.
PSG or Liverpool will await the winner of that one, two sides that have put up inconsistent, yet improving form in recent times.
The French team’s easy win over Chelsea is a reminder of how it won last year’s prize, as PSG got better in the knockout stages, headlined by a standout performance against Arne Slot’s Reds.
The quarterfinal first-leg fixtures will take place on April 7-8, with the second legs set for April 14-15.
