The Champions League Quarter-Finals kicked off withJuventus playing host to Barcelona as Dortmund’s game against Monaco was moved up to Wednesday due to unforeseen circumstances.
The Bianconeri carried their league form to their quarter-final tie against Barcelona and having secured a 3-0 victory over the Blaugrana; it’s fair to say they’re already half way through the Semi-finals.
Barcelona started the tie on the front foot but soon lost their way in the match due to Juventus’ fast paced counter attacking manoeuvres.
Barcelona struggled to breach Juventus’ backline, and even when they were lucky enough to do so, Gianluigi Buffon was always there to keep the ball out of the back of the net.
Paulo Dybala bagged a sublime brace in the first-half whilst Giorgio Chiellini closed the scoring in the 55th-minute to help his side secure a superb home win.
Barca have been touted to make a PSG-esque comeback, but judging by the fact the Bianconeri have conceded just two goals in the Champions League this term, it’s hard to envisage Barca going through to the next round.
Dortmund and Monaco locked horns on Wednesday evening in arguably this season’s most entertaining Champions League Quarter-final tie.
Fabinho missed a penalty early in the 17th-minute which would’ve given Monaco an early lead, but they eventually went in front courtesy of Kylian Mbappe in the 19th-minute.
Sven Bender doubled Monaco’s lead with a shocking own goal in the 35th-minute as Dortmund went into the half time break with a two-goal deficit.
The second half, though, saw Dortmund turn on the style in an emphatic manner with Ousmane Dembele scoring in the 57th-minute after some heavy pressing by der BVB.
Mbappe, though extended Monaco’s lead in the 79th-minute with a superb shot which went flying into the top corner, and whilst that looked to be the end of the tie for Dortmund, it wasn’t, as Shinji Kagawa pulled one back for the German outfit.
Monaco won the tie 3-2, but Dortmund are still very much in it.
Leicester City’s fairytale run looks set to come to an abrupt end having succumbed to a 1-0 defeat away at Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League tie.
Antoine Griezmann scored the game’s lone goal from the penalty spot after being fouled on what appeared to be the edge of the area and not inside it.
Leicester struggled to create goalscoring opportunities, and failed to manage even one shot on target against Los Rojiblancos.
Despite losing just 1-0, Leicester’s chances of making it past the Quarter-Finals look terribly bleak.
Real Madrid secured a 2-1 win away at Bayern Munich in Wednesday night’s other fixture.
Bayern were expected to grab a victory due to their home advantage, but after dominating the opening stages of the tie, they capitulated and let Cristiano Ronaldo bag a brace.
Arturo Vidal opened the scoring in the 25th-minute before sending a penalty kick into the stands right on the stroke of half time.
Ronaldo scored two minutes into the second half, but Bayern went a man down in the 61st minute as Javi Martinez received a second yellow card.
Ronaldo converted a superb cross from Marco Asensio in the 77th-minute to seal the winner for Los Blancos.
