{"id":9288,"date":"2025-04-17T00:40:37","date_gmt":"2025-04-17T00:40:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/?p=9288"},"modified":"2025-04-17T00:40:39","modified_gmt":"2025-04-17T00:40:39","slug":"champions-league-quarters-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/champions-league-quarters-review","title":{"rendered":"Champions League Quarter-Finals Review"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/league\/uefa-champions-league-572\">Champions League<\/a> quarter-final second legs on April 15 and 16, 2025, were pure, unadulterated football chaos\u201490-minute rollercoasters that reminded us why this competition is the sport\u2019s beating heart. Picture the scenes: the Santiago Bernab\u00e9u, where <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/team\/arsenal-104\">Arsenal<\/a> didn\u2019t just upset <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/team\/real-madrid-131\">Real Madrid<\/a> but devastated them, leaving Carlo Ancelotti\u2019s job teetering on the edge. The San Siro, where <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/player\/harry-kane-1669\">Harry Kane\u2019s<\/a> trophy curse tightened its grip as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/team\/inter-milan-224\">Inter Milan<\/a> outfoxed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/team\/bayern-munich-331\">Bayern Munich<\/a>. Villa Park, roaring like a lion as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/team\/aston-villa-109\">Aston Villa<\/a> pushed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/team\/psg-480\">PSG<\/a> to the brink.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And Signal Iduna Park, where <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/player\/sehrou-guirassy-38053\">Serhou Guirassy\u2019s<\/a> one-man rampage nearly flipped <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/team\/borussia-dortmund-341\">Dortmund\u2019s<\/a> tie with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/team\/fc-barcelona-132\">Barcelona<\/a>. These weren\u2019t just matches\u2014they were cinematic epics, packed with heroes, heartbreak, and moments that had fans screaming at screens or strangers in pubs. From Arteta\u2019s tactical triumph to Guirassy\u2019s hat-trick heroics, the semi-final stage is set, and the road to Munich\u2019s final is alive with possibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><h2>Champions League Semi-Finals are impending&#8230;<\/h2><nav><ul><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#arsenal-hit-real-madrid-where-it-hurts\">Arsenal hit Real Madrid where it hurts<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#harry-kane-has-to-wait-a-little-bit-longer-for-that-first-trophy\">Harry Kane has to wait a little bit longer for that first trophy&#8230;<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#aston-villa-put-up-a-great-fight\">Aston Villa put up a great fight<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#serhou-guirassy-almost-put-dortmund-on-his-back\">Serhou Guirassy almost put Dortmund on his back<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"arsenal-hit-real-madrid-where-it-hurts\">Arsenal hit Real Madrid where it hurts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Arsenal didn\u2019t just beat Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernab\u00e9u\u2014they schooled them, delivering a 2-1 second-leg victory that sealed a 5-1 aggregate rout and sent Mikel Arteta\u2019s men into the semi-finals against PSG. After a 3-0 first-leg demolition at the Emirates, where Declan Rice\u2019s free-kick magic and Mikel Merino\u2019s poacher\u2019s instinct had left Real reeling, the Bernab\u00e9u faithful banked on yet another classic comeback. But Arsenal, brimming with belief, turned the tables on the 15-time champions, exposing their frailties and dominating in a way few teams have dared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This was Arsenal at their peak: fearless, cohesive, and ruthless. Bukayo Saka ran riot on the right, exploiting Real\u2019s makeshift defense\u2014Ferland Mendy was absent, leaving Fran Garc\u00eda to flounder. Despite having missed a penalty, Saka\u2019s cool finish opened the scoring, while Gabriel Martinelli scored the second late on. Real\u2019s lone reply, a Vin\u00edcius Jr. tap-in to an empty net, was a fleeting spark in a night of Arsenal supremacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/GettyImages-2209989809-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"MADRID, SPAIN - APRIL 16: Bukayo Saka of Arsenal FC in action during the UEFA Champions League 2024\/25 Quarter Final Second Leg match between Real Madrid C.F. and Arsenal FC at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on April 16, 2025 in Madrid, Spain. \" class=\"wp-image-9292\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Photo by Alberto Gardin\/Eurasia Sport Images\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/player\/declan-rice-46718\">Declan Rice<\/a> and Martin \u00d8degaard bossed the midfield, outworking Jude Bellingham and Federico Valverde, while Kylian Mbapp\u00e9\u2019s threat was entirely neutered. Arteta\u2019s game plan\u2014high pressing, quick transitions, and unshakable resolve\u2014made Arsenal look like title favorites, their dominance evident in their relentless attacks and suffocating control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For Real Madrid, this was a humiliation that cut deep. Carlo Ancelotti, the architect of countless European miracles, looked helpless as his side crumbled. The absence of key defenders like \u00c9der Milit\u00e3o and Dani Carvajal didn\u2019t help, but the lack of fight raised bigger questions. Ancelotti\u2019s job, once untouchable, now hangs by a thread.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After a shaky league phase with losses to Lille and Liverpool, and now a 5-1 aggregate thrashing\u2014the worst Champions League knockout defeat in Real\u2019s modern era\u2014the Bernab\u00e9u buzz is turning toxic. Fans are calling for change. Ancelotti\u2019s CV is legendary, but Florentino P\u00e9rez isn\u2019t known for sentimentality. Arsenal, meanwhile, are dreaming big, their semi-final clash with PSG a chance to cement their status as Europe\u2019s new elite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"harry-kane-has-to-wait-a-little-bit-longer-for-that-first-trophy\">Harry Kane has to wait a little bit longer for that first trophy&#8230;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Harry Kane\u2019s quest for silverware feels like a tragic novel you can\u2019t put down\u2014compelling, heartbreaking, and endlessly frustrating. Bayern Munich needed to erase a 2-1 first-leg deficit against Inter Milan. Instead, a 2-2 draw handed Inter a 4-3 aggregate victory, propelling them to a semi-final showdown with Barcelona and leaving Kane to stare into the trophy-less void once more. Inter\u2019s defensive resilience, a hallmark of their campaign, proved Bayern\u2019s undoing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bayern threw everything at Inter, with Kane leading the charge. His goal briefly leveled the aggregate score, sparking hope of a turnaround. But Inter, led by the imperious Alessandro Bastoni, stood firm and scored twice to propel Inter through. Kane\u2019s performance was valiant but not enough. He couldn\u2019t replicate his earlier heroics against Leverkusen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">? INTER MILAN SURVIVE THE STORM! \u26ab?<br><br>After a 2-2 thriller at San Siro (and a 2-1 win in Munich), the Nerazzurri PUNCH THEIR TICKET to the Champions League semifinals!<br><br>Up next? A European classic \u2013 Inter vs. Barcelona. ?? vs. ?? <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/7X8UHb19cH\">pic.twitter.com\/7X8UHb19cH<\/a><\/p>&mdash; 365Scores (@365Scores) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/365Scores\/status\/1912610895685198312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">April 16, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<p>Bayern\u2019s early exit, despite their attacking prowess, puts pressure on Vincent Kompany to regroup for the Bundesliga. Inter, meanwhile, are peaking, their defensive solidity and counter-attacking threat making them a nightmare for Barcelona. For Kane, the wait continues, his trophy curse a cruel subplot in an otherwise stellar career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/GettyImages-2204154367-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"SAN SIRO STADIUM, MILANO, ITALY - 2025\/03\/11: Hakan Calhanoglu of FC Internazionale celebrates with teammates after scoring the goal of 2-1 during the UEFA Champions League 2024\/2025 round of 16 football match between FC Internazionale and Feyenoord. Inter won 2-1 over Feyenoord. \" class=\"wp-image-9294\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Photo by Andrea Staccioli\/Insidefoto\/LightRocket via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"aston-villa-put-up-a-great-fight\">Aston Villa put up a great fight<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Aston Villa\u2019s clash with PSG at Villa Park was a heart-pounding spectacle that nearly rewrote the Champions League script. Trailing 3-1 from the first leg, where D\u00e9sir\u00e9 Dou\u00e9, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and Nuno Mendes delivered stunning strikes, Unai Emery\u2019s side faced a mountainous task. They responded with a 3-2 second-leg victory, falling agonizingly short at 5-4 on aggregate, but their performance was a roaring testament to their European credentials. Villa Park was a cauldron of noise, and Villa fed off it, pushing PSG to the brink in a comeback that had fans believing in miracles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Villa\u2019s fightback was pure heart. Youri Tielemans ignited hope with a deflected strike, shaking off PSG\u2019s early dominance. John McGinn, the combative captain, unleashed a long-range rocket in the second half, the ball kissing the net with a slight deflection to make it 2-2 on the night. Moments later, Ezri Konsa pounced on a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/player\/marcus-rashford-39803\">Marcus Rashford<\/a> pull-back, slotting home to cut the aggregate deficit to 5-4 and sending Villa Park into delirium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>PSG, rocked by Villa\u2019s intensity, had struck first through Achraf Hakimi, who capitalized on an Emiliano Mart\u00ednez error, and Nuno Mendes, whose curling finish off the post showcased their counter-attacking class. But Gianluigi Donnarumma was the difference, his string of heroic saves\u2014denying Tielemans, Rashford, and a late Ian Maatsen volley was blocked by Pacho\u2014preserving PSG\u2019s lead. Emery, who coached PSG from 2016-18, knew their strengths but couldn\u2019t outmanoeuvre Luis Enrique\u2019s lightning-fast attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Villa\u2019s performance was a badge of honor. Their attacking depth, with Rashford\u2019s second-half spark and McGinn\u2019s relentless drive, troubled a PSG side boasting Kvaratskhelia, Ousmane Demb\u00e9l\u00e9, and Bradley Barcola. Despite the loss, Villa proved they belong among Europe\u2019s elite, their 17-match unbeaten home run and ability to unsettle a team that dispatched Liverpool and Manchester City speaking volumes. PSG, rattled by Villa\u2019s second-half onslaught, advance to face Arsenal, but their defensive lapses\u2014exposed by Konsa\u2019s goal and near-misses from Maatsen and Rashford\u2014are a warning sign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"serhou-guirassy-almost-put-dortmund-on-his-back\">Serhou Guirassy almost put Dortmund on his back<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Serhou Guirassy almost became a legend on Tuesday turning Signal Iduna Park into his personal playground with a hat-trick in Dortmund\u2019s 3-1 second-leg win over Barcelona. Trailing 4-0 from the first leg, where <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/player\/lamine-yamal-131182\">Lamine Yamal<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/player\/raphinha-39789\">Raphinha<\/a> ran rampant, Dortmund\u2019s chances were slimmer than a paper cut. Guirassy, however, refused to go quietly, nearly pulling off the impossible in a 5-3 aggregate defeat that restored Dortmund\u2019s pride and sent the Yellow Wall into a frenzy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Guirassy was a force of nature, his header, penalty, pricey and long-range curler showcasing a striker at the peak of his powers. Each goal rattled Barcelona, whose defense\u2014missing key players\u2014looked vulnerable under Dortmund\u2019s pressure. His ability to exploit spaces and punish errors gave Hansi Flick\u2019s side a fright, even as Yamal\u2019s dazzling runs kept Dortmund\u2019s backline on edge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/GettyImages-2188868980-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"DORTMUND, GERMANY - DECEMBER 11:  Serhou Guirassy of Borussia Dortmund celebrates with his teammates after scoring the 1-1 equalizer during the UEFA Champions League 2024\/25 League Phase MD6 soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and FC Barcelona at BVB Stadion Dortmund on December 11, 2024 in Dortmund, Germany. \" class=\"wp-image-9293\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Photo by Hendrik Deckers\/Borussia Dortmund via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Dortmund\u2019s exit was bittersweet, their fightback a testament to their spirit. Guirassy\u2019s performance has Europe\u2019s top clubs circling, his star power undeniable. Barcelona, despite the scare, march on, their attacking flair carrying them through. For Dortmund, this was a reminder of their potential, with Guirassy as the spearhead of a new era.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Where Barcelona&#39;s front three were the last time they qualified for the Champions League semi-finals! ? <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/qdnCM8Q2dD\">pic.twitter.com\/qdnCM8Q2dD<\/a><\/p>&mdash; 365Scores (@365Scores) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/365Scores\/status\/1912483461182500975?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">April 16, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>By Nicky Helfgott \/ @NickyHelfgott1 on Twitter (X)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep up with all the latest <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/league\/uefa-champions-league-572\/stats\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/league\/uefa-champions-league-572\/stats\">Champions League stats<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/where-to-watch\">where to watch<\/a> &amp; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/league\/uefa-champions-league-572\/news\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/league\/uefa-champions-league-572\/news\">latest news<\/a> on the&nbsp;365Scores website and app!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"riddle2-wrapper\" style=\"margin: 0 auto; max-width: 100%; width: 640px;\" data-rid-id=\"NMdAJaHi\" data-auto-scroll=\"true\" data-is-fixed-height-enabled=\"false\" data-bg=\"#fff\" data-fg=\"#00205b\"><script src=\"https:\/\/www.riddle.com\/embed\/build-embedjs\/embedV2.js\"><\/script><iframe title=\"Who's going to win the 24\/25 Champions League?\" src=\"https:\/\/www.riddle.com\/embed\/a\/NMdAJaHi?lazyImages=false&amp;staticHeight=false\"><section data-block=\"SingleChoice\"><h2>Who&#8217;s going to win the 24\/25 Champions League?<\/h2><ul><li>PSG<\/li><li>Arsenal<\/li><li>Barcelona<\/li><li>Inter Milan<\/li><li>Other (let us know who @365Scores)<\/li><\/ul><\/section><\/iframe><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Champions League quarter-final second legs on April 15 and 16, 2025, were pure, unadulterated football chaos\u201490-minute rollercoasters that reminded us why this competition is the sport\u2019s beating heart. Picture the scenes: the Santiago Bernab\u00e9u, where Arsenal didn\u2019t just upset Real Madrid but devastated them, leaving Carlo Ancelotti\u2019s job teetering on the edge. The San &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":9291,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2509,9],"tags":[182,16,1095,179,194,244,213,1126,116,309,141,225,60,3378,59,3407,3406,1321],"class_list":["post-9288","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-champions-league","category-soccer","tag-arsenal","tag-aston-villa","tag-barcelona","tag-bayern-munich","tag-borussia-dortmund","tag-bukayo-saka","tag-carlo-ancelotti","tag-champions-league","tag-football","tag-harry-kane","tag-inter-milan","tag-mikel-arteta","tag-psg","tag-quarter-finals","tag-real-madrid","tag-semi-finals","tag-serhou-guirassy","tag-unai-emery"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9288","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/29"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9288"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9288\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9291"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9288"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9288"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9288"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}