The Champions League quarterfinals are coming into focus, with four teams advancing past the round of 16 on Tuesday evening.
The last 16 comprised of the top eight times from the league phase and the eight clubs that survived the knockout phase playoffs, pitted against one another in eight mouthwatering ties throughout March.
Only half the qualified teams have a place in the quarterfinals, though, and some of the biggest clubs in the world made an early exit on Europe’s grandest stage. There was no shortage of wild comebacks, head-turning red cards and must-see goals along the way.
Here’s all the teams that punched their tickets to the Champions League quarterfinals so far.
Every Team Qualified for Champions League Quarterfinals
Tuesday’s fixtures started off with a miraculous comeback from Sporting CP over Bodø/Glimt. The Portuguese outfit were down 3–0 in the tie but rallied three goals in the second leg to force extra time, where they buried two more to advance to the quarterfinals.
Manchester City would have hoped to rally a similar comeback, but they could not overturn their 3–0 deficit against Real Madrid. The Cityzens went down to 10 men in the early stages and ultimately succumbed to the 15-time European champions for the third consecutive season, losing 5–1 on aggregate.
Chelsea faced a similar fate as their fellow Premier League side. The Blues got nothing going at Stamford Bridge against Paris Saint-Germain, who thoroughly humiliated the hosts in the second leg with a 3–0 victory. The defending cup holders advanced 8–2 on aggregate.
Arsenal were the only English team to advance to the quarterfinals on Tuesday night. The Gunners only managed a 1–1 draw with Bayer Leverkusen in the first leg, but they cruised to a 2–0 win at the Emirates Stadium to keep their quadruple hopes alive.
Teams Through to Champions League Quarterfinals
- Sporting CP
- Real Madrid
- Paris Saint-Germain
- Arsenal
Teams Still Fighting for a Place in the Last Eight
There are still four second legs set to unfold on Wednesday throughout Europe. Barcelona and Newcastle United kick off the action at Camp Nou, where a victory on the night will be enough for either side to break the deadlock of their 1–1 tie.
Bayern Munich then host Atalanta in a match that is little more than a formality. Vincent Kompany’s men ran riot in the first leg, securing a 6–1 victory that all but wrapped up the tie.
Liverpool’s circumstances are far more tenuous. The Reds suffered a 1–0 defeat to Galatasaray at RAMS Park and now have some ground to make up at Anfield or else risk back-to-back Champions League eliminations in the round of 16.
Rounding out the slate is Tottenham Hotspur’s battle with Atlético Madrid. Spurs might have finished in the top eight of the league phase standings, but their domestic woes caught up to them in Europe when they fell 5–2 to Diego Simeone’s men in the first leg at the Metropolitano.
Teams Still in Contention for the Champions League Quarterfinals
- Barcelona
- Newcastle United
- Bayern Munich
- Atalanta
- Liverpool
- Galatasaray
- Tottenham Hotspur
- Atlético Madrid
