2025/26 UEFA Champions League Roundup: Quarter-Finals, Leg 1

Real Madrid 1-2 Bayern Munich

It’s very much advantage Bayern Munich as the Germans earned themselves a positive aggregate lead over Real Madrid! Dayot Upamecano had a great chance to give Bayern Munich the lead early on, but he failed to properly connect with the ball before Manuel Neuer made a decent save to deny Kylian Mbappe! Real Madrid were then fortunate to get away with multiple sloppy moments at the back, before Neuer was again needed to keep Mbappe at bay! In the 40th minute, however, we would see the opening goal of the game as Luis Diaz capped off a well-worked goal to give Bayern Munich the lead! Then, just 20 seconds into the second half, Bayern’s lead was doubled courtesy of a great Harry Kane finish! Vinicius Junior then had a good chance to get Real back into the game, but he could only strike the side-netting, before Mbappe was once again second best to Manuel Neuer! However, in the 74th minute, Kylian Mbappe would finally get his goal to bring Real Madrid back into the game; I wonder how crucial that might prove to be?! In the end, Real Madrid were easily second best here! Madrid will host Girona tonight before they look to somehow turn things around at the Allianz Arena! As for Bayern Munich, this was a really good win for them, even if they should’ve scored more goals late on! Bayern head to St. Pauli next time out before they return home next Wednesday!

Barcelona 0-2 Atletico Madrid

Atletico Madrid pulled off their first Nou Camp win in 20 years to stun FC Barcelona! Marcus Rashford did manage to put the ball into the back of the net early on, but his effort was ruled out for offside, before Pau Cubarsi was shown a straight Red Card after wiping out Giuliano Simeone! Cubarsi was the last man, so he simply had to go! Then, from the following free-kick, Atletico Madrid found themselves in front thanks to a fantastic strike by Julian Alvarez! What an incredible footballer! In the second half, Marcus Rashford came close with his own free-kick effort, smashing the crossbar, before Atletico’s lead was doubled in the 70th minute through Alexander Sorloth! In the end, FC Barcelona have an awful lot of work to do to turn things around now! Barca will host Espanyol tomorrow ahead of the Second Leg! As for Atletico Madrid, what a win this is for them! Atletico head to Sevilla next time out before they look to close things out on Tuesday!

PSG 2-0 Liverpool

A dominant display gives Paris Saint-Germain a decent lead heading into Liverpool next week! After just 11 minutes, PSG already had the lead as Desire Doue’s effort took a helpful deflection off Ryan Gravenberch! Giorgi Mamardashvili then made a good save to keep Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s effort out, before Mamardashvili pulled off another important stop! Jeremie Frimpong then came close to equalising for Liverpool late on in the first half, before Ousmane Dembele wasted a great opportunity to make it 2-0! However, in the 65th minute, PSG’s lead would be doubled as Kvaratskhelia finished superbly! PSG then had a penalty decision overturned by VAR (this was such a tight call), before Dembele smashed the post! Overall, this was far too easy for Paris Saint-Germain! PSG have the weekend off, meaning their next game will be at Anfield on Tuesday! As for Liverpool, at least they didn’t lose by more! The Reds host Fulham next time out before they look to somehow turn things around in the Second Leg!

Sporting CP 0-1 Arsenal

A stoppage-time winner was enough for Arsenal to get back to winning ways at the expense of Sporting CP! Maxi Araujo came close for Sporting early on as he smashed the crossbar following a really important touch by David Raya, before Noni Madueke struck the crossbar directly from a corner! Arsenal then thought they had the lead in the 64th minute through Martin Zubimendi, but his goal was rightly ruled out for offside, before Raya made another good save, this time to deny Geny Catamo! And then, in the 91st minute, Arsenal had their winning goal as Kai Havertz finished well! In the end, that late goal feels like a killer for Sporting CP! Sporting head to Estrela da Amadora tomorrow before the Second Leg! As for Arsenal, they needed this! The Gunners host Bournemouth next time out before they look to punch their ticket to the Semi-Final stage!