As the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals reach their decisive second legs, four football powerhouses — Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Aston Villa, and Borussia Dortmund — find themselves on the back foot, aiming to overturn first-leg defeats. With everything on the line, the stage is set for a thrilling two nights of football on Tuesday 15 and Wednesday 16 April.
Tuesday 15 April: Villa Park and Signal Iduna Park Await the Fightback
Aston Villa vs Paris Saint-Germain (First leg: 1-3)
Despite opening the scoring in Paris through Morgan Rogers, Aston Villa were ultimately outclassed by the French champions. Goals from Désiré Doué, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and Nuno Mendes handed PSG a two-goal advantage ahead of the return leg in Birmingham.
Still, hope remains alive for Unai Emery’s men. Rogers remains confident: “We’ve got enough quality to cause any team in the world problems. We’ve got nothing to lose.” PSG coach Luis Enrique, while pleased with his team’s comeback ability, warns that another battle awaits in England.
Did you know? Paris have scored three or more goals in six of their last eight Champions League games.
Borussia Dortmund vs Barcelona (First leg: 0-4)
Barcelona delivered a statement performance at the Camp Nou, thrashing Dortmund 4-0. Former Dortmund star Robert Lewandowski scored twice, with Raphinha and Lamine Yamal also finding the net. The German side now face a seemingly insurmountable task at home.
Coach Niko Kovač will need to rebuild belief in his squad, while Barça boss Hansi Flick refuses to see the tie as finished: “Football is madness. We need to commit as few errors as possible.”
Did you know? The 4-0 result equalled Barcelona’s biggest-ever win in a UEFA quarter-final.
Wednesday 16 April: Historic Comeback Grounds Await
Real Madrid vs Arsenal (First leg: 0-3)
Real Madrid, kings of the Champions League, were stunned at the Emirates Stadium. Declan Rice’s two spectacular free-kicks and a composed finish from Mikel Merino have put Arsenal firmly in control.
But as Jude Bellingham said, “If there’s one place where crazy things can happen, it’s our house.” Madrid must now deliver something extraordinary at the Bernabéu, a stadium famous for miracle comebacks.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta knows it’s not over: “We know it’s just half-time. We have to be even better in Madrid to go through.”
Did you know? Real Madrid have won their last seven UCL quarter-final ties against English teams.
Inter Milan vs Bayern München (First leg: 2-1)
Inter snatched a late victory in Munich with goals from Lautaro Martínez and Davide Frattesi, continuing their strong Champions League form. Now back at the San Siro, the Nerazzurri will look to finish the job with the same intensity and focus.
However, Bayern München, despite their defeat, remain confident. Thomas Müller’s late equalizer briefly gave Bayern hope before Frattesi’s winner. “It’s definitely achievable and we remain confident,” said Müller post-match.