Galatasaray head coach Okan Buruk pulled no punches following his side’s 4-0 Champions League exit at Anfield, labelling the official the "worst in the world." Despite the heavy defeat, Buruk was incensed by the treatment of his star players during the physical encounter.
In the end, Liverpool comfortably secured their place in the Champions League quarter-finals against Galatasaray. Arne Slot couldn’t resist a dig afterwards.
Igor Tudor picked up his first win since taking over as interim Tottenham boss on Wednesday as Spurs beat Atletico Madrid 3-2 in the second leg of their Champions League last 16 tie. The victory was not enough to prevent Spurs from being knocked out of the competition but Tudor is still feeling good after ending his winless streak with the north Londoners.
Despite the painfully protracted league phase running through the first five months of the season and the play-off round providing some drama, for many the Champions League doesn't truly begin until the last 16 gets underway. If you are one of those fans, then you likely loved the past week or so of European action.
Back in the 1970s and 80s, Brian Clough prided himself on upsetting the establishment. In more recent times, Jose Mourinho has taken on the role of managerial disrupter in chief. What would have happened had a couple of European Cup-winning coaches locked horns at the peak of their powers? Former Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Mark Crossley has explained to GOAL why there would “only be one winner”.
Harry Kane has equalled Thierry Henry’s Champions League goal tally after a masterclass against Atalanta. Vincent Kompany hailed the England captain's "world-class" movement as Bayern Munich marched into the quarter-finals.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot thinks Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain will not be looking forward to their quarter-final clash against the Reds. Both teams booked their place in the last eight of the competition this season, with Liverpool downing Galatasaray and PSG knocking out Chelsea. Luis Enrique's side will now face Premier League opposition again when they take on Slot's men next.
Dominik Szoboszlai admitted Liverpool were fueled by "personal" motivation during their 4-0 demolition of Galatasaray. The Hungarian revealed the squad was irked by the Turkish side's celebrations after the first leg in Istanbul.
Jurgen Klopp returning to Liverpool would be a fairytale story for all concerned, but Emile Heskey has explained to GOAL why the enigmatic German tactician will not want to “risk his legacy” on Merseyside. Change in the Anfield dugout is being mooted as Arne Slot struggles to deliver consistency, with it being suggested that a familiar face could be lured back to a spiritual home.
Barcelona's spectacular Champions League triumph over Newcastle United came at a heavy cost, as goalkeeper Joan Garcia sustained a calf injury. The Catalan club are now sweating on his fitness, with initial medical assessments suggesting a muscular tear that could sideline him for weeks, disrupting the squad just as the business end of the season approaches.
Harry Kane and Mohamed Salah reached a significant milestone in the Champions League on Wednesday night, with both players hitting the 50-goal mark in the competition. The achievement sees the Bayern Munich striker and the Liverpool forward cap off an incredible evening for their respective sides as they each booked a place in the quarter-finals.
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has opened up about the crucial half-time tactical tweaks that sparked his side's incredible comeback against Newcastle in the Champions League. After a chaotic and difficult first half, the German coach's specific instructions completely changed the momentum, paving the way for a dominant second-half display and a quarter-final spot.
Liverpool cruised into the quarter-finals of the Champions League on Wednesday with a 4-0 win over Galatasaray at Anfield. Arne Slot's side made up for last week's 1-0 defeat in Turkey with a dominant showing in front of their own supporters. Dominik Szoboszlai was once again in inspirational form for the Reds, while Mohamed Salah also played a starring role despite missing a penalty in the first half.
Following their 6-1 thrashing in the first leg, FC Bayern Munich beat Atalanta Bergamo 4-1 at home, thereby comfortably securing their place in the Champions League quarter-finals. Individual player ratings for the FCB squad.
Tottenham were knocked out of the Champions League at the last-16 stage on Wednesday after falling to Atletico Madrid 7-5 on aggregate, albeit they won 3-2 in the second leg back in north London. Spurs' mauling in the Spanish capital last week meant they had a mountain to climb on home soil, and they ultimately gave themselves too much to do despite a spirited performance.
Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe was left to rue a defensive collapse as his side were dumped out of the Champions League round of 16 by Barcelona in spectacular fashion. After competing valiantly for much of the first leg and parts of the return fixture, the Magpies conceded seven goals on the night to fall to an 8-3 aggregate defeat.
In FC Bayern Munich’s Champions League round of 16 second-leg match against Atalanta Bergamo, two young players, Deniz Ofli and Filip Pavic, made their professional debuts.
Barcelona have stormed into the Champions League quarter-finals following a ruthless 7-2 thrashing of Newcastle at the Spotify Camp Nou. It proved to be a special evening for Robert Lewandowski, in particular, as the veteran struck twice to officially surpass Lionel Messi as the player to have scored against the most different opponents in the history of Europe's premier club competition.
Max Eberl has defended referee Christian Dingert against criticism levelled by some officials at FC Bayern Munich regarding his performance in last weekend’s match against Bayer 04 Leverkusen.
Newcastle saw their Champions League dreams ended at the last 16 stage by a rampant Barcelona on Wednesday. Two goals from Anthony Elanga in the first half had given the Magpies hope of pulling off a famous result, but Eddie Howe's side fell apart in the second half to eventually lose 7-2 on a tough night in Catalunya.
Barcelona eventually cruised into the quarter-finals of the Champions League as they ran riot in the second half against Newcastle to win the second leg of their last-16 tie 7-2, earning an 8-3 aggregate victory. Raphinha was heavily involved in six of the goals, scoring two himself, while Robert Lewandowski also netted a brace, with Marc Bernal, Lamine Yamal and Fermin Lopez all on the scoresheet to boot.
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