Champions League

2022 - 3 - 8

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Image courtesy of "ABC News"

Karim Benzema hat-trick secures miraculous comeback win for Real ... (ABC News)

After being 2-0 down on aggregate, a 12-minute hat-trick by Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema saw PSG bundled out of the UCL yet again.

It's a shame." "The comeback came due to a matter of mental strength. I know how difficult it is." It was very hard, but this is a Champions League match and we are Real Madrid," Benzema told reporters. "It's a disgrace that in 2022 a goal like that stands, it was a clear foul by Benzema on the goalkeeper," Pochettino told a news conference. When we pressure like that, we can beat anyone.

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Image courtesy of "Fox Sports"

'Complete failure': PSG stunned in one of the most 'spectacular and ... (Fox Sports)

'Complete failure': PSG stunned in one of the most 'spectacular and dramatic collapses' — CL Wrap.

PSG squandered possession from kick-off, Rodrygo released Vinicius and Marquinhos’ attempted clearance found Benzema, who steered into the corner. Mahrez, introduced at the break, ran into the box and slid the ball into the Brazilian on the left. City are on course for a fourth Premier League title in five seasons, but the Champions League has so far remained out of reach despite the billions invested by the club’s Abu Dhabi owners. On Wednesday a much-changed side cruised and could even afford the luxury of bringing 36-year-old goalkeeper Scott Carson off the bench in the final stages. He chased Nuno Mendes’ backpass to Donnarumma, who skewed under pressure. But Madrid came storming back as Benzema capitalised on a mistake by PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and then scored an incredible double in two minutes, the third coming just eight seconds after PSG had kicked off.

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Image courtesy of "Manchester City FC"

Fernandinho nominated for Champions League Player of the Week (Manchester City FC)

Fernandinho has been shortlisted for the Champions League's Player of the Week award following his display in Manchester City's goalless draw with Sporting.

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Image courtesy of "Manchester City FC"

Champions League draw: All you need to know (Manchester City FC)

Everything you need to know ahead of the Champions League quarter-final and semi-final draw…

With both the quarter-final and potential last four ties confirmed, City will know our potential route to the Champions League final by next Friday. You can also find out who City draw on mancity.com, the official Man City app and on Twitter: @ManCity. BT Sport will broadcast the draw live in the UK, while you can also stream it via both the UEFA and BT Sport website.

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Image courtesy of "Sporting News AU"

PSG proving you can't buy a Champions League title (Sporting News AU)

Ghosts of Barcelona were resurrected on Wednesday evening less than 400 miles across Spain. With the famous 2017 collapse on the mind, Real Madrid conjured up ...

Mbappe, who could be excused given his heroics both in the first leg and in the first half at the Bernabeu, did not trouble Dani Carvajal at any point during Madrid's late resurgence, helpless to watch as the Spanish side grabbed victory from the jaws of defeat. Then there was $73 million full-back Achraf Hakimi, who was brilliant in the first leg in Paris. He produced a hideous display, dribbled past five times and succeeding in just one successful dribble of his own all match. Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, a free transfer signing who was anything but "free," produced a glaring error to gift Real Madrid its first goal and help stoke belief in the hosts. PSG collapsed in 2018-19, coughing up a 2-0 first-leg lead to three-time winners Manchester United in the Round of 16. For a team looking to push itself into the upper echelon of European giants, it cannot escape the undertow of those who came long before. They are, in fact, just another notch in a rapidly growing reputation for the French giants.

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Image courtesy of "Inside World Football"

PSG crash out of Champions League to Benzema-inspired Real ... (Inside World Football)

March 10 – PSG and the fabled Messi-Neymar-Mbappe trio are out of the Champions League after Karim Benzema masterminded a dramatic 3-1 victory for Real ...

The result will leave PSG devastated. This is the worst that could happen to us. I don’t understand why the referee didn’t call VAR. From this action, everything changed in the stadium, our players were upset, even if we must recognize that we made mistakes.

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Image courtesy of "Sports Illustrated"

Fernandinho Provides Update on His Manchester City Future After ... (Sports Illustrated)

Manchester City have cruised through to the quarter-finals of this season's UEFA Champions League after a convincing 5-0 aggregate victory over Sporting CP.

He'll sit with the club and they'll make the best decision for the club and him." A great achievement for me and I thank my teammates," the midfielder concluded. The manager echoed his thoughts tonight, also telling BT Sport, "We see at the end of the season, he knows it.

Man City do not fear English teams in UCL (unknown)

Pep Guardiola says Manchester City do not fear drawing a Premier League side in the quarterfinals of the Champions League.

They will be joined by four teams from United, Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, Lille, Juventus, Villarreal, Benfica and Ajax when the final last-16 ties are completed next week. It's an honour as important teams are out." "We are in the last eight and we'll prepare well and next Friday we'll see the draw.

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Image courtesy of "CBSSports.com"

UEFA Champions League: PSG cannot expect to keep Kylian ... (CBSSports.com)

Kylian Mbappe scored twice over both legs of Paris Saint-Germain's UEFA Champions League round of 16 tie with Real Madrid and it was still not enough to ...

Will the necessary changes be made to aid UCL success, though? Such is Mbappe's unique position in the game (and perhaps in the future of Real Madrid) that he was even afforded a pre-game ovation. The only solution is a deep cleanse. This latest European embarrassment spelled out that the Ligue 1 leaders are still well short of being ready to win the Champions League. Pochettino's time in charge has been an utter failure and Mbappe will recognize this more than most given that the Argentine has overseen the final 18 months of his stay in Paris and put paid to his hopes of winning the first Champions League title for the club. Unlikely. PSG's problems appear to be rooted away from the pitch where they boast arguably as complete a squad as any of their UCL rivals.

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Image courtesy of "UEFA.com"

Champions League quarter-finals: Bayern and Liverpool first teams ... (UEFA.com)

All you need to know about the 2021/22 UEFA Champions League quarter-finalists.

The 34-year-old has been diligent as successor to Hansi Flick, overseeing some fine displays and a cruise through to the last eight. He has maintained that form this season and is 2021/22 competition top scorer with 12 goals to his name. But it's what they do from now that will define the success of Julian Nagelsmann's debut season at the helm. Much like this Atlético side as a whole, the Portugal forward has grown into the campaign and is now a fixture in the side. Unai Emery's side have desperately missed the injured Gerard Moreno, but you have to give them credit for getting this far with their talismanic goalscorer reduced to a cameo role. When you throw in the fact they've already knocked out Juventus and are welcoming back Gerard Moreno from injury, they'll be confident they can go one better than their 2005/06 semi-final exit. However, they rolled back the clock with a classic display against United and might just be hitting form at the right time. The 30-year-old schemer passed 250 appearances for the club last season and remains a talismanic figure in their midfield despite the riches around him. They are so resilient and masters of backs-against-the-wall football, and will now look to add City to their recent list of English victims. How is it possible to lose at home to Sheriff, and then reach the last eight with a gargantuan performance against Paris? The route map helps explain. The former Mainz and Dortmund boss was a runner-up with Paris in 2020 before going one better with the Blues last season. And the man at the helm, Thomas Tuchel, has shown that he's one of the best around when it comes to motivating a team and keeping them goal-orientated from game to game.

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