Tag: Champions League

Arsenal’s 2-1 home defeat by Bournemouth on Saturday blew the Premier League title race wide open, as Brentford and Everton missed the chance to close in on Champions League qualification after a 2-2 draw.

The Gunners could have opened up a 12-point lead at the top of the table, but a third defeat in four games for Mikel Arteta’s men has put the destiny of the title back in Manchester City’s hands.

City have two games in hand on the leaders, starting with Sunday’s trip to Chelsea, and host Arsenal next weekend.

Just a few weeks ago, Arsenal were dreaming of an unprecedented quadruple.

But after losing to City in the League Cup final and being dumped out the FA Cup by second-tier Southampton, a first league title in 22 years may also now be slipping away.

“We were very far from the standards that we’ve shown all season, so it’s a big punch in the face because we wanted to win this game so badly,” said Arteta.

“We didn’t cope with the situations when they didn’t go our way.”

Junior Kroupi reacted quickest to Adrien Truffert’s deflected cross to give Bournemouth an early lead.

Viktor Gyokeres levelled before the break from the penalty spot, but a lack of creative spark in the final third was again Arsenal’s undoing.

It is their defensive record that has put Arteta’s men in pole position for the title, but they were cut open with ease when Alex Scott finished off a fine team move for the winner on 74 minutes.

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The result was also huge in Bournemouth’s charge towards the European places as they move up to 10th on the back of an 11-game unbeaten run.

Five English sides will qualify directly for next season’s Champions League, and both Brentford and Everton missed the chance to move level on points with fifth-placed Liverpool.

Twice the Bees led through Igor Thiago, who took his tally for the season to 21 Premier League goals and within one of Erling Haaland in the race for the Golden Boot.

Beto levelled midway through the first half for the visitors and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall struck in stoppage time to salvage a point.

Brighton are also well in the mix for their first ever taste of Champions League football.

Mats Wieffer scored twice as the Seagulls beat relegation-bound Burnley 2-0.

A fifth win in six games for Fabian Hurzeler’s men takes them up to ninth and within three points of the top five.

Liverpool can solidify their place in the top five when they host Fulham later at Anfield, looking to snap a three-game losing streak.

Heavy defeats by Manchester City in the FA Cup and Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League have ramped up the pressure on Arne Slot’s position as Liverpool boss, less than a year he led the club to the Premier League title.

Mohamed Salah returns to the Liverpool starting line-up among five changes made by Slot from the chastening 2-0 loss to PSG in midweek.

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Holders Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) took a 2-0 lead over Liverpool in their Champions League quarter-final tie as Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored in Wednesday’s first leg in the French capital.

Doue’s shot in the 11th minute looped over goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili and, thanks to a big touch off Ryan Gravenberch, Kvaratskhelia then rounded his compatriot to double PSG’s lead 65 minutes into a game they bossed from start to finish.

It only remains to be seen whether the reigning European champions, who had a second-half penalty in their favour overturned after a VAR review, might regret not scoring more goals against a Liverpool side that lined up with three centre-backs and were run ragged.

Liverpool’s game plan could not stop them slumping to a second emphatic loss in five days, even if the scoreline was not as bad as the 4-0 mauling inflicted by Manchester City in the FA Cup last weekend.

It is just one win in six in all competitions for Liverpool, and this was a 16th reverse in total in a difficult campaign.

Slot’s team must try to repeat what they did in the last 16, when they overturned a 1-0 first-leg loss away to Galatasaray by winning 4-0 in the return.

This will be a far tougher task, however, as the sides clash again next Tuesday on Merseyside, where PSG won 1-0 in the second leg of their last-16 tie last season before advancing on penalties.

That was a significant step on their way to winning the Champions League, coming after they somehow lost 1-0 at the Parc des Princes despite completely dominating.

A string of Alisson Becker saves helped Liverpool smash and grab their way to victory a year ago, but the Brazilian was absent here, meaning Mamardashvili started in goal.

Mohamed Salah was also left out of the line-up by Slot, instead taking a place on the bench alongside Alexander Isak with the Swede involved again after suffering a leg fracture in December.

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Hugo Ekitike started up front for Liverpool against the club where he spent 18 months earlier in his career and failed to escape the shadows of Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Neymar.

Joe Gomez slotted in alongside Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk as a third central defender, as Liverpool set out to press high but spent the night chasing the ball.

PSG were well in control before they scored, as Doue collected the ball just outside the box, advanced into the area and tried a shot which struck Gravenberch’s boot and took a looping trajectory which left the goalkeeper flummoxed.

Mamardashvili did later save from Kvaratskhelia and Doue, meaning there was just one goal in a one-sided first half in which PSG had 70 percent possession, and Liverpool’s only attempt came from Jeremie Frimpong when he was offside.

The pattern of the contest did not really change after the break, with Ousmane Dembele blazing over before the second goal arrived.

A superb Joao Neves pass released Kvaratskhelia through the inside-left channel, and the Georgian held off Gravenberch before rounding the goalkeeper to tuck in.

Liverpool were then rescued by the Spanish referee’s decision to change his mind after initially awarding a penalty when Konate brought down Warren Zaire-Emery, while also taking the ball.

Small mercies for Slot, who sent on Isak in a quadruple substitution on 78 minutes, but left Salah on the bench.

Dembele hit the post late on for PSG, although they are firmly in control after a ninth win in a game against Premier League opposition since the start of 2025.

READ: Atletico Madrid punish Barcelona in Champions League quarter-final

Julian Alvarez and Alexander Sorloth’s goals earned Atletico Madrid a commanding 2-0 lead over 10-man Barcelona in a tense Champions League quarter-final first leg clash on Wednesday.

The La Liga leaders were on top in the all-Spanish tie at Camp Nou before Pau Cubarsi was sent off for bringing down Atletico’s Giuliano Simeone, who was through on goal.

Alvarez whipped home the resulting free-kick, and Sorloth doubled their advantage with 20 minutes remaining to give Atletico a strong chance of reaching the semi-finals.

Diego Simeone’s side, who have never won the competition, reached the 2014 and 2016 finals but were beaten by rivals Real Madrid on both occasions.

Barcelona, semi-finalists last season, need to make a huge comeback next Tuesday in Madrid if they are to stand a chance of lifting the trophy they last won in 2015.

Barca coach Hansi Flick was upset by the use of VAR to punish his side for Cubarsi’s red card but not to analyse a potential handball incident against Atletico’s Marc Pubill in the second half.

The defender touched the ball with his hand after goalkeeper Juan Musso passed it to him to take the goal kick himself, which Flick said should have been reviewed.

“The VAR was very focused today for Atletico, he’s a German guy, so thanks Germany,” complained the former German national team boss. “It’s for me a clear red card, then it (can) change (things) totally.”

Diego Simeone said the decision that was made was “common sense”.

Atletico knocked Barca out of the Copa del Rey in the semi-finals in March, and this was the second of three meetings between the sides in the space of a fortnight.

Barcelona started well, with Marcus Rashford, on loan from Manchester United, their main threat down the left.

On the right flank, Atletico tried to suffocate teenage star Lamine Yamal with defensive numbers, allowing Rashford more room.

The first chances fell to the England international, who scored against Atletico in La Liga on Saturday, but Musso denied him.

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At the other end, Alvarez, who has been linked with a switch to Barcelona in recent months, tested Joan Garcia.

The busy Rashford, constantly escaping beyond Nahuel Molina, volleyed narrowly wide and then rolled a shot into the bottom corner, but it was disallowed for offside in the build-up.

Even though the 18-year-old Yamal was up against three Atletico defenders, he produced some superb skill to break free of their shackles, but Robin Le Normand blocked his shot.

Veteran Atletico midfielder Koke was fortunate to stay on the pitch after fouls on Dani Olmo, Pedri and Yamal were only punished with a yellow card, to Barca supporters’ fury.

Flick’s side were controlling the game with Atletico talisman Griezmann quiet against his former team, but a moment of clumsiness from Cubarsi dramatically gave the visitors the upper hand before half-time.

The 19-year-old centre-back, chasing Giuliano Simeone as he ran through on goal to reach a ball in behind Barca’s defence from Alvarez, clattered the Atletico coach’s son from behind.

Although referee Istvan Kovacs only produced a yellow card for Cubarsi, he upgraded it to a red after a VAR review.

Worse was to come for Barca, with former Manchester City striker Alvarez whipping the free-kick into the top corner.

Barca battled well with 10 men, continuing to create chances for Rashford. Yamal sent the forward through on goal, but after rounding Musso, he could only hit the side netting, and he had a free-kick tipped over.

It was against the run of play again that Atletico snatched their second.

Griezmann and Matteo Ruggieri combined, and the latter crossed for target man Sorloth, who outmuscled Gerard Martin and fired past the helpless Garcia.

Barca tasted defeat at home for the first time since Camp Nou reopened in November 2025, and Atletico coach Simeone won at the stadium for the first time in his 14-year career at the helm of the Rojiblancos.

It was Atletico’s first win at Camp Nou since 2006 and a potential stepping stone towards the trophy they crave most.

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Danny Welbeck scored twice as Brighton beat Liverpool 2-1 on Saturday to deal a major blow to the Reds’ push for a Champions League spot next season.

Arne Slot’s men came into the match on the sunny south coast in buoyant mood after hammering Galatasaray 4-0 in midweek to reach the Champions League quarter-finals.

But a goal in each half from the evergreen Welbeck gave the home team a fourth win in five Premier League matches, keeping alive their own hopes of European football next season.

Liverpool were missing both goalkeeper Alisson Becker and forward Mohamed Salah at the Amex Stadium.

And they suffered a further injury blow early in the game when top scorer Hugo Ekitike hobbled off with an apparent dead leg after a firm challenge from former Liverpool stalwart James Milner.

The champions found themselves behind when Welbeck scored his 11th Premier League goal of the season in the 14th minute, nodding home from close range after Diego Gomez headed a cross-field pass back across goal.

That made the 35-year-old former Manchester United and Arsenal forward the top English goalscorer in the league this season.

Liverpool found some rhythm after falling behind, and Alexis Mac Allister went close to an equaliser in the 22nd minute, but Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen got down smartly low to his left to claw the ball away.

However, the visitors were level in the 30th minute after some clever opportunism from left-back Milos Kerkez, capitalising on an error from Brighton captain Lewis Dunk, who paid the price for heading a high ball back to his goalkeeper without looking behind him.

Hungary defender Kerkez nipped in and produced a composed finish, flicking the ball over the stranded Verbruggen.

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Brighton started the second half brightly and were back in front in the 56th minute, with Welbeck again on the scoresheet.

Yankuba Minteh’s pinpoint cross was played into Welbeck’s path by Jack Hinshelwood, and he finished confidently, with the goal confirmed following a VAR check.

Welbeck, who made his Premier League debut for United in 2008, is enjoying his highest-scoring season in the league.

Slot threw on teenager Rio Ngumoha, Andy Robertson, and Federico Chiesa in a desperate search for an equaliser, but it was Brighton who remained the more threatening team.

Defeat leaves Liverpool fifth in the Premier League, two points behind Aston Villa and one ahead of Chelsea, with the top five almost certain to qualify for the Champions League next season.

The club’s Premier League title defence collapsed earlier in the season, but they remain alive in the Champions League and face Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals early next month.

Liverpool’s Brazilian international goalkeeper Alisson posted on social media that he would be “out of action for a while”.

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Michael Carrick has told his Manchester United side to ready themselves for an awkward encounter away to Bournemouth on Friday as they look to maintain their challenge for a Champions League place.

The Red Devils have enjoyed a resurgence since former United and England midfielder Carrick was appointed caretaker boss in January until the end of the season.

United are now third in the Premier League ahead of their trip to south coast side Bournemouth after recovering from their first loss under Carrick, away to Newcastle, by beating top-four rivals Aston Villa 3-1 on Sunday.

Bournemouth, however, are 10th in the table and have made life difficult for United in recent seasons, with December’s remarkable 4-4 draw at Old Trafford extending their recent unbeaten run in this fixture.

Cherries boss Andoni Iraola, tipped as a possible permanent manager of the Red Devils has not lost in five previous matches against United.

But such has been the club’s revival under Carrick, appointed after former United team-mate Darren Fletcher’s two-game spell in temporary charge following the sacking of Ruben Amorim, that the Old Trafford hierarchy may well stick with the 44-year-old come the end of the current campaign.

“It’s a tough game,” Carrick said of Bournemouth, undefeated in their last 10 matches in the Premier League.

“It’s a tough place to go. They’re on a really good run of form, so, yeah, a difficult game,” he also told a pre-match press conference on Thursday.

“We’re obviously going down there, we’ve had a good run and the boys are in good shape but, yeah, always a difficult game. Always has been and probably always will be.

“We know that, they’re a really good team, well coached, really well coached, and good energy. We know we’ll be in for a game down there on Friday.”

United have won just two of their last seven away matches following a last-gasp 2-1 loss at Newcastle.

But Carrick said: “Whether it’s home or away, it’s not something we kind of look at too much. It’s the next game, really.”

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He added: “It’s been nice to be able to win at home and put that in place, and to go and play at Old Trafford with a real feeling of confidence and looking forward to the game and for the supporters to feel that as well and leaving with a good feeling.”

Matthijs de Ligt, Patrick Dorgu and Lisandro Martinez remain sidelined for Friday’s match, but the latter is expected to be available when United return to action against Leeds on April 13.

The international break, lack of European fixtures and an early FA Cup exit mean United have an unusually long, 24-day, wait for a game after the Bournemouth match.

“You’ve got to be really flexible, you know, to come off the back of it in good shape,” Carrick said.

“The boys will have a break, in some way, but we’re definitely mindful of it for sure and it’s a little bit unique in some ways, having the week after the internationals to prepare for the next game.”

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Harry Kane scored in each half as Bayern Munich thumped Atalanta 4-1 at home in the Champions League last 16 on Wednesday, winning 10-2 on aggregate to book a quarter-final date with Real Madrid.

Captaining Bayern in the Champions League for the first time, Kane converted a penalty with 25 minutes played and added another goal early in the second half, bringing his career Champions League tally to 50 in 66 games.

Lennart Karl and Luis Diaz also got on the scoresheet for the hosts as Bayern again steamrolled the visitors, who picked up a late consolation through Lazar Samardzic.

“I think whenever you have a lead like we did, sometimes it’s easy to be a little bit complacent,” Kane, who missed the first leg with an injury, told DAZN.

“But we said before the game that we want to win in the same style that we did in the first leg. It’s sometimes harder to get up for a game like this, but we were there from minute one to minute 95.”

Bayern last faced Real in the semi-finals of the 2023-24 competition, crashing out to two Joselu goals in the dying minutes. Bayern have not beaten the Spanish giants since the 2011-12 semi-finals.

Few doubted Bayern would progress after their dominant 6-1 win in Bergamo — no team has ever overturned a five-goal deficit — but the Bundesliga leaders were forced to pick a weaker side on Wednesday due to injuries and suspensions.

With Jamal Musiala, Manuel Neuer and Alphonso Davies injured, Joshua Kimmich and Michael Olise suspended, Bayern received some rare good news from the medical department when goalkeeper Jonas Urbig overcame a concussion and was cleared to play.

Atalanta coach Raffaele Palladino was realistic, saying pre-match his charges were playing for the pride of Italian football as the only Serie A team left in the competition.

The visitors were energetic early, but their resistance was broken midway through the first half when VAR found Giorgio Scalvini had handled the ball from close range, bringing Kane to the spot.

The England captain’s first effort was saved, but he was given another chance as visiting ‘keeper Marco Sportiello had both feet off his line.

Kane obliged, driving a low shot into the corner for his 15th successful penalty in all competitions this season.

Urbig was called into action just before half-time, acrobatically saving a Mario Pasalic attempt to keep Bayern in front at the break.

Starting for the first time since last month, Kane looked sharp and doubled Bayern’s lead with 55 minutes gone, shrugging off the attention of four Atalanta defenders and blasting into the top corner on the turn.

Bayern coach Vincent Kompany said he “could not explain” Kane’s brilliant strike, gushing: “I’m so happy when he scores the simple goals, but when he does that, it’s unique.

“He’s come back fresh, and you can see how important he is for us.”

With Atalanta suddenly shaky, Bayern marched up the field and struck again, Diaz threading a pass for Karl to fire across the face of the goal and into the corner.

The teenage Bayern forward, tipped by German media for a maiden international call-up on Thursday, repaid Diaz with 20 minutes left, cutting a high pass over the Atalanta defence to the Colombian, who chipped Sportiello to score.

Like they did in Bergamo, Atalanta got a late consolation when Samardzic headed home from close range with five minutes left.

READ: Barcelona demolish Newcastle to reach Champions league quarter-finals

Barcelona stormed to a 7-2 victory over Newcastle on Wednesday to reach the Champions League quarter-finals, winning 8-3 on aggregate.

Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha struck twice each for the Catalan giants as Eddie Howe’s side crumbled under a scintillating attacking display from the hosts at Camp Nou.

Lamine Yamal, Marc Bernal and Fermin Lopez were also on target as Hansi Flick’s side ran riot and recorded a landslide last 16, second leg victory.

The five-time champions are dreaming of lifting the trophy again, 11 years after they last won it, and showcased the attacking firepower which could make their ambition a reality.

By contrast, Newcastle were hoping to reach the quarter-finals for the first time in their history, but the Premier League side departed bruised and battered.

“With the fans supporting us like that for 90 minutes, it’s hard to beat us at home,” Raphinha told Movistar.

Barca led 3-2 at the break after a thrilling first half, but after Lopez netted early in the second, they romped to victory.

After Joan Laporta was reelected president at the weekend, spirits were high around the club, and they came out flying.

They were outplayed in the 1-1 first-leg draw but pledged to improve back on home soil and claimed an early lead through Raphinha.

Teenage star Lamine Yamal turned brilliantly away from Malick Thiaw in midfield, leaving the German defender on the turf and released the Brazilian winger to score.

Barcelona are notoriously fragile defensively, though, and Newcastle quickly forced their way back into the game.

The Catalan giants were carved open with just a couple of passes between Lewis Hall and Harvey Barnes, and Anthony Elanga timed his run right to stay onside and sweep past Joan Garcia.

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Three minutes later, Barcelona were back in front with 18-year-old midfielder Bernal turning home from close range after Gerard Martin nodded down Raphinha’s diagonal free-kick.

Yamal was so often Barca’s hero on their run to the semi-finals last season, but was guilty of a mistake which led to Newcastle’s second equaliser.

The teenager attempted a backheel in his own final third and gave the ball away, with Elanga profiting at the back post as he turned home Barnes’s cross.

Veteran Polish striker Lewandowski has had a tough season for Barca, looking shorn of confidence, and he spurned two fine chances for the hosts in the first half, with Yamal also blazing over from close range.

The Spain international made amends from the spot to give Barca the lead at half-time when veteran defender Trippier pulled back Raphinha. Ramsdale got his fingertips to Yamal’s penalty, low to his left, but could not claw it out.

Raphinha sent Lopez through on goal to bag the fourth early in the second half, and it broke Toon spirits.

From that point on, Newcastle gave up the ghost, and Barcelona scored to their heart’s content.

Lewandowski nodded home from a corner and celebrated joyously, taking off the mask he had been playing with due to an eye-socket fracture.

The goal was liberation for him, and the next chance he got, he put away too, producing a lethal finish after a superb Yamal assist.

Jacob Ramsey put Barcelona’s seventh on a plate for the swaggering hosts, with a poor pass which Raphinha intercepted and dispatched clinically.

Fans sent a Mexican wave around the stadium, celebrating the biggest win they have had at Camp Nou since it reopened.

Howe said his players were affected “psychologically” by conceding a penalty just before half-time and then by Fermin’s goal early after the break.

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Real Madrid and Manchester City will face off in a Champions League knockout tie for the fifth season running after being drawn Friday to play each other in the last 16, while reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) will take on Chelsea.

The Spanish giants, record 15-time European champions, will host City in the first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu next month before travelling to England for the return the following week.

The clubs have already played each other this season, with Pep Guardiola’s City winning 2-1 in Madrid in December during the league phase, in which the Premier League club finished eighth and Real ninth.

That allowed City, Champions League winners in 2023, to advance straight to the last 16 while Madrid had to come through the knockout phase play-offs, in which they beat Benfica 3-1 on aggregate.

This is the eighth season in which the teams have played each other since 2012. Real beat City in the knockout phase play-offs last season, and in the quarter-finals on the way to winning the trophy in 2024.

They also emerged victorious in the semi-finals in 2022, with City winning at the same stage the following year.

PSG will be at home to Chelsea in the first leg after qualifying for this stage with a 5-4 aggregate win over Ligue 1 rivals Monaco in the play-offs. Chelsea progressed straight to the last 16 after finishing sixth in the league phase.

The sides played each other in the knockout stages in three consecutive years from 2014 to 2016, with Chelsea winning the first of those confrontations in the quarter-finals and PSG triumphing in the last 16 in the following two.

Their last encounter came in July’s Club World Cup final in the United States, when Chelsea won 3-0 against last season’s European champions.

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Chelsea have been coached since January by Liam Rosenior, who had previously come up against PSG in Ligue 1 as the coach of Strasbourg.

Meanwhile, Newcastle United will take on Barcelona with the first leg at St James’ Park, where the Spanish side won 2-1 during the league phase in September.

There is a record total of six English clubs in the last 16. Liverpool will have a rematch against Galatasaray, the Turkish giants having defeated the Anfield club 1-0 in September in the league phase.

Arsenal will come up against Bayer Leverkusen, and Tottenham Hotspur were drawn to play Atletico Madrid.

German champions Bayern Munich will play Atalanta, the sole Italian club left in the competition, while Norwegian upstarts Bodo/Glimt’s reward for knocking out Inter Milan is a last-16 tie against Sporting of Portugal.

The first legs will take place on March 10 and 11, with the second legs a week later.

The teams that qualified directly for this stage after finishing in the top eight in the league phase will all be at home in the return matches.

This season’s Champions League final will take place at the Puskas Arena in Budapest on May 30.

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Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) came from behind and then survived a late scare against 10-man Monaco, drawing 2-2 in the second leg of their Champions League knockout phase play-off tie on Wednesday to reach the last 16 with a 5-4 aggregate victory.

The defending European champions recovered from two behind to win 3-2 in the principality in last week’s first leg, a game in which Monaco had a man sent off early in the second half.

The scenario this time was similar, with French international Maghnes Akliouche giving Monaco a deserved interval lead on the night to level the scores overall.

However, the visitors had Mamadou Coulibaly sent off on 58 minutes, and that proved the catalyst for PSG to make it 1-1 through Marquinhos before Khvicha Kvaratskhelia seemed to have clinched the aggregate triumph.

Jordan Teze did make it 2-2 in stoppage time, and Wout Faes then missed a great chance, but PSG held on to progress to the next round.

Luis Enrique’s team will now find out on Friday their potential opponents all the way to the final in Budapest, with Barcelona and Chelsea their possible rivals in the last 16.

Paris beat Barcelona 2-1 away during the league phase in October and have faced the Catalans in five knockout ties since 2013. They played Chelsea in the final of the Club World Cup last year, losing 3-0, their only blip in a remarkable campaign.

While PSG’s dream of retaining the title remains alive, Monaco go out in the play-offs for the second season running.

PSG were widely expected to get the better of their domestic rivals — Monaco are currently eighth in Ligue 1, 20 points behind the leaders, although they did beat the Parisians in November.

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The principality side had not won a Champions League knockout tie since their run to the semi-finals in 2017 with a side featuring a teenage Kylian Mbappe.

Having been 2-0 up inside 18 minutes last week, Monaco really should have scored within 10 minutes here, but Coulibaly blazed over from an Akliouche cutback. They then came close again when a Folarin Balogun chip was tipped over by Matfei Safonov.

Bradley Barcola struck the bar for PSG, who were missing the injured Ousmane Dembele, but Monaco had been the better team and took a deserved lead just before half-time.

Caio Henrique’s ball into the middle from the left found Coulibaly, and he laid it off for Akliouche to slot in.

The tie was now all square, but it swung back in the way of the defending champions when Coulibaly was sent off just before the hour, leaving his team a man short, like in the first leg when Aleksandr Golovin saw red.

Having been booked just a few minutes earlier for fouling Nuno Mendes, this time he was late into a challenge on Achraf Hakimi and a second yellow was produced by the Romanian referee.

PSG scored from the resulting free-kick, which was played short to Doue on the right and his low ball was turned in from close range by Marquinhos.

The momentum was now with PSG, and they went ahead on the night on 66 minutes as Hakimi’s powerful strike was only parried by goalkeeper Philipp Koehn, allowing Kvaratskhelia to convert the loose ball.

Monaco still came within a whisker of forcing extra time, substitute Teze turned in a deflected Simon Adingra centre in stoppage time to make it 2-2, and Faes very nearly scored another.

READ: Galatasaray hold off Juventus to make Champions League last 16

Galatasaray scraped through to the last 16 of the Champions League despite throwing away a three-goal aggregate lead at 10-man Juventus on Wednesday, with two extra-time goals limiting the Turkish outfit to a 3-2 defeat.

Victor Osimhen and Baris Yilmaz scored the goals which allowed Galatasaray to win a thrilling tie 7-5 on aggregate and set up a clash with either Liverpool or Tottenham Hotspur in the next round.

Galatasaray’s previous appearance in the last 16 of Europe’s elite club competition was in 2014, and they were fortunate to make it through on Wednesday, even with Juve having to play most of the night with 10 men.

Juve were leading on the night through Manuel Locatelli’s 37th-minute penalty when Lloyd Kelly was harshly shown a straight red card shortly after half-time for landing from a jump with his studs on Yilmaz’s Achilles heel.

Kelly could hardly believe his eyes when he was initially shown a second yellow card.

But he was livid after a check on the pitchside monitor led referee Joao Pinheiro to revoke that decision, only to show him a straight red card for serious foul play.

The English defender was filmed loudly proclaiming the decision “a disgrace” while Juve coach Luciano Spalletti looked on, dumbstruck from the sidelines.

“It was pretty absurd. He gets the ball, and then what’s he supposed to do? Us defenders are penalised too often in today’s football,” said distraught centre-back Federico Gatti.

“Leaving that aside, it was a brilliant reaction… It’s disappointing that we were just tired when we got to extra time.

“It’s disappointing because these are the best matches to play — the Champions League is the best competition.”

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That decision looked to have killed Juve’s chances of mounting a comeback, but Gatti pulled another goal back with 20 minutes remaining and 12 minutes later, after Kenan Yildiz hit the post from close range, Weston McKennie headed the hosts level in the tie.

Edon Zhegrova had his head in his hands in the sixth minute of extra time when he slapped well wide a glorious chance to complete the comeback, and Osimhen punished Juve by stroking home his best chance of the game.

Yilmaz ended Juve’s hopes of taking the tie to penalties with a goal which flattered Galatasaray, who splashed the cash last summer, including 75 million euros to take Osimhen from Juve’s Serie A rivals Napoli.

Gala’s vice-president, Abdullah Kavukcu, has been bullish in the last few days, saying that the club would sign Inter Milan midfielder and Turkey captain Hakan Calhanoglu.

But their performance on Wednesday was marked more by cynicism than quality, with Gala’s players doing their best to waste time and buy fouls in the style of Italian teams of old.

Juve, meanwhile, were applauded off by their supporters after a display which will boost them in their bid to qualify for next season’s edition of the Champions League.

The Turin giants are fifth in Serie A, four points behind fourth-placed Roma before their trip to face the capital club on Sunday.

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