Barcelona, Arsenal, PSG and Inter dominate in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals 2024/25

The first leg of the UEFA Champions League 2024-25 quarterfinals began with a true festival of football. Four true matches full of goals, emotions and no draws: all the matches left winners. In total, 14 goals were scored between Tuesday and Wednesday, in a day that left FC Barcelona, Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan with an advantage in their respective keys.

Arsenal 3-0 Real Madrid | Emirates Stadium

Definitely, one of the great spectacles of this quarter-final day was the match between Arsenal and Real Madrid. An ode to football by the 'gunners', who took advantage of a lackluster and uninspired merengue team, where this time the individualities failed to save the day.

Quite the opposite of the English team, which worked like a machine and had Declan Rice as its great hero, author of two great free-kick goals with spectacular executions. To them was added a goal from Mikel Merino, in the only way in which Thibaut Courtois could be beaten, who, if it were not for his interventions, would have seen his team suffer an even greater thrashing. Real Madrid, meanwhile, has been left in intensive care.

Bayern Múnich 1- 2 Inter Milán | Allianz Arena

Inter Milan has taken a key step in their aspirations to advance to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League 2024-25. In a very disputed match, the Italians took the lead in the 37th minute thanks to a goal from Lautaro Martínez, a goal that would be the only one on the scoreboard for a good part of the match.

It was not until the 84th minute when Bayern Munich managed to equalize the actions, with a goal from Thomas Müller that restored hope to the Bavarian team. However, the joy lasted very little, since just three minutes later, in the 87th minute, Davide Frattesi scored the definitive goal to seal the 1-2 in favor of the 'nerazzurri'.

Inter knew how to manage the match with an excellent defensive order and a great effectiveness in front of goal, making the most of the few opportunities they had. With this victory, the Italian team broke a streak of 22 consecutive matches of Bayern Munich without losing at home in the Champions League.

FC Barcelona 4-0 Borussia Dortmund | Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys

The culé thrashing at home was an authentic lesson in good play and goals. A spectacle of those that captivate locals and strangers, with an FC Barcelona that destroyed a Borussia Dortmund clearly diminished in its defensive line, unable to stop the offensive avalanche of what is today considered the best trident in the world: Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal.

The score was opened in the 25th minute, when Raphinha signed the 1-0, scoring his twelfth goal of the tournament. However, it would be in the second half when those of Hansi Flick stepped on the accelerator and sentenced the tie.

Robert Lewandowski shone with a double, scoring in the 48th and 66th minutes, and the young jewel Lamine Yamal put the icing on the cake with a goal in the 77th minute. An authentic night of impeccable action and that leaves the series practically sentenced in favor of the culés, who, barring a catastrophe in the second leg, have half a ticket secured to the 'semis' of the UEFA Champions League.

PSG 3-1 Aston Villa | Parc des Princes

The Parisian team made a statement to consolidate their candidacy as one of the semi-finalists of the UEFA Champions League 2024-25. Although Unai Emery's team were the first to strike, thanks to a goal from Morgan Rogers in the 35th minute, the reaction from PSG was immediate. Just four minutes later, in the 39th minute, Désiré Doué equalized the actions. The 1-1 remained until the end of the first half.

Already at the start of the second half, the team of Luis Enrique broke the parity quickly. In the 49th minute, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia made it 2-1, putting the locals ahead. The definitive sentence would arrive in added time, in the 90+2 minute, when Nuno Mendes sealed the definitive 3-1.

It was a match in which the French showed firmness, tactical superiority and offensive forcefulness against an Aston Villa that could not keep up. With this result, PSG takes an important advantage heading into the second leg.

This is how the second leg matches will be played in the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League 2024-25

The emotions continue next week with the second leg matches, where the teams will seek to define their pass to 'semis':

📅 Tuesday, April 15:

• Aston Villa vs. PSG (21:00 h) | Global: 1-3 | Villa Park (ENG)

• Borussia Dortmund vs. FC Barcelona (21:00 h) | Global: 0-4 | Signal Iduna Park (ALE)

📅 Wednesday, April 16:

• Real Madrid vs. Arsenal (21:00 h) | Global: 0-3 | Santiago Bernabéu (ESP)

• Inter Milan vs Bayern Munich (21:00 h) | Global: 2-1 | Giuseppe Meazza (ITA)