Welcome to the live coverage of the UEFA Champions League 2024-25. Tonight begins the second leg of the Round of 16 games in the competition. Stay tuned for live updates.
Welcome to the live coverage of the UEFA Champions League 2024-25. Tonight begins the second leg of the Round of 16 games in the competition. Stay tuned for live updates.
March 11, 11:15pm IST: Barcelona vs Benfica (Agg 1-0)
March 12, 1:30am IST: Inter Milan vs Feyenoord (Agg 2-0)
March 12, 1:30am IST: Liverpool vs PSG (Agg 1-0)
March 12, 1:30am IST: Bayer Leverkusen vs Bayern Munich (Agg 3-0)
A goal by Raphinha and a brilliant performance by Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny helped Barcelona get a 1-0 win in the away leg against Benfica and today we have the all-important second leg.
We are ready to go. FC Barcelona vs Benfica in the Round of 16 of the Champions League. Just one goal separates them. Which team will go further in the tournament and which one will head home? We will know in the next 90 minutes or so.
11' GOAL!
Barcelona lead thanks to Lamine Yamal genius. The 17-year-old shows his quality to create this brilliant chance and we have the first goal of the game. Raphinha gets the final touch with a good finish but Yamal's genius dripped in this goal. An assist for the youngster and Barcelona lead.
13' GOAL!
Nicolas Otamendi jumps unmarked and finds the goal for Benfica. Within a minute of Barcelona's opener, we have the equaliser. It is game on here in the second leg tonight. Andreas Schjelderup with a brilliant corner kick in the box and Otamendi with a brilliant finish. What a start to the game!
24' MISS!
Lamine Yamal comes close to scoring but misses just by a little. The youngsters fires a brilliant shot but it flies just past the right post. Barcelona clearly looking dominating here. Seven attempts on the goal for Barcelona so far compared to one from Benfica.
27' GOAL!
Lamine Yamal just can not be kept out of the game. As soon as he gets the ball just outside the penalty area, you knew Benfica are in trouble. He gets the ball on the left foot and delivers an absolute pearler. His left footer just curls into the back of the net and Barcelona are in the lead again. Benfica trailing 1-3 in aggregate.
43' GOAL!!!
Raphinha gets another one and Barcelona totally dominating Benfica tonight. A bit of a confusing moment on the field as the referee had blown the whistle for a foul before the goal but the goal stands. A low shot from Raphinha to beat the Benfica goalkeeper.
There is the whistle and Barcelona would be going into the break thinking they have got a foot in the quarter-finals now. A brilliant performance so far and Benfica have looked clueless.
Second half is underway now. Barcelona leading 3-1 tonight and 4-1 on aggregate. They are looking firm favourites to get a place in the Champions League quarter-finals. Benfica need a miracle.
60' Barcelona now controlling the ball and Benfica are just reeling under pressure. It is just half-an-hour left in the game and they can not find their second shot of the match. Benfica will have to take some chances if they have to have any hopes of making a comeback.
70' Barcelona now not showing any urgency. They are confident that the job is done. Meanwhile, Robert Lewandowski goes off and in comes Ferran Torres. Both sides make a couple of substitutions.
This game seems done but we have three more games coming up. All of them starting1:30am IST.
Inter Milan vs Feyenoord (Agg 2-0)
Liverpool vs PSG (Agg 1-0)
Bayer Leverkusen vs Bayern Munich (Agg 3-0)
90+1' We move into the injury time now. The second half has been totally opposite of the first. Largely due to Barcelona not attacking as much as they did before the break. The result seems like a formality now. Barcelona set to advance to the quarter-finals. Just two minutes of stoppage time to be played.
Barcelona 3-1 Benfica (4-1 agg)
Barcelona win and they are the first team this season to confirm their tickets for the UEFA Champions League 2024-25 quarterfinals. Brilliant performance from the hosts. They follow up their 1-0 victory away with a 3-1 win at home. Raphinha scored twice and Lamine Yamal got a brilliant goal. For Benfica, Nicolas Otamendi scored to equalise but Barcelona were just too good.
We are underway at the Anfield. Mind you, three games have begun right now.
Inter Milan vs Feyenoord (Agg 2-0)
Liverpool vs PSG (Agg 1-0)
Bayer Leverkusen vs Bayern Munich (Agg 3-0)
7' Liverpool making their intentions very clear right at the start. We are still early into the game and Mo Salah has come close to scoring twice already and PSG have somehow ensured that the scoreline remains 0-0. Brilliant attacking start from Liverpool. High intensity game on display so far from the hosts.
Meanwhile at the San Siro, Inter Milan have gone ahead as Marcus Thuram has scored in just the 10th minute. Inter now lead Feyenoord 3-0 on aggregate.
12' GOAL!!!
PSG score against the run of play and the first leg advantage that Liverpool ad has now been erased early in this game. Ousmane Dembele finds the ball after a melee in the box and he is in the right spot to just push the ball into the net. Strange goal but PSG fans would not complain. So, it is 1-1 in the aggregate score.
27' MISS!
Another miss from Liverpool. Brilliant attack made once again but the end result is just that: a beautiful attack. Good job from the PSG keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to keep Mo Salah at bay.
43' GOAL!!!
Jakub Moder converts a penalty to level scores at the San Siro. Feyenoord still trail 3-1 on aggregrate but this goal will give them some confidence. Is there a comeback loading?
Meanwhile, the Bayer Leverkusen vs Bayern Munich game is still goalless.
Liverpool 0-1 PSG (1-1 Agg)
Inter 1-1 Feyenoord (3-1 Agg)
Bayer Leverkusen 0-0 Bayern Munich (0-3 Agg)
All three games are live yet again after the half-time break. The only game where there is not a clear side in lead is the Liverpool vs PSG match where the aggregate is 1-1.
51' GOAL!!!
Hakan Calhanoglu converts the penalty and Inter are ahead yet again. The penalty came after Thomas Beelen got an opponent's legs while going for the ball in the box. Inter now leading 4-1 on aggregate.
52' GOAL!!!
Harry Kane breaks the deadlock and the spirit of Bayer Leverkusen fans as well. Bayern are now 4-0 up on aggregate and this strike from Kane will just end the hopes of Leverkusen.
72' GOAL!!!
Alphonso Davies finds the net to double Bayern Munich's lead and they now are 5-0 ahead on aggregate. Bayer Leverkusen looking ordinary tonight.
So, wins for Inter Milan and Bayern Munich take the two sides to the quarter-finals. Inter and Bayern join Barcelona in the last eight. The games are still not over but with injury time going on, we can be sure of the results.
We are going into the extra time now. 1-1 is what the score is after the two legs. Liverpool have looked the better side tonight but it is the Parisiens who push the game into the extra time thanks to their Dembele's 12th minute strike.
Barcelona 3-1 Benfica (4-1 Agg)
Bayer Leverkusen 0-2 Bayern Munich (0-5 Agg)
Inter Milan 2-1 Feyenoord (4-1 Agg)
Extra Time underway now. Both sides drew 1-1 on aggregate across two legs.
In Bayern's 0-2 victory just a few moments ago, Harry Kane scored in the 52nd minute. He thus became the first English player to score 10 goals in a single UEFA Champions League/European Cup campaign.
Half-time in Extra Time. So, after 105 minutes tonight and 90 minutes that the two sides played earlier, we still have not got a clear winner. Things continue to get interesting. Seems like we are headed towards a penalty shoot-out.
So, we are going into the penalties now. It has been a nail-biting game and finally we will get a clear winner here. Liverpool or PSG who goes ahead into the quarterfinals. We will know in a few minutes.
Alisson and Donarumma have the game in their gloves now. Whoever holds their nerves and turns out to be the better goalkeeper tonight will advance to the quarter-finals. PSG to start with the penalty kicks.
Vitinha converts the first penalty and Mo Salah ensures Liverpool do not stay behind. It is 1-1 after the first attempts.
Save from Donarumma and it is advantage PSG! Massive moment in the game. Nunes misses after Goncalo Ramos made it 2-1.
Dembele scores in PSG's third attempt to make it 3 in 3 for PSG.
Donarumma makes another save and that is a killer blow! Curtis Jones is denied. Now PSG need one strike to go to the quarterfinals.
Doue scores and PSG have knocked out Liverpool! Four in four for PSG in the penalties and Liverpool have been left to rue missed chances. What a night of football.
Absolute agony for Liverpool and PSG have done it. Despite coming to Anfield trailinig 0-1, the Parisiens held on to draw the game in the regulation time and then it was an absolute masterclass in goalkeeping from Donarumma in the penalties. Brillian from the Parisiens.
Barcelona 3-1 Benfica (4-1 Agg)
Bayer Leverkusen 0-2 Bayern Munich (0-5 Agg)
Inter Milan 2-1 Feyenoord (4-1 Agg)
Liverpool 0-1 PSG (1-1 Agg, 1-4 Pens)
So, we have the first four quarterfinalists. Barcelona, Inter Milan, Bayern Munich and PSG are in last eight. The next four we will get tonight.
Some brilliant football on display but now it is time to go! Thank you for following. Do not forget to join again.