Kuala Lumpur – On a dramatic night of UEFA Champions League quarter-final second legs, Arsenal secured a professional but uninspiring progression, while Bayern Munich delivered a thrilling comeback victory to knock out Real Madrid.
Arsenal 0-0 Sporting CP (Agg: 1-0) At the Emirates Stadium in London, Arsenal advanced to the semifinals for the second consecutive season thanks to their narrow 1-0 first-leg advantage, courtesy of Kai Havertz’s stoppage-time winner. Despite dominating possession, the Gunners failed to score on the night and were largely frustrated by a well-organized Sporting CP side.
Sporting created the better chances, particularly in the first half. Geny Catamo’s volley struck David Raya’s far post, Pedro Gonçalves blazed over after a short pass from Raya, and Francisco Trincão had an early opportunity following a mistake by William Saliba. In the second half, Maxi Araujo’s curling effort went wide, and a penalty appeal involving Cristhian Mosquera was waved away.
Arsenal’s night was further complicated by an injury to Noni Madueke, who limped off with a knee problem and was replaced by 16-year-old Max Dowman. Dowman’s corner later led to Leandro Trossard heading against the post. Mikel Arteta was booked for protesting on the touchline. Despite the lack of creativity and cutting edge, Arsenal held firm for a clean sheet and progressed 1-0 on aggregate.
Arsenal will now face Atlético Madrid in the semifinals (first leg on April 29), a side they thrashed 4-0 in the group stage earlier this season.
Bayern Munich 4-3 Real Madrid (Agg: 6-4) In contrast, the Allianz Arena in Munich hosted an absolute classic. Bayern Munich produced a memorable comeback to eliminate 15-time champions Real Madrid and book their place in the semifinals.
The match exploded early: Arda Güler scored for Real Madrid after just 34 seconds, but Aleksandar Pavlović equalized for Bayern in the 6th minute from a Joshua Kimmich corner. Güler restored Madrid’s lead on the night with a stunning free-kick in the 29th minute, before Harry Kane replied calmly for Bayern (38’). Kylian Mbappé then tapped in from Vinícius Júnior’s assist (42’), sending the teams into halftime with the aggregate level at 4-4.
After a frantic first half, the game remained tense until late drama. Eduardo Camavinga received a red card for Real Madrid in the 86th minute. Bayern capitalized on the numerical advantage as Luis Díaz curled home a deflected effort in the 89th minute, followed by a clinical finish from Michael Olise in the 90+4th minute to seal a famous 6-4 aggregate victory.
Harry Kane continued his excellent Champions League form, while Michael Olise was named Player of the Match. Bayern coach Vincent Kompany praised his team’s mental strength and resilience, while Harry Kane highlighted the difficulty of overcoming Real Madrid.
Bayern will now face Paris Saint-Germain in the semifinals.
