Top Winners and Losers After Tuesday’s Champions League Quarter-Finals Leg 2 Results
Timothy Rapp@@TRappaRTFeatured Columnist IVApril 16, 2024
David Ramos/Getty Images
What in the wide world of sports just happened?
Champions League drama at its finest (and zaniest), that’s what.
Borussia Dortmund advanced to the UCL semifinals with a 4-2 victory over Atlético Madrid (5-4 aggregate), while PSG got past 10-man Barcelona 4-1 (6-4 aggregate).
Below, we’ll break down the winners and losers from two of the most bizarre and compelling matches of the season.
Winner: Dortmund’s Finishing
What a performance from Dortmund.
Needing to win to advance, the German side jumped out to a 2-0 lead behind goals from Julian from Julian Brandt and Ian Maatsen.
CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ @CBSSportsGolazoJulian Brandt is back in the starting XI and back on the scoresheet 💥
All level between Dortmund & Atleti. Game on 🍿 pic.twitter.com/jOzrOJ2PlK
CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ @CBSSportsGolazoDORTMUND HAVE TURNED THIS TIE ON IT’S HEAD IN JUST 5 MINUTES 🫠
They lead 3-2 on aggregate! pic.twitter.com/yh8rZtBcSi
But in typical Dortmund fashion the lead dissolved, as the back line couldn’t preserve the advantage.
CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ @CBSSportsGolazoDream start to the second half for Atleti 💭
The tie is level… AGAIN! What a game 🔥 pic.twitter.com/5FWbp1RTBf
CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ @CBSSportsGolazoÁNGEL CORREA WITH AN INSANE FINISH ⚡
Atleti lead the tie AGAIN! pic.twitter.com/zznkvS4XDo
The side wasn’t to be denied on this day, however, as Niclas Füllkrug and Marcel Sabitzer provided the crushing blows to Atlético.
CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ @CBSSportsGolazoYOU CANNOT TAKE YOUR EYES OFF THIS GAME!!
DORTMUND TURN IT AROUND IN UNDER 5 MINUTES FOR A SECOND TIME 🤯💥 pic.twitter.com/qnjJm0x5Vd
Stefan Bienkowski @SBienkowskiKlopp-esque from Dortmund tonight. Incredible performance from Edin Terzic’s side.
Dortmund’s resolve and ability to come up big in the clutch has come into question in the past. Look no further than the final Matchweek of the 2022-23 campaign. But on Tuesday, at least, Dortmund was made of the right stuff.
Loser: Barca’s Composure
It all went wrong for Barcelona, but it didn’t start that way.
When Raphinha scored the game’s first goal to give Barcelona a two-goal advantage in aggregate, it sure looked like the Catalans were off to the semifinals.
CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ @CBSSportsGolazoRaphinha is at it again!
Barca’s first leg hero bags his third goal of the tie after a bit of brilliance from Lamine Yamal 🔥 pic.twitter.com/i0ePqOMLTH
And then, calamity.
Ronald Araújo was sent off on a straight red for denying what was deemed a clear goal-scoring opportunity:
CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ @CBSSportsGolazoSTRAIGHT RED FOR RONALD ARAÚJO 🟥
Barca are down to 10 men after 30 minutes 👀 pic.twitter.com/WinfQmdz4i
Xavi and goalkeeping coach De La Fuente were also sent off on reds:
CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ @CBSSportsGolazoXavi has been sent off 🟥😳 pic.twitter.com/vMloZfeSSr
João Cancelo fouled Ousmane Dembélé in the box, setting up Kylian Mbappé for a penalty that would give PSG the advantage in aggregate:
CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ @CBSSportsGolazoWHO ELSE BUT KYLIAN MBAPPÉ? 🇫🇷
João Cancelo makes a rash challenge and the World Cup winner makes no mistake from 12 yards 🥶 pic.twitter.com/vZDS41V2lv
And by the time the dust settled, a 10-man Barca conceded four goals and continued what has been an absolute nightmare of a season.
CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ @CBSSportsGolazo- Eight points back of Real Madrid in LaLiga 😬
– Out of UCL ❌
– Xavi leaving 🚶
– Eliminated by Athletic Club in Copa del Rey 🫠
Barcelona’s nightmare 2023-24 season continues pic.twitter.com/qe11uUNuzi
B/R Football @brfootballOusmane Dembéle’s response to being booed on his return to Barcelona: pic.twitter.com/ME7Md6I35x
Sam Tighe @stighefootballThat really was an almighty collective headloss from Barcelona. One silly moment after another; blow by blow, they steadily sunk in the abyss tonight. #UCL
Just another miserable night in Barcelona.
Winner: PSG’s Opportunism
Yes, PSG were handed the man advantage in the first half. But they also were trailing by two goals in aggregate at the time and needed a heroic performance to get back into the proceedings.
They offered just that, and then some:
CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ @CBSSportsGolazoOUSMANE DEMBÉLÉ WITH AUTHORITY!
The former Barca man gets his second goal of the tie 💪 pic.twitter.com/QkNHEXP5lN
CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ @CBSSportsGolazoVITINHA FROM DISTANCE! 🚀
PSG are level on aggregate! What a tie we have in Barcelona 🤯 pic.twitter.com/jtnGfnBDP8
CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ @CBSSportsGolazoKYLIAN MBAPPÉ PUTS THE TIE TO BED! 😤
The PSG turnaround is complete in Barcelona! pic.twitter.com/Bxq2JhLNsK
Football on TNT Sports @footballontnt”You have to hope for the day that will change everything… and today was that day” 🙏
PSG manager Luis Enrique speaks after knocking his former club Barcelona out of Europe in dramatic fashion
🎙️ @Sports_EmmaD | #UCL
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/EnYWPIZoZq
Barcelona will rue the lack of composure, but PSG truly made them pay for every last error. An impressive display of maximizing the opportunities handed to you by the Parisiens.
Loser: Atlético’s Normally Stout Defense
Coming into Tuesday, Atlético Madrid had given up four or more goals just twice this season. Diego Simeone’s charges were not in the business of having full defensive meltdowns.
That made the collapse against Dortmund all the more surprising.
Squawka @SquawkaAtlético Madrid conceded 4+ goals in a Champions League knockout stage game for just the second time:
◉ 1-4 vs. Real Madrid (2014 Final)
◉ 2-4 vs. Dortmund (2024 QF)
They’ve conceded more goals in 2023/24 (13) than in any other #UCL campaign. 👀 #BVBATL | @bet365 | #Ad https://t.co/MRQHiRUiOy
OptaJose @OptaJose3 – Atlético de Madrid have been eliminated in the quarter-finals of the @ChampionsLeague in their last three appearances in this round (2020, 2022 and 2024), having reached the semi-finals in three of their previous four (2014, 2016 and 2017).
Barrier. pic.twitter.com/aFrgkEhy8U
In a strange evening of football, perhaps it was only fitting that Atlético lost its identity.
