Barcelona, Arsenal join quarterfinals
All 6 favorite teams advanced to the quarterfinals
Arsenal players are cheering after winning a penalty shootout against Porto in the second leg of the Champions League round of 16 on the 13th. /Getty Images Korea Barcelona players rejoice after winning the second leg of the round of 16 against Napoli on the 13th. /Getty Images Korea
[마이데일리 = 심재희 기자] There was no surprise. In the 2023-2024 UEFA Champions League, the powerhouses passed the first gate of the tournament side by side. On the 13th (hereinafter, Korean time), FC Barcelona and Arsenal announced their victory, and six teams were decided to advance to the quarterfinals.
Barcelona defeated Napoli and secured a ticket to the quarterfinals. They won 3-1 in the home game of the second leg of the round of 16 held on the 13th. Fermin Lopes scored the first goal in the 15th minute of the first half, and Joao Cancelo added an additional goal two minutes later. In the 30th minute of the first half, Amir Rahmani conceded a goal and was down 2-1, but did not collapse. The lead was maintained well, and in the 38th minute of the second half, goaltender Robert Lewandowski scored a goal to secure the victory. With this win, Barcelona advanced to the quarterfinals with a total lead of 3-1 in the first and second legs of the round of 16.
Arsenal took a place in the quarterfinals after going through many hardships. In the second leg of the round of 16 held at home on the 13th, they defeated FC Porto in a penalty shootout. They lost 0-1 in the away game in the first leg of the round of 16, but took a 1-0 lead in the home game in the second leg. In the 41st minute of the first half, Leandro Torosar scored to tie the game in the round of 16. After a fierce battle, the round of 16 went to a penalty shootout with a total score of 1-1. They took a 4-2 lead in the penalty shootout and advanced to the quarterfinals.
With Barcelona and Arsenal occupying higher places, six places in the quarter-finals were confirmed. Defending champion Manchester City, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), and Bayern Munich joined the quarterfinals. By the 13th, all teams with an objective power advantage in the round of 16 had secured the right to advance to the next round.
Defending champion Man City won eight consecutive Champions League games this season and entered the quarterfinals. /Getty Images Korea
The remaining two spots in the quarterfinals will be decided on the 14th. The winner of Atletico Madrid-Inter Milan and Borussia Dortmund-PSV Eindhoven will advance to the quarterfinals. The second leg of the round of 16 will be held at the home of Atletico and Dortmund on the 14th. In the first leg of the round of 16, Inter Milan beat Atletico Madrid 1-0, and Dortmund and Eindhoven drew 1-1.
Meanwhile, the quarterfinal draw will be held in Nyon, Switzerland on the 15th. It is expected that many big matches will take place as many of the championship candidates advance to the quarterfinals. From the quarterfinals onwards, teams from the same league can also face each other.
◆ Teams that advance to the quarterfinals of the 2023-2024 UEFA Champions League
Manchester City (England)
Real Madrid (Spain)
PSG (France)
Bayern Munich (Germany)
Barcelona (Spain)
Arsenal (England)
Atletico (Spain) – Inter Milan (Italy) winners
Dortmund (Germany) – Eindhoven (Netherlands) winner
Reporter Shim Jae-hee kkamanom@mydaily.co.kr
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