Barcelona – Napoli – 3:1 (4:2 overall)
Before the second leg at the Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis promised a substantial bonus of €10 million to the squad if they reached the quarterfinals. Napoli had halted their Champions League run at the quarterfinals last season after a narrow exit to Milan.
Barcelona had not advanced past the playoff stage since 2020, a year highlighted by a memorable 2:8 loss to Bayern. Xavi and a youthful squad believed they could finally break that streak this time around.
The home side opened decisively, signaling their intent early. Within a quarter of an hour, Barcelona tested Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret twice in quick succession. Fermin Lopez opened the scoring from a Raphinha assist, and Joao Cancelo doubled the lead soon after with a precise finish. The move was a bold statement from the Catalan club, underscoring their confidence on the night.
Napoli settled after the early pressure, regaining their balance and pulling one back through Amir Rrahmani in the 30th minute after a superb wing pass from Matteo Politano. The match continued with the away side chasing parity while Barcelona relied on swift counters. The balance of play remained tilted toward Barcelona, who controlled possession and pressed for another goal. Near the end of regulation time, a clear chance materialized when Sergi Roberto assisted Robert Lewandowski, who found the net to seal the 3:1 result and send Barcelona through on aggregate to the quarterfinals.
Arsenal – Porto – 1:0 (2:2 overall, 3:1 on penalties)
Arsenal approached the return leg with a slim margin to overcome, a rhythm set by Wenderson Galeno’s late winner in the first game. The London club, chasing Champions League glory, has not reached the quarterfinals since 2010, a drought that weighed on the squad and its supporters.
The club’s last notable playoff memory in this competition still echoed from a 2017 heavy defeat in the knockout rounds, a moment that had lingered in the football world for years. In Porto, the home side looked capable of tying the series early, but Arsenal managed to edge ahead before halftime when Odegaard found Trossard, who finished clinically to make it 1:0.
Porto pressed in the second half but could not convert, and the match moved into extra time. It produced few clear chances, leading to a decisive shootout backed by a sea of Arsenal supporters. The English club kept all four of their penalties on target, while Porto’s Wendell and Wenderson Galeno were denied by David Raya’s saves. Arsenal advanced to the next round after holding their nerve from the spot.
Atlético – Inter – 2:1 (2:2 overall, 3:2 on penalties)
Inter enjoyed a rare early advantage after Federico Dimarco’s strike in the first half, setting up a scenario where the Italians could feel they were in control of the tie. However, Antoine Griezmann reacted quickly to reduce the deficit, and with three minutes left in the second half, Memphis Depay produced a pivotal moment by delivering a pass from Koke that sent the match into extra time.
The extra period produced no goals, forcing a shootout to decide the finalist. The home side found better accuracy, but Inter missed decisive opportunities as well. The outcome mirrored the wider competition trend, with Atlético edging through on penalties and Inter exiting the tournament, leaving Atlético to contend for a Wembley final set for June. The drama highlighted the unpredictability that defines knockout football at this stage.
Borussia – PSV – 2:0 (3:1 on aggregate)
This pairing stood out for its historical resonance: two Champions League victors from different eras facing off in a strictly knockout round. The atmosphere at Westfalenstadion was electric, with more than 80,000 fans packed in as Dortmund took the lead in the third minute through Jadon Sancho, who finished after a Brandt assist.
The Dutch side pressed to reverse the tie, but Dortmund remained superior in both organization and tempo. Niclas Füllkrug extended the lead in the 77th minute, a moment briefly checked by an offside call from the linesman. Still, the match finished with Marco Reus sealing the 2:0 victory in stoppage time, assisted again by Füllkrug. Dortmund advanced, while PSV bowed out of the competition.