Champions League

2023 - 3 - 8

Tottenham vs Milan Tottenham vs Milan

Post cover
Image courtesy of "Fox Sports"

'Just a mess': Superstar urged to 'leave' as PSG crash out; EPL ... (Fox Sports)

'Just a mess': Superstar urged to 'leave' as PSG crash out; EPL giant's trophy pain: CL Wrap.

We love individuals within a team but that’s not a team and Kylian Mbappe has to leave that club.” It’s just brilliant because it tells you how important it is to be a team. AC Milan progressed to the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time since 2012 as the Italian champions held out for a 0-0 draw at 10-man Tottenham to win 1-0 on aggregate. It’s not a team, it’s just a mess. Five years out of seven they’ve gone out in the last-16. It is the second season running in which PSG have gone out of the Champions League in the last 16, and the fifth time in the last seven campaigns the Qatar-owned club have failed to go beyond the first knockout round.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "ESPN"

PSG project fails again as Bayern prove their pedigree (ESPN)

For the fifth time in seven years, PSG's expensively assembled squad has been knocked out in the Champions League last 16, this time by Bayern.

We had a lot of important absentees in the first game and in the second game. Had a golden chance to open the scoring for PSG in the first half, but he wasn't clinical enough with the empty goal gaping. In the end, we deserved to win" [Sadio Mane](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/169797/Sadio-Mané), who replaced Musiala as a late substitute, or [Leroy Sane](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/202641/Leroy-Sané). Yet he joined PSG in 2021 with the challenge of helping the French team finally win their first Champions League, and for the second successive season, he and PSG have gone out in the round of 16. Right now, though, only Musiala is looking like the kind of world-class player that Bayern used to have in abundance. The Bayern star dominated the midfield and his first-half shoulder charge on Messi summed up how he approached this game. This isn't a vintage Bayern team, but nobody will want to face them in the latter stages simply because they know how to win in this competition. This might just have been the game in which Messi saw his last chance of one more Champions League crown disappear forever. Bayern had to weather an early PSG storm before taking control of this game, but once Choupo-Moting put them ahead on 60 minutes, the tie was in the bag. In continental competition, all PSG's Qatari owners have to show for their mammoth investment in the club is one final appearance. PSG, who lost to Bayern in Lisbon, Portugal, in their only Champions League final appearance to date in 2020, crashed out 3-0 on aggregate after losing the first-leg 1-0 in Paris.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "Bleacher Report"

Top Winners and Losers After Wednesday's Champions League ... (Bleacher Report)

Bayern Munich cruised. AC Milan held on for dear life. Both teams are heading for the Champions League quarterfinals. Bayern claimed a 2-0 victory over PSG ...

Suffice to say, the positive early returns of the Conte era haven't sustained. More a "hold on for dear life" type of deal at points. Back in the #UCL quarters for the first time in 11 years 👏

Totally deserved. The hope was that the Antonio Conte era would change that, but so far that hasn't happened. Once again, PSG said au revoir to their European hopes in the Round of 16. And yet again, facing down a major European power, the Parisiens simply folded.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "Reuters"

'Nothing is impossible', Pioli says as Milan reach Champions ... (Reuters)

AC Milan can dare to dream about going all the way in the Champions League, coach Stefano Pioli said on Wednesday after his side knocked out Tottenham ...

"It is wonderful to play in the Champions League, gratifying and important for Milan. "We’ll be paired with a great opponent, but Tottenham are a big team too and we can always have our say. Register for free to Reuters and know the full story

Post cover
Image courtesy of "FRANCE 24"

Milan hold off toothless Tottenham to reach Champions League ... (FRANCE 24)

AC Milan progressed to the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time since 2012 as the Italian champions held out for a 0-0 draw at 10-man ...

I understand the fans don't have patience as for a long time Tottenham is not winning." "The situation is really clear. "Now we have to finish the season. "We need time and patience because we don't have a solid foundation to be competitive to win in my opinion. Conte's contract expires at the end of the season and he did little to quash speculation that he will leave at the end of the campaign. "We have to build and have patience.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "BBC Sport"

'It looks a failure' - time to rip up PSG project? (BBC Sport)

Former Liverpool winger Steve McManaman said on BT Sport: "PSG aren't going to get any better next year. "Lionel Messi will be a year older, Sergio Ramos ...

"I wouldn't expect him to be here at the start of the next season." "The next few days are going to be crucial. "Tuchel was the closest but came up short. "He hasn't won the Champions League but he is only 24 so this is not an obsession for him. The 35-year-old Argentina captain is thought to be interested in staying but has not signed a new deal yet. The young French players scattered around Europe could be doing what these lads are doing for a quarter of the cost with an identity the fans connect with." I don't think he is good enough for this level anymore." Former Bayern midfielder Hargreaves said: "PSG should rip the whole project up and start from scratch. But the Champions League was the owners' dream and looks no closer to fruition. Over the last four years they've gone out in good positions and it's left a mark on their psyche as a club. It ultimately looks like it's going to be a failure," said former Chelsea playmaker Joe Cole on BT Sport. If we'd scored first, it would have been different, but we didn't."

Post cover
Image courtesy of "Yahoo Sports"

Another early Champions League exit raises uncomfortable ... (Yahoo Sports)

Bayern Munich 2-0 PSG (3-0 agg): Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe crashed out as PSG failed to get past the last-16 stage for the fifth time in seven years.

AC Milan move into Champions League quarters after 11 years (Xinhua)

LONDON, March 8 (Xinhua) -- AC Milan progressed to the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals for the first time since 2011-2012 after a 0-0 draw with 10-man ...

(Xinhua)

Post cover
Image courtesy of "FOXSports.com"

PSG faces uncertain future following Champions League flameout (FOXSports.com)

Even with Messi and Mbappé available, PSG was knocked out of the Champions League by Bayern Munich on Wednesday. What's next for the French giants?

[Brazil star Neymar to undergo ankle surgery, out for rest of PSG's season](https://www.foxsports.com/stories/soccer/brazil-star-neymar-to-undergo-ankle-surgery-out-for-rest-of-psgs-season) [MLS commissioner says league has 'flexibility' to pursue Lionel Messi](https://www.foxsports.com/stories/soccer/mls-commissioner-says-league-has-flexibility-to-pursue-lionel-messi) [U.S. [Napoli](https://www.foxsports.com/soccer/napoli-team) unlikely to squander a two-goal advantage at home to [Eintracht Frankfurt](https://www.foxsports.com/soccer/eintracht-frankfurt-team) a miss out on the club's maiden quarterfinal trip, the runaway Serie A leaders also look capable of making a serious run at the double. [Manchester City](https://www.foxsports.com/soccer/manchester-city-team) settled for a 1-1 draw away to Germany's [RB Leipzig](https://www.foxsports.com/soccer/rb-leipzig-team) and should take care of business at home, but all the pressure will be on the hosts. [Liverpool](https://www.foxsports.com/soccer/liverpool-montevideo-team) sits three points behind Spurs for the final spot and has game in hand. [Harry Kane](https://www.foxsports.com/soccer/harry-kane-player) remains a target of the genuine contenders; if Spurs isn't involved in the Champions League next year, could he be tempted to be the missing piece for one of them? [Neymar](https://www.foxsports.com/soccer/neymar-player), their other resident superstar, to [season-ending ankle surgery earlier this week](https://www.foxsports.com/stories/soccer/brazil-star-neymar-to-undergo-ankle-surgery-out-for-rest-of-psgs-season), also didn't help. Neither did the rest of the roster, with the possible exception of goalkeeper [Gianluigi Donnarumma](https://www.foxsports.com/soccer/gianluigi-donnarumma-player). [France's](https://www.foxsports.com/soccer/france-men-team) marquee club didn't even reach the last eight. [AC Milan](https://www.foxsports.com/soccer/ac-milan-team), which held [Tottenham Hotspur](https://www.foxsports.com/soccer/tottenham-hotspur-team) to a scoreless draw away from home following a 1-0 first leg victory last month. Portugal's Benfica and [Chelsea](https://www.foxsports.com/soccer/chelsea-team) booked their tickets to the round of 16 on Tuesday, beating [Club Brugge](https://www.foxsports.com/soccer/club-brugge-team) of [Belgium](https://www.foxsports.com/soccer/belgium-women-team) and [Borussia Dortmund](https://www.foxsports.com/soccer/borussia-dortmund-team) of [Germany](https://www.foxsports.com/soccer/germany-men-team), respectively. Still, the draw dealt them dreadful hands both this year and last, when PSG narrowly fell to eventual champ [Real Madrid](https://www.foxsports.com/soccer/real-madrid-team) at the same stage. The club's hold on a berth for next season is perilous;

Post cover
Image courtesy of "UEFA.com"

Champions League quarter-finals: Meet the teams (UEFA.com)

Key players, rankings, ones to watch: all you need to know about the UEFA Champions League quarter-finalists.

Milan struggled to cope with Chelsea in the group stage but comfortably secured second spot and a place in the round of 16, picking up wins at San Siro and on the road. The former defender has won over doubters at Milan with his calm and relaxed approach since taking over in 2019. Potter has built on the foundations of Thomas Tuchel's Chelsea at their best, typically playing with a robust back three and the double No6 pairing in front. The Portuguese playmaker was signed on loan from Atlético de Madrid in January and is a proven player at this level. He weighs in with goals and also contributes defensively, working hard in the press. Having made his name at Salzburg, the former midfielder coached Leverkusen in his native Germany and more recently was in charge of PSV Eindhoven, his side winning the 2021/22 Dutch Cup. Reaching the last eight in successive seasons is a significant achievement for a team from outside Europe's to five leagues. In his first full season in charge, he led them to a fourth-placed finish in 2016/17, and earned a Champions League slot. The 19-year-old has established himself as one of the first names on Nagelsmann's team sheet this season with performances displaying a maturity beyond his years. Bayern emerged from arguably the toughest group unscathed and were rewarded with a last-16 clash against one of the pre-tournament favourites, Paris. It has been a faultless campaign so far from the Bavarians, in which only one team has managed to breach their defence. The emergence of Jamal Musiala as the talismanic roaming playmaker has been an unexpected delight, but Bayern's strength is in the collective.

Explore the last week