The Champions League quarter-final second legs on April 15 and 16, 2025, were pure, unadulterated football chaos—90-minute rollercoasters that reminded us why this competition is the sport’s beating heart. Picture the scenes: the Santiago Bernabéu, where Arsenal didn’t just upset Real Madrid but devastated them, leaving Carlo Ancelotti’s job teetering on the edge. The San Siro, where Harry Kane’s trophy curse tightened its grip as Inter Milan outfoxed Bayern Munich. Villa Park, roaring like a lion as Aston Villa pushed PSG to the brink.
And Signal Iduna Park, where Serhou Guirassy’s one-man rampage nearly flipped Dortmund’s tie with Barcelona. These weren’t just matches—they were cinematic epics, packed with heroes, heartbreak, and moments that had fans screaming at screens or strangers in pubs. From Arteta’s tactical triumph to Guirassy’s hat-trick heroics, the semi-final stage is set, and the road to Munich’s final is alive with possibility.
Champions League Semi-Finals are impending…
Arsenal hit Real Madrid where it hurts
Arsenal didn’t just beat Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu—they schooled them, delivering a 2-1 second-leg victory that sealed a 5-1 aggregate rout and sent Mikel Arteta’s men into the semi-finals against PSG. After a 3-0 first-leg demolition at the Emirates, where Declan Rice’s free-kick magic and Mikel Merino’s poacher’s instinct had left Real reeling, the Bernabéu faithful banked on yet another classic comeback. But Arsenal, brimming with belief, turned the tables on the 15-time champions, exposing their frailties and dominating in a way few teams have dared.
This was Arsenal at their peak: fearless, cohesive, and ruthless. Bukayo Saka ran riot on the right, exploiting Real’s makeshift defense—Ferland Mendy was absent, leaving Fran García to flounder. Despite having missed a penalty, Saka’s cool finish opened the scoring, while Gabriel Martinelli scored the second late on. Real’s lone reply, a Vinícius Jr. tap-in to an empty net, was a fleeting spark in a night of Arsenal supremacy.
Declan Rice and Martin Ødegaard bossed the midfield, outworking Jude Bellingham and Federico Valverde, while Kylian Mbappé’s threat was entirely neutered. Arteta’s game plan—high pressing, quick transitions, and unshakable resolve—made Arsenal look like title favorites, their dominance evident in their relentless attacks and suffocating control.
For Real Madrid, this was a humiliation that cut deep. Carlo Ancelotti, the architect of countless European miracles, looked helpless as his side crumbled. The absence of key defenders like Éder Militão and Dani Carvajal didn’t help, but the lack of fight raised bigger questions. Ancelotti’s job, once untouchable, now hangs by a thread.
After a shaky league phase with losses to Lille and Liverpool, and now a 5-1 aggregate thrashing—the worst Champions League knockout defeat in Real’s modern era—the Bernabéu buzz is turning toxic. Fans are calling for change. Ancelotti’s CV is legendary, but Florentino Pérez isn’t known for sentimentality. Arsenal, meanwhile, are dreaming big, their semi-final clash with PSG a chance to cement their status as Europe’s new elite.
Harry Kane has to wait a little bit longer for that first trophy…
Harry Kane’s quest for silverware feels like a tragic novel you can’t put down—compelling, heartbreaking, and endlessly frustrating. Bayern Munich needed to erase a 2-1 first-leg deficit against Inter Milan. Instead, a 2-2 draw handed Inter a 4-3 aggregate victory, propelling them to a semi-final showdown with Barcelona and leaving Kane to stare into the trophy-less void once more. Inter’s defensive resilience, a hallmark of their campaign, proved Bayern’s undoing.
Bayern threw everything at Inter, with Kane leading the charge. His goal briefly leveled the aggregate score, sparking hope of a turnaround. But Inter, led by the imperious Alessandro Bastoni, stood firm and scored twice to propel Inter through. Kane’s performance was valiant but not enough. He couldn’t replicate his earlier heroics against Leverkusen.
? INTER MILAN SURVIVE THE STORM! ⚫?
— 365Scores (@365Scores) April 16, 2025
After a 2-2 thriller at San Siro (and a 2-1 win in Munich), the Nerazzurri PUNCH THEIR TICKET to the Champions League semifinals!
Up next? A European classic – Inter vs. Barcelona. ?? vs. ?? pic.twitter.com/7X8UHb19cH
Bayern’s early exit, despite their attacking prowess, puts pressure on Vincent Kompany to regroup for the Bundesliga. Inter, meanwhile, are peaking, their defensive solidity and counter-attacking threat making them a nightmare for Barcelona. For Kane, the wait continues, his trophy curse a cruel subplot in an otherwise stellar career.
Aston Villa put up a great fight
Aston Villa’s clash with PSG at Villa Park was a heart-pounding spectacle that nearly rewrote the Champions League script. Trailing 3-1 from the first leg, where Désiré Doué, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and Nuno Mendes delivered stunning strikes, Unai Emery’s side faced a mountainous task. They responded with a 3-2 second-leg victory, falling agonizingly short at 5-4 on aggregate, but their performance was a roaring testament to their European credentials. Villa Park was a cauldron of noise, and Villa fed off it, pushing PSG to the brink in a comeback that had fans believing in miracles.
Villa’s fightback was pure heart. Youri Tielemans ignited hope with a deflected strike, shaking off PSG’s early dominance. John McGinn, the combative captain, unleashed a long-range rocket in the second half, the ball kissing the net with a slight deflection to make it 2-2 on the night. Moments later, Ezri Konsa pounced on a Marcus Rashford pull-back, slotting home to cut the aggregate deficit to 5-4 and sending Villa Park into delirium.
PSG, rocked by Villa’s intensity, had struck first through Achraf Hakimi, who capitalized on an Emiliano Martínez error, and Nuno Mendes, whose curling finish off the post showcased their counter-attacking class. But Gianluigi Donnarumma was the difference, his string of heroic saves—denying Tielemans, Rashford, and a late Ian Maatsen volley was blocked by Pacho—preserving PSG’s lead. Emery, who coached PSG from 2016-18, knew their strengths but couldn’t outmanoeuvre Luis Enrique’s lightning-fast attack.
Villa’s performance was a badge of honor. Their attacking depth, with Rashford’s second-half spark and McGinn’s relentless drive, troubled a PSG side boasting Kvaratskhelia, Ousmane Dembélé, and Bradley Barcola. Despite the loss, Villa proved they belong among Europe’s elite, their 17-match unbeaten home run and ability to unsettle a team that dispatched Liverpool and Manchester City speaking volumes. PSG, rattled by Villa’s second-half onslaught, advance to face Arsenal, but their defensive lapses—exposed by Konsa’s goal and near-misses from Maatsen and Rashford—are a warning sign.
Serhou Guirassy almost put Dortmund on his back
Serhou Guirassy almost became a legend on Tuesday turning Signal Iduna Park into his personal playground with a hat-trick in Dortmund’s 3-1 second-leg win over Barcelona. Trailing 4-0 from the first leg, where Lamine Yamal and Raphinha ran rampant, Dortmund’s chances were slimmer than a paper cut. Guirassy, however, refused to go quietly, nearly pulling off the impossible in a 5-3 aggregate defeat that restored Dortmund’s pride and sent the Yellow Wall into a frenzy.
Guirassy was a force of nature, his header, penalty, pricey and long-range curler showcasing a striker at the peak of his powers. Each goal rattled Barcelona, whose defense—missing key players—looked vulnerable under Dortmund’s pressure. His ability to exploit spaces and punish errors gave Hansi Flick’s side a fright, even as Yamal’s dazzling runs kept Dortmund’s backline on edge.
Dortmund’s exit was bittersweet, their fightback a testament to their spirit. Guirassy’s performance has Europe’s top clubs circling, his star power undeniable. Barcelona, despite the scare, march on, their attacking flair carrying them through. For Dortmund, this was a reminder of their potential, with Guirassy as the spearhead of a new era.
Where Barcelona's front three were the last time they qualified for the Champions League semi-finals! ? pic.twitter.com/qdnCM8Q2dD
— 365Scores (@365Scores) April 16, 2025
By Nicky Helfgott / @NickyHelfgott1 on Twitter (X)
Keep up with all the latest Champions League stats, where to watch & latest news on the 365Scores website and app!
