Champions League Round of 16: Ten-man Barcelona win , Bayern Humble Leverkusen, and Liverpool Edge PSG
The UEFA Champions League round of 16 continued on Wednesday, March 5, 2025, with thrilling results as Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Liverpool all secured crucial wins in the first leg of their respective ties. Despite playing with ten men, Barcelona triumphed at Benfica, Bayern handed Bayer Leverkusen a humbling 3-0 defeat, and Liverpool edged PSG with a late goal in Paris.
Benfica 0-1 Barcelona
Barcelona showed incredible resilience as they secured a 1-0 victory over Benfica at the Estádio da Luz, despite playing with a man down for nearly the entire match. A first-half red card left Barcelona with ten players, but they refused to back down. The Catalan giants managed to find a breakthrough in the second half, with Raphinha continuing his stellar season by scoring the match-winner. The Brazilian winger capitalized on a counter-attack and calmly slotted home, giving Barcelona a vital away win to take back to the Nou Camp for the second leg.
Bayern Munich 3-0 Bayer Leverkusen
Bayern Munich showcased their superiority in the Bundesliga with a dominant 3-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen at the Allianz Arena. Harry Kane was the star of the show, scoring a brace to put Bayern firmly in control. Jamal Musiala added a third, sealing an emphatic victory for Vincent Kompany’s men. Despite Leverkusen’s best efforts, Bayern’s offensive firepower proved too much, leaving them with a mountain to climb in the second leg.
Feyenoord 0-2 Inter Milan
Inter Milan took a commanding step towards the quarterfinals with a 2-0 victory over Feyenoord in Rotterdam. Marcus Thuram opened the scoring in the first half, before Lautaro Martínez doubled Inter’s lead after the break. Feyenoord struggled to break down the Italian defense, with Inter’s solid performance giving them a two-goal advantage heading into the return leg at the San Siro.
PSG 0-1 Liverpool
In a thrilling encounter at the Parc des Princes, Liverpool stole a late win over PSG, with Harvey Elliott emerging as the hero. Elliott, coming off the bench in the 87th minute, scored the only goal of the match with a composed finish that sent the traveling Liverpool supporters into raptures. The Parisians threw everything at Liverpool in the final minutes but couldn’t break the Reds’ resolute defense, giving Jürgen Klopp’s side a priceless away win ahead of the second leg at Anfield.
Looking Ahead
With the first leg results now in the books, the stage is set for a dramatic second leg. Barcelona’s gritty win over Benfica gives them a slight advantage, while Bayern Munich’s commanding 3-0 victory leaves Leverkusen with little hope of a comeback. Inter Milan’s solid performance in Rotterdam has them firmly in control, and Liverpool’s last-minute heroics have them in a favorable position to advance. All eyes will be on the return legs to see which teams will secure their places in the Champions League quarterfinals.
