Arsenal and Aston Villa have proudly claimed their spots in the Champions League quarter-finals, emerging as the last two English clubs in the race. Arsenal delivered a masterclass against PSV Eindhoven, finishing with a comprehensive 9-3 victory over the two legs. On the other hand, Aston Villa, under Unai Emery’s strategic guidance, demolished Club Brugge with an imposing 6-1 aggregate.
A big shout-out to Arsenal’s dynamic trio—Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, and Gabriel Jesus—as they played a huge part in their team’s domination. Aston Villa wasn’t short on firepower either, with Ollie Watkins, Moussa Diaby, and Douglas Luiz being pivotal to their triumph.
As we look at the final eight of this prestigious competition, it’s a who’s who of European football, featuring clubs from five different nations. Real Madrid, spearheaded by the ever-impressive Jude Bellingham and Vinícius Jr., narrowly edged past Atletico Madrid in a nerve-wracking penalty shootout. PSG also relied on spot-kicks, with stars like Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé leading their charge past Liverpool.
In another thrilling encounter, Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski and Pedri showed their class as they overcame Benfica. Meanwhile, Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich managed to outmuscle Bayer Leverkusen, and Inter Milan, led by the dynamic pair of Lautaro Martínez and Nicolò Barella, comfortably brushed aside Feyenoord. Borussia Dortmund, with Jadon Sancho and Julian Brandt steering the ship, squeaked past Lille in a closely contested fixture.
Looking ahead, Arsenal is set for a monumental clash against the current title holders, Real Madrid, in the quarter-finals. Mikel Arteta’s side, if victorious, will face off against the winner of Aston Villa vs PSG in what promises to be a thrilling semi-final. The grand finish could potentially see them up against giants like Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, or Borussia Dortmund.
Mark your calendars—the first legs of the quarter-final matches are scheduled for April 8 and 9, with the returns set for April 15 and 16. The semi-finals will follow on April 29/30 and May 6/7, culminating in the final showdown at Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena on May 31.
Aston Villa might face a stern test against PSG, but with Watkins and Diaby on fire, they have every chance of pulling off an upset. A win here could lead to an all-English semi-final clash with Arsenal or pit them against football royalty, Real Madrid.
With young, promising talents at Arsenal and Villa’s electrifying attack, both teams are on a mission to bring some well-deserved European success and glory back home to England.
