Arsenal and Aston Villa have secured their places in the Champions League quarter-finals, becoming the last two English clubs standing. The Gunners dominated PSV Eindhoven with a 9-3 aggregate win, while Unai Emery’s Villa thrashed Club Brugge 6-1 over two legs.
Arsenal’s key players, including Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, and Gabriel Jesus, played pivotal roles in their dominant performance. Meanwhile, Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins, Moussa Diaby, and Douglas Luiz were instrumental in their success.
The competition’s final eight features top European sides from five countries. Real Madrid, led by Jude Bellingham and Vinícius Jr., edged out Atletico Madrid on penalties. PSG, with Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé, also needed a shootout to eliminate Liverpool.
Barcelona, inspired by Robert Lewandowski and Pedri, defeated Benfica, while Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich knocked out Bayer Leverkusen. Inter Milan, with Lautaro Martínez and Nicolò Barella, eased past Feyenoord, and Borussia Dortmund, driven by Jadon Sancho and Julian Brandt, narrowly beat Lille.
Arsenal will now face defending champions Real Madrid in the quarter-finals. Should Mikel Arteta’s side progress, they’ll meet the winner of Aston Villa vs PSG in the semi-finals. A potential final could pit them against Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, or Borussia Dortmund.
The quarter-final first legs are set for April 8 and 9, with the return fixtures on April 15 and 16. The semi-finals will take place on April 29/30 and May 6/7, while the final will be held at Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena on May 31.
Villa faces a tough challenge against PSG, but with the likes of Watkins and Diaby in top form, they have the firepower to cause an upset. Victory would set up an all-English semi-final against Arsenal or a clash with Real Madrid.
With Arsenal’s young stars and Villa’s dynamic attack, both teams aim to defy the odds and bring European glory back to England.