Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain have qualified for the Champions League semifinals, securing their spots despite suffering defeats in the second leg of their quarter-final ties. Both teams progressed thanks to their first-leg victories.
Barcelona faced a tough challenge against Borussia Dortmund, losing 3-1. However, their dominant 4-0 win in the first leg was enough to see them through to the next round.
PSG`s qualification was even more precarious. They were defeated 3-2 by Aston Villa in a match attended by Prince William. Aston Villa came close to overturning the tie, but PSG goalkeeper Gigi Donnarumma made crucial saves to prevent a larger defeat and extra time.
At Villa Park, PSG started strongly, mirroring their first-leg performance. They quickly took control of the game. The French side opened the scoring in the 11th minute when Barcola`s cross from the left was parried by Martinez into the path of Hakimi, who slotted home for 1-0. PSG doubled their lead in the 27th minute with a counter-attack. Dembélé set up Nuno Mendes in the box for a comfortable 2-0 advantage.
Aston Villa, however, showed resilience. In the 34th minute, Tielemans reduced the deficit following good work from McGinn and Rashford. At the start of the second half, the home side increased the pressure. Their efforts paid off in the 55th minute when McGinn scored a deserved equalizer with a shot from outside the box. Aston Villa continued to push forward, while PSG seemed to lose momentum. In the 58th minute, Konsa completed the turnaround, beating Donnarumma after being set up in the area. Donnarumma then made several important saves to prevent further goals.
In Germany, Borussia Dortmund aimed for a comeback against Barcelona. The German team started aggressively, putting Barcelona under pressure early on. Guirassy missed some initial opportunities. In the 10th minute, Szczesny fouled Gross in the penalty area. Guirassy converted the penalty with a Panenka-style chip, making it 1-0. Borussia continued to dominate the game.
Early in the second half, Guirassy scored his second goal. From a 48th-minute corner, Bensebaini headed the ball down for Guirassy, who scored with a header from close range. Borussia kept pushing, but Barcelona looked to counter-attack. In the 53rd minute, a fortunate own goal by Bensebaini reduced the deficit for Barcelona. Borussia continued to attack. In the 78th minute, Duranville dribbled into the box from the right and crossed to the center. Araujo`s clearance went straight to Guirassy, who scored to make it 3-2, completing his hat-trick.
In the semifinals, Barcelona will face the winner of the tie between Inter and Bayern Munich, while PSG will play against either Arsenal or Real Madrid.