Last season's beaten finalists Bayern Munich [ Images ] survived a severe case of stage fright to edge into the Champions League [ Images ] quarter-finals on away goals and were joined in the last eight by debutants Malaga on Wednesday.
Nervy Bayern were beaten 2-0 at home by Arsenal [ Images ] but progressed thanks to their 3-1 success in London [ Images ] in the first leg.
Arsenal's task seemed an improbable one but they made a great start when striker Olivier Giroud struck from close range after three minutes.
Bayern could never find their stride and Laurent Koscielny's header from a corner four minutes from time set up a tense finale but the German side held on.
It is the first time since the 1995-96 season, when Blackburn Rovers finished bottom of their group, that there is no English team in the last eight.
Malaga's fairytale first season among Europe's elite continued after the Qatari-backed Spaniards overturned a 1-0 first-leg defeat by Porto to win the home leg 2-0 at their Rosaleda stadium.
Paraguay striker Roque Santa Cruz, on-loan from Manchester City [ Images ], headed home from a corner on 77 minutes soon after coming on a substitute to secure Malaga's passage.
Playmaker Isco, who won the 'Golden Boy' trophy as the best Under-21 player in Europe last season, had levelled the tie with a fine strike two minutes before halftime.
Porto were up against it when Belgian midfielder Steven Defour was sent off for a second yellow four minutes into the second half.
Bayern and Malaga joined Real Madrid [ Images ], Borussia Dortmund, Paris St Germain, Juventus [ Images ], Galatasaray and Barcelona [ Images ] in the last eight.
Barca are favourites to win the trophy for the fourth time in eight seasons after World Player of the Year Lionel Messi's [ Images ] double helped the Catalans overhaul AC Milan's [ Images ] two-goal first-leg lead with a 4-0 demolition of the Italians in the return on Tuesday.
The draw for the quarter-finals takes place in Nyon on Friday. The final is at Wembley stadium on May 25.
Photograph: Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images
this
Users
Comment
article