Chelsea, Barcelona, Madrid, Dinamo in last eight
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
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Holders Chelsea, inaugural winners Barcelona, Real Madrid and Dinamo Zagreb are the first four teams into the quarter-finals after the round of 16 began with some thrillers.
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- Holders Chelsea and previous champions Barcelona both reach quarter-finals
- Dinamo Zagreb will face Barcelona after victory at Anderlecht
- Real Madrid knock out Manchester City
- Four remaining round of 16 ties take place Wednesday
Barcelona 3-1 Midtjylland
Both teams finished with ten men as Barcelona's bid to win this trophy for the second time in three editions remained on course, the hosts dramatically ending the hopes of the Danish side, who had accounted for Atlético Madrid in the play-offs. Another surprise looked possible when a 34th-minute Mads Thychosen cross was turned into his own net by Eric Montes, but Théo Chendri levelled early in the second half from close range after the ball was not cleared.
With 15 minutes left, Midtjylland had Andreas Murbeck sent off but in the 87th minute Montes followed him after a second yellow card. Nevertheless Carles Pérez, brought on with 16 minutes to go, set up Seungwoo Lee with a brilliant through ball as an intense game entered added time and Carles Aleñá then made certain with his sixth goal in this season's competition.
Anderlecht 0-2 Dinamo Zagreb*
Dinamo will host Barcelona in the last eight after an impressive victory at last season's semi-finalists. Having finished above Arsenal and Bayern München in the group stage, Dinamo showed it was no fluke as both goals came early in the second half.
Jorn Vancamp hit the crossbar in the first minute for Anderlecht but in the 47th Amer Gojak put Dinamo in front, turning in Filip Benković's shot following a corner by Josip Brekalo. It was Brekalo who got the second ten minutes later after a solo run.
*Anderlecht were reinstated at Dinamo's expense on 29 February. Full explanation.
Chelsea 1-1 Valencia (aet, win 5-3 on pens)
Holders Chelsea prevailed on penalties to make the quarter-finals for the third year running. Kasey Palmer had alread hit the woodwork when Chelsea took a 44th-minute lead, Jay DaSilva pouncing on the rebound after Jacob Maddox's shot was saved, yet almost immediately home goalkeeper Bradley Collins was adjudged to have fouled Rafael Mir and Carlos Soler calmly converted the spot kick to equalise.
Chelsea increased the pressure in the second half but the visitors then had an 83rd-minute penalty when Jake Clarke-Salter fouled the ever-lively Mir but this time substitute Ismael Martínez stepped up and missed high. And in the ensuing shoot-out Valencia's first attempt by Alberto Gil bounced off the inside frame of the goal yet was ruled not to have crossed the line. With the remaining conversions successful, Chelsea's fifth perfect attempt by Tammy Abraham proved decisive.
Real Madrid 3-1 Manchester City
Borja Mayoral reached seven UEFA Youth League goals for the second season running as his two strikes were key to Madrid's progress. City started with Tosin Adarabioyo, Aleix García and Cameron Humphreys two days after the trio faced Chelsea in the FA Cup but it was all about Mayoral, whose career tally of 14 in the competition is one behind Roberto Núñez's record.
First Mayoral finished off a swift counter and five minutes later he produced a stunning individual goal, slaloming through the City defence. Isaac Buckley-Ricketts pulled one back in the 63rd minute on the break but near the end Madrid right-back Achraf Hakimi showed his pace to confirm victory with an unstoppable effort.
Reporters: Nicolai Lisberg, Giovanni de Paola, Julian Beattie & Marcos Prieto
- Road to Nyon
Quarter-final draw (8/9 March)
Chelsea (holders) v Lyon/Ajax
Paris Saint-Germain/Middlesbrough v PSV Eindhoven/Roma
Dinamo Zagreb v Barcelona
Real Madrid v Příbram/Benfica
Semi-final draw (15 April, Nyon)
Real Madrid/Příbram/Benfica v Paris/Middlesbrough/PSV/Roma
Chelsea/Lyon/Ajax v Dinamo Zagreb/Barcelona
Final (18 April, Nyon)
Winners of semi-final 1 v Winners of semi-final 2