UEFA Champions League

UEFA announced Monday it has postponed the 2019-20 men's and women's Champions League and Europa League finals as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. 

The organizing body added that "no decision has yet been made on rearranged dates."

The competition went on hold midway through the round of 16. Atalanta, Atletico Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and RB Leipzig had already punched a ticket to the quarterfinals, with reigning champions Liverpool knocked out.

UEFA announced March 17 it had postponed Euro 2020 until June 2021 and set up a working group to determine when the Champions League and Europa League could return.

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin issued a statement about the situation:

"We are at the helm of a sport that vast numbers of people live and breathe that has been laid low by this invisible and fast-moving opponent. It is at times like these that the football community needs to show responsibility, unity, solidarity and altruism.

"The health of fans, staff and players has to be our number one priority and, in that spirit, UEFA tabled a range of options so that competitions can finish this season safely and I am proud of the response of my colleagues across European football. There was a real spirit of cooperation, with everyone recognising that they had to sacrifice something in order to achieve the best result."

Speaking to its member associations, UEFA had tentatively outlined June 24 for the Europa League final and June 27 for the Champions League final. Pushing back Euro 2020 freed up the summer to complete the two continental tournaments.

The women's Euros were scheduled for 2021, though. The Guardian's Suzanne Wrack reported some are expecting an accompanying move to 2022. 

This is merely the most recent example of how COVID-19 has altered the sports calendar. Competitions across the world have been in an indefinite holding pattern in order to limit the spread of the disease.

Per CNN, more than 294,000 cases of the coronavirus have been confirmed and at least 12,944 people have died.

Serie A was one of the first major leagues impacted after Italy instituted a sweeping suspension of all athletic competitions. La Liga went on hiatus shortly thereafter, and the dominoes really began to fall after Arsenal confirmed manager Mikel Arteta tested positive for the coronavirus.

Juventus' Daniele Rugani and Blaise Matuidi, Valencia's Ezequiel Garay and Fiorentina's Patrick Cutrone are among the others who have tested positive for COVID-19.

Atletico Madrid full-back Kieran Trippier has defended the team's style of football following recent criticism from Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp.

Klopp took aim at the way Atletico plays after the La Liga side dumped the Reds out of the UEFA Champions League recently, with the Madrid outfit's 3-2 win at Anfield after extra time was enough to put them into the quarter-finals of the competition. 

Speaking about the victory, the Englishman, in his first season with Atleti after starring for Tottenham Hotspur, said his side would have been easily picked off had they not played a defensive style, per David Anderson of the Daily Mirror:

"People have this perception that we're a defensive side, but I think they're getting too carried away with the way we played against Liverpool. If you go there and go toe-to-toe with Liverpool, you're going to get beat 6-0. I don't know what people expect.

"You see pundits complaining because we did defend, but did they expect us to go there and play attacking football, especially with Liverpool playing the way that they're playing at the moment?

"You need to go there with a plan and we did that. We did have to defend, but the most important thing is that we got the win."

Liverpool were in a position to progress into the last eight after Roberto Firmino put them 2-0 ahead in extra time. However, a quickfire brace from Marcos Llorente and a late effort from Alvaro Morata put them 3-2 ahead on the night:

Afterwards, Klopp said that Atletico have a standard of player in their squad that should allow them to play more expansive football, per BT Sport (h/t Goal): "I don't understand, with the quality they have, the football they play. They could play proper football, but they stand deep and have counter-attacks."

While Atletico manager Diego Simeone has set the team up defensively to great effect in the Champions League previously, Liverpool spurned a number of chances to win the game in normal time.

Former Reds forward Michael Owen said after the match that Atletico were fortunate to progress as a result:

Please spare me all this inevitable Simeone masterclass nonsense. There’s nothing genius about putting 11 top class footballers behind the ball. Liverpool absolutely pumped them throughout.

— Michael Owen (@themichaelowen) March 12, 2020

Spanish football writer Rik Sharma said that the current Atletico don't measure up to the sides that made the Champions League final in 2014 and 2016:

Sour grapes from Klopp but don't think today is a Simeone masterclass by any means. This Atletico far worse than the 2014-16 team

— Rik Sharma (@riksharma_) March 11, 2020

Following the sales of Antoine Griezmann, Rodri and Diego Godin in the summer, it's not a huge shock that Atletico do have vulnerabilities. Nevertheless, they showed at Anfield that if they have Simeone on the sidelines, they can still get the better of any opponent.

As of yet, it's unclear when their push for Champions League glory will continue, with UEFA suspending all matches in the competition due to the coronavirus pandemic.

UEFA have set up a working group in order to find a rescheduling solution for the Champions League and Europa League. 

Both competitions are on hold while the sporting world responds to the coronavirus pandemic, but the governing body has said they're in discussions with clubs and leagues over strategies to complete both tournaments.

According to Tyrone Marshall of the Manchester Evening News, a UEFA spokesperson said: "A working group has been set up with the participation of leagues and club representatives to examine calendar solutions that would allow for the completion of the current season and any other consequence of the decisions made today."

Marca (h/t ESPN FC's Dale Johnson) tweeted revised dates for both finals:

Europa League final June 24
Champions League final June 27
To be completed before contract expiry dates of June 30 https://t.co/vgsMigF05s

— Dale Johnson (@DaleJohnsonESPN) March 17, 2020

UEFA agreed on Tuesday a commitment to complete all club competitions across Europe by June 30, with extra flexibility injected into domestic and European competition schedules. Matches can be played midweek to help finish leagues, and European games might take place at weekends.

Future sporting events remain on hold indefinitely while governments across the planet decide on expanded measures to halt the coronavirus pandemic from spreading.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has said world football needs to unite and do its best during the challenging weeks ahead, per Marshall.

"We are at the helm of a sport that vast numbers of people live and breathe that has been laid low by this invisible and fast-moving opponent," Ceferin said. "It is at times like these, that the football community needs to show responsibility, unity, solidarity and altruism."

Ceferin added the health and safety of fans, players and staff remain UEFA's primary priority, and that the governing body has presented options to its member states to help complete their competitions.

UEFA decided on Tuesday to postpone Euro 2020 for 12 months, potentially allowing space later in the year for domestic leagues and European club tournaments to be completed.

"It was important that, as the governing body of European football, UEFA led the process and made the biggest sacrifice," Ceferin said. "Moving Euro 2020 comes at a huge cost for UEFA but we will do our best to ensure that the vital funding for grassroots, women’s football and the development of the game in our 55 countries is not affected."

Ceferin also said the thought of holding Euro 2020 without supporters in near-empty stadiums would be "joyless," with the competition set to celebrate 60 years since its inception.

European football's governing bodes are due to make a number of key decisions on how the sport will carry on following delays in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin will hold three video conference calls on Tuesday to determine the fate of Europe's international competitions, domestic leagues and the continental competitions, per the Mirror's John Cross.

Most mainstream sports have been suspended in response to the coronavirus pandemic. CNN reported there had been more than 168,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of Monday, resulting in 6,610 deaths.

The European Club Association—which represents 232 clubs, including nine from the Premier League—will be part of one call to decide how best to finish the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League seasons. The European League Association will also be a part of the call.

The idea of a UEFA mini tournament comprising the teams still left in the running for either competition has been mooted, with double-legged fixtures changed to one match to help ease the congestion.

The Athletic's David Ornstein reported on the financial implications of delaying UEFA Euro 2020 until next year:

Exclusive: UEFA want around €300m compensation from leagues/clubs for moving #Euro2020 to summer 2021. That is UEFA-estimated cost of moving tournament as leagues/clubs prioritise completing seasons above other options @TheAthleticUK #CoronavirusOutbreak https://t.co/cByetHA85X

— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) March 16, 2020

However, Tariq Panja of the New York Times provided reaction from UEFA, who suggested there would be no demands for reimbursement from the member organisations:

https://twitter.com/tariqpanja/status/1239824193795100673

A second call will be held with UEFA's 55 member associations to decide a plan for the domestic seasons, and the UEFA executive committee will be part of a final conversation to sign off on any decisions.

Panja added recent delays also meant other UEFA matters due for discussion would be postponed:

https://twitter.com/tariqpanja/status/1239692036036530176

It remains uncertain as to when football can resume in Europe, made more complicated by the fact certain countries are experiencing the effects of the coronavirus at different times and to different extents.

Cross said it's "widely expected" Euro 2020 will be postponed by one year while the 2020-21 UEFA Nations League is cancelled altogether.

TalkSport's Adam Catterall saw no problem in moving this summer's international tournament in order to finish the current club seasons:

https://twitter.com/AdamCatterall/status/1239570152334778372

The cancellation of the Nations League would present more of a concern to smaller countries who are looking forward to the injection of cash those fixtures might bring, per Cross.

UEFA's executive committee—made up of 19 members including Ceferin—will decide how best to proceed, though the uncertain future of the COVID-19 pandemic makes it difficult to set a plan in stone.

UEFA has announced that no Champions League or Europa League matches will be played next week because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

European football's governing body released a statement on its official Twitter account and website on Friday:

In the light of developments due to the spread of COVID-19 in Europe and related decisions made by different governments, all UEFA club competitions matches scheduled next week are postponed. #UCL and #UEL quarter-final draws have also been postponed.

Full statement: 👇

— UEFA (@UEFA) March 13, 2020

A section of the statement read:

"As a consequence of the postponements, the Champions League and Europa League quarter-final draws scheduled for March 20 have also been postponed.

"UEFA yesterday invited representatives of its 55 member associations, together with the boards of the European Club Association and the European Leagues and a representative of FIFPro, to a videoconference meeting on Tuesday 17 March to discuss European football's response to the outbreak."

UEFA had already confirmed that Manchester City's clash with Real Madrid and Juventus' match with Lyon had been postponed as a result of players self-isolating, but Barcelona's meeting with Napoli and Bayern Munich's game with Chelsea are also now off.

In the UEFA Europa League, six of the eight scheduled matches took place on Thursday night; Sevilla and Roma's match, as well as Inter Milan's showdown with Getafe, were postponed. The second legs of the clashes played were set to go ahead next week.

Martyn Ziegler of The Times said the logistics of rearranging these matches will be a challenge:

to be clear: postponed, though whether they are ever played looks v doubtful to me

— Martyn Ziegler (@martynziegler) March 13, 2020

The cancellation of matches sees UEFA fall in line with a number of major leagues that have put their seasons on hold. France's Ligue 1, Spain's La Liga, the Dutch Eredivisie, Portugal's Primeira Liga and North America's Major League Soccer have all called off matches in attempt to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The Premier League has confirmed it is holding an emergency meeting on Friday to discuss the status of upcoming matches.

On Thursday night, Arsenal announced that manager Mikel Arteta had the virus, with Chelsea later revealing forward Callum Hudson-Odoi had contracted COVID-19. Everton also announced that their entire squad was self-isolating as a precaution ahead of Monday's scheduled Merseyside derby with Liverpool after a first-team player showed symptoms.

As things stand, the Bundesliga is set to go ahead with games behind closed doors, with leaders Bayern Munich posting on Twitter that they will travel to the capital to face Union Berlin on Saturday.

Manchester City and UEFA have agreed to postpone the club's second-leg match against Real Madrid in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League. 

The Citizens had a 2-1 lead after the first leg thanks to goals from Gabriel Jesus and Kevin De Bruyne, with the return fixture originally scheduled for Tuesday at the Etihad Stadium.

City confirmed the news on the club's official website and revealed the decision was taken after "confirmation that players from Real Madrid will self-isolate for fifteen days, after it emerged that a player from the club’s basketball team tested positive for COVID-19."

Real and the rest of La Liga have seen matches suspended for at least the next two weeks, per BBC Sport.

It's part of a growing response from European football to the spread of the coronavirus, an outbreak now classed as a pandemic by the World Health Organisation, per Donald G. McNeil Jr. of The New York Times.

Tuesday's scheduled Champions League last-16 second leg between Juventus vs. Lyon has also been postponed, with the latter 1-0 up after the first meeting.

Following the quarantine imposed on players of Juventus and Real Madrid, the following #UCL matches will not take place as scheduled.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Manchester City – Real Madrid 🇪🇸
🇮🇹 Juventus – Olympique Lyonnais 🇫🇷

Further decisions on the matches will be communicated in due course.

— UEFA (@UEFA) March 12, 2020

Juve centre-back Daniele Rugani tested positive for the coronavirus but tweeted he is "fine" (h/t Joe Tanner of Sky Sports).

City sent "best wishes to the players and staff at Real Madrid's football and basketball teams." The club also promised any details about rescheduling or ticketing would be released.

It marks the second time in a matter of days City have had a game postponed. Wednesday's home fixture against Arsenal, the Citizens' game in hand in the Premier League, was called off.

The Gunners had previously hosted Olympiacos in the second leg of the last 32 of the UEFA Europa League. Olympiacos owner Evangelos Marinakis had contracted COVID-19, so England's top flight adhered to government guidelines and postponed the fixture, per Arsenal's official website.

The steps taken by European football's governing body and others are the latest in a series of measures taken by sports authorities across the continent. Matches in Italy's Serie A have been halted until April 3, while matches will be played behind closed doors in France's Ligue 1 until April 15.

Over 118,000 people have been infected with the virus, according to CNN.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has said he's unsure why Atletico Madrid don't play what he deems to be "proper football." 

The Reds were eliminated from the UEFA Champions League by Atletico on Wednesday. Having gone 2-0 up on the night in extra time, Liverpool caved in after an error from goalkeeper Adrian; they were eventually beaten 3-2 at Anfield and 4-2 on aggregate in the last-16 tie.

Over the course of the two legs, Atletico sat deep and defended for long spells against the Premier League leaders. Speaking to BT Sport after Wednesday's encounter, Klopp was critical of the brand of the Madrid outfit's brand of football (h/t Goal):

"I am completely happy with the performance. It's so difficult to play a side like this. I don't understand, with the quality they have, the football they play. They could play proper football, but they stand deep and have counter-attacks.

"We accept it of course, but it doesn't feel right tonight. I realise I am a really bad loser, especially when the boys put such an effort in against world-class players on the other side who defend with two rows of four.

"We know in the last two years we had some lucky moments in the Champions League, you have to to reach two finals, but today it was everything was against us in the decisive moments."

Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone was asked about Klopp's comments following the game:

Klopp's "proper football" comments put to Simeone. Asked how he plays:

"To win. With all our soul."

— Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) March 11, 2020

Georginio Wijnaldum put Liverpool ahead on the night, giving them a 1-0 lead after 90 minutes and taking the tie into extra time.

Roberto Firmino's goal then gave Liverpool the aggregate lead in the contest, only for Marcos Llorente's brace to stun Anfield. Alvaro Morata added the gloss to the scoreline in the dying embers of the game, capping off a slick counter-attack:

https://twitter.com/brlive/status/1237869572209782786

Under Simeone's tutelage, Atletico have long had a reputation for being defensive. While the style of play may not be palatable for all, the coach has steered Madrid to a La Liga title, UEFA Europa League success and two Champions League finals.

Against Liverpool, they rode their luck at times, with goalkeeper Jan Oblak springing into action on numerous occasions to keep out efforts from those in red. Some have suggested the Premier League side were extremely unfortunate:

Please spare me all this inevitable Simeone masterclass nonsense. There’s nothing genius about putting 11 top class footballers behind the ball. Liverpool absolutely pumped them throughout.

— Michael Owen (@themichaelowen) March 12, 2020

Fox Soccer summed up what a huge achievement it was for Simeone and his players to beat Liverpool:

Diego Simeone just handed Liverpool their:

❌ 1st loss at Anfield in 43 games
❌ 1st European defeat at Anfield since 2014
❌ 1st European defeat in a two-legged tie since 2015 pic.twitter.com/avgbnMu7NL

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) March 11, 2020

Atletico have had a challenging campaign in the main, with the team struggling to produce consistent performances in La Liga following the departures of Diego Godin, Rodrigo and Antoine Griezmann last summer.

While Klopp will be pleased with the way his team played, he will be disappointed at how wasteful the Reds were when opportunities arose. Against an outfit like Atletico, they need to be seized.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has said he does not "blame" goalkeeper Adrian for the team's UEFA Champions League exit to Atletico Madrid on Wednesday. 

The European champions were knocked out of the competition in dramatic fashion at Anfield, with Atletico winning 3-2 after extra time and 4-2 on aggregate.

The Reds were in control of the tie after taking a 2-0 lead on the night, only for Adrian's error to allow Marcos Llorente to give the La Liga outfit a route back into the match. The goalkeeper miskicked a routine clearance back to Atletico and then slipped when trying to save Llorente's long-range effort.

Speaking after the game, Klopp said Adrian made a poor choice but was adamant that he should not be levelled with the blame for the team's Champions League exit:

"Everyone who saw the game knows that it could have been different. I loved the first 90 minutes. Our only mistake was we scored our second goal too late. I loved the football we played. We caused them so many problems.

"It was really exceptional. … The pass [from Adrian] was not. I love the boy, but that is the wrong decision. It was then a bit easy to finish the situation off for them. We will not blame. He is a man, and he knows he made a mistake. We will not judge him."

Liverpool were 1-0 winners in normal time thanks to Georginio Wijnaldum's header. Roberto Firmino then put them ahead on aggregate in extra time, only for Atletico to mount an impressive fightback; Llorente scored twice from range, and Alvaro Morata wrapped the tie up late on:

https://twitter.com/brlive/status/1237862438675959809

Adrian started the game because of an injury to Liverpool's first-choice goalkeeper, Alisson Becker. The Reds have suffered because of poor goalkeeping in the Champions League in recent years:

4 - Since the start of the 2017-18 campaign, Liverpool's goalkeepers have made more errors leading to goals in the Champions League than any other team's keepers in this period (4 - Adrian x1 + Karius x3). Calamity. pic.twitter.com/OteHSxNpFt

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 11, 2020

In the early weeks of the season, Adrian did a fine job deputising for Alisson when he was injured, with his performance in the Super Cup win over Chelsea perhaps the most memorable.

However, this spell in the side has been challenging. In the FA Cup loss to Chelsea, his fumbled attempt to stop Willian's shot allowed the Blues to take the lead, and on Wednesday, he again lost concentration at a vital time in the match.

Playing in a game of such magnitude is a new experience for Adrian:

He has never been close to playing at Champions League level, let alone for the defending champions - a team which dominates possession and plays a very high line. He doesn't expect to play very often, fate has decided he played in one of Liverpool's most crucial games.

— The Tactical Times (@Tactical_Times) March 11, 2020

Alisson has proved himself as one of the best goalkeepers on the planet, and there's every chance the result of the tie would have been different if he was fit for the game. The Brazilian is set for more time on the sidelines though, as it's been confirmed he will miss Monday's Merseyside derby with Everton.

It's been a disappointing month for the Reds, with eliminations in both the FA Cup and the Champions League. The campaign will still be one to remember for them, though, with just two wins required for them to win the Premier League title.

Diego Simeone has compared Jan Oblak's impact to that of Barcelona's Lionel Messi after the goalkeeper played a key role in Atletico Madrid's "historic" 3-2 extra-time win over Liverpool at Anfield on Wednesday. 

The UEFA Champions League titleholders won 1-0 in 90 minutes to draw 1-1 on aggregate and force extra time in the last 16, but goals from Marcos Llorente helped seal Liverpool's exit. Georginio Wijnaldum and Roberto Firmino scored on the evening but couldn't prevent a 4-2 aggregate defeat.

Oblak was named man of the match for his performance on Merseyside, and Simeone told reporters after the game: "Our goalkeeper is the best in the world. He decides games the way [Lionel] Messi does for Barcelona."

Liverpool reserve keeper Adrian played a critical role for opposing reasons at the other end of the field, with regular No. 1 Alisson Becker missing the second leg because of injury.

Firmino's 94th-minute goal put Liverpool 2-0 ahead on the night (2-1 on aggregate) and within sight of the quarter-finals, but Adrian's poor clearance minutes later allowed Llorente to bag a vital away goal (U.S. viewers only):

https://twitter.com/brlive/status/1237862438675959809

The Atletico substitute showed remarkable composure in the 106th minute to score his second—which Adrian arguably should have saved—before assisting Alvaro Morata for a late blow at the death (U.S. viewers only):

https://twitter.com/brlive/status/1237864192717316096

https://twitter.com/brlive/status/1237869572209782786

Oblak's side have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last four outings but are now unbeaten in seven games (including extra time), and Squawka highlighted the Slovenian's match-saving input on Wednesday:

Jan Oblak made NINE saves against Liverpool, the most by any goalkeeper at Anfield in the Champions League this season and the most in a single UCL knockout game so far in 2019/20.

The best in the world? 🐙 pic.twitter.com/iCXYcc58v5

— Squawka (@Squawka) March 11, 2020

Los Rojiblancos have advanced to the competition's quarter-finals for the first time since 2017, and Simeone added: "I'm happy for the club that once again we are among the eight best teams in Europe. It was historic, beautiful. Their supporters pushed them as ours did at the Wanda but we stuck with the plan."

It was clear from Atletico's second-half display that they were content going to extra time, with Simeone's substitutions and the squad's fitness among the key factors in their advance to the next round.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp told BT Sport (h/t Evening Standard's Joe Krishnan) after the game he didn't understand why Atletico, with the players they possess, don't play "proper football."

Simeone was asked to comment on those remarks and outlined a different sole objective:

Klopp's "proper football" comments put to Simeone. Asked how he plays:

"To win. With all our soul."

— Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) March 11, 2020

Oblak came under particularly heavy pressure in the second half of normal time but was instrumental for his side throughout, while Adrian's outing will inevitably be remembered for far different reasons.

Paris Saint-Germain beat Borussia Dortmund 2-0 at an empty Parc des Princes on Wednesday to also advance (3-2 on aggregate), joining RB Leipzig and Atalanta in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Liverpool's UEFA Champions League defence came to a stuttering end on Wednesday amid a series of gaffes from backup goalkeeper Adrian. The Spaniard replaced the injured Alisson Becker for the last-16 second-leg tie against Atletico Madrid, but he failed to keep out two long-range shots from substitute Marcos Llorente.

Atleti's unlikely two-goal hero helped to secure an improbable 3-2 win at Anfield after extra time. Alvaro Morata's goal late on not only continued the streak of players coming off the bench to make the difference for Diego Simeone's side, but it also secured a 4-2 aggregate triumph.

Atletico will be joined in the draw for the last eight by a Neymar-inspired Paris Saint-Germain. The world's most expensive player headed Les Parisiens in front against Borussia Dortmund en route to a 2-0 win at an Parc des Princes without fans.

A usually free-scoring Dortmund team mustered little in response largely because prolific striker Erling Haaland endured an uncharacteristic off night.

           

Wednesday Scores

• Liverpool 2-3 Atletico Madrid (Atletico win 4-2 on aggregate)
• Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 Borussia Dortmund (PSG win 3-2 on aggregate)

               

Winner: Marcos Llorente

It's difficult to describe how unlikely a match-winner Llorente was. Largely disappointing since arriving from neighbours Real in a deal worth €40 million last summer, the 25-year-old looked nothing more than an additional body for defensive areas when he entered the fray in place of Diego Costa on 56 minutes.

A holding midfielder coming on for a striker with Atletico 1-0 down looked like a pretty clear signal about the lack of attacking intent from the Argentinian's team. Costa was suitably unimpressed by a decision that was classic Simeone.

Diego Costa™ pic.twitter.com/dT1jXjqB4t

— B/R Football (@brfootball) March 11, 2020

For a long time, that's how things played out, but the proof that there's more to Llorente's game came seven minutes into extra time. He profited from Adrian's mistake and beat the stopper with an angled drive into the bottom corner.

Llorente's opener halted the celebrations born of Roberto Firmino putting the hosts ahead moments earlier:

167 - There were just 167 seconds between Roberto Firmino's goal for Liverpool and Marcos Llorente's strike for Atlético Madrid. Response. pic.twitter.com/rOqI3wIAbl

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 11, 2020

Not content with creating one major shock, Llorente was unerringly accurate after Morata played him in during stoppage time of the first half of the extra period. The midfielder’s second strike gave Liverpool too much to do in order to progress.

Adding some context to Llorente's rare mention on the scoresheet further underlines his status as the most unlikeliest of heroes.

Marcos Llorente had scored three senior goals in entire club career until tonight. Over 6,000 minutes of football. Now two more inside 10 mins.

— Dermot Corrigan (@dermotmcorrigan) March 11, 2020

His out-of-nothing star turn fit an Atleti team never more dangerous than when playing as underdogs.

            

Loser: Adrian

For all the plaudits sure to be lavished upon Simeone and his players, Atleti wouldn't have got near Liverpool without significant but unintentional help from Adrian.

More goals and a comfortable procession into the quarter-final appeared inevitable after Firmino added to Georginio Wijnaldum's first-half header in the first half of extra time. Yet Adrian flipped the script in an instant when his errant pass out of the box rolled to Joao Felix, who swiftly teed up Llorente:

https://twitter.com/brlive/status/1237862438675959809

All eyes on Adrián 😶

What happened here?!

As it stands Atletico are going through! pic.twitter.com/XhoEqFKN5d

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 11, 2020

After appearing to slip when trying to get to Llorente's first finish, Adrian hardly did better with the second. The 33-year-old again appeared slow to get down to the ball, showing a worrying vulnerability to efforts from distance:

🧤Goals conceded from outside the box in @ChampionsLeague by @LFC goalkeepers since start of last season

2⃣ Adrian (285 mins played)
2⃣ Alisson (1620 mins played) pic.twitter.com/N0CCtnsuQJ

— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) March 11, 2020

Questions also needed to be asked about the former Real Betis man's attempts to deal with Morata's 121st-minute goal.

https://twitter.com/brlive/status/1237869572209782786

Liverpool have been hurt by goalkeepers in this competition before. Adrian's miserable night belongs in a hall of shame with the past blunders of Loris Karius and Simon Mignolet.

It's a painful reminder of the need for a deputy keeper who can be trusted to excel when filling in rather than one merely fit for emergencies only.

             

Winner: Neymar

There may be critics who think he goes to ground too easily and picks his moments to play, but Neymar's record at this level commands respect. The Brazilian padded an already impressive tally when he was left unmarked to head in from a corner on 28 minutes.

🔴🔵 Neymar's record in the #UCL = 🔥🔥🔥

🇧🇷 @neymarjr pic.twitter.com/HbcX9ADhUc

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) March 11, 2020

With Kylian Mbappe on the bench, the onus was on Neymar to make the difference for PSG. Doing so in this tournament is why PSG paid a world-record fee to bring over Neymar from Barcelona.

Making headway in the Champions League has still proved a problem, but Neymar's magic is still PSG's best means of finally getting it right in Europe. The forward has 18 goals to his credit in all competitions this season, and few teams left in the draw will relish having to contain the prolific No. 10 in the last eight.

             

Loser: Erling Haaland

Haaland had barely put a foot wrong in the Champions League this season. His two goals were enough for Dortmund to win the first leg and added to the eight he had already scored for Red Bull Salzburg before his January transfer.

Momentum, form and timing all appeared to be on the 19-year-old's side for the visit to the French capital. Outperforming Neymar and helping to seal PSG's fate would have been the perfect way for Haaland to announce himself as more than a gifted youngster with potential.

Global superstardom awaited, but the Norwegian couldn't reach it because of a largely anonymous showing:

Erling Haaland completed just 4 passes in the first half vs. PSG, 2 of which we from kick off. He also failed to take a shot, create a chance or complete a take-on.

Tuchel’s side are keeping the youngster quiet so far. 🤫 pic.twitter.com/t1h9JF0Tpr

— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) March 11, 2020

Enduring such a quiet game against a vulnerable PSG back line missing talisman Thiago Silva only added to Haaland's disappointment. In fairness, he was hardly helped by a rare lack of service from those around him.

Dortmund couldn't control the play while being overwhelmed in midfield by a PSG unit underpinned brilliantly by formidable enforcer Idrissa Gueye. The problem revealed how beholden Haaland is to his supporting cast.

He's an exceptional finisher, but the Norway international is not going to dictate a game in other ways himself the way Neymar can.

Neymar did Haaland's celebration ☠️ https://t.co/5RArW1Em9F

— B/R Football (@brfootball) March 11, 2020

Haaland will remain a touted prospect, but some expectations will need to be readjusted while he continues his development.