Liverpool 3-0 Manchester City
And nights under the floodlights are made for these types of football games!
This was the Champions League at its most frenetic and Manchester City didn’t know what had hit them.
It’s arguable they never recovered from the moment thuggish home supporters, a minority it must be said, threw objects at the team bus upon its arrival at Anfield.
Either way, the pre-match betting tips of goals galore were realised sooner than imagined in a blistering start for the home side.
A stunning first half saw Jurgen Klopp’s men leave Man City reeling and shell-shocked.
The good City opening counted for nothing inside 12 minutes as Mohamed Salah – who arguably now deserves the player of the year gong ahead of Kevin de Bruyne – lashed home his 38th goal of an incredible season.
If he was offside, he wasn’t hanging around to find out and Anfield was a cauldron of noise.
The jubilation turned to ecstasy within eight minutes as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain scored one of the best goals he will surely ever score with an unstoppable 25 yard strike.
The ecstasy turned to dreamland when Sadio Mane headed home the third just past the half hour – everyone inside the famous ground and the millions watching were in disbelief!
For all their possession, City could not even register a shot on target and even the loss of Salah to injury, his departure left many a home fan worried, failed to alter the balance.
A Gabriel Jesus goal, disallowed for offside five minutes from time, summed up City’s night, especially after replays had showed Salah’s opener should not have stood for the same reason.
A bit of luck for Liverpool but my word they earned it!
Barcelona 4-1 AS Roma
Events on Merseyside were in stark contrast to events in the Nou Camp where, while not without frenetic moments, had a more composed feel about them.
An evening which started with the Nou Camp paying homage to their own maestro, Lionel Messi, for reaching a milestone 100 Champions League goals, ended with the Catalan giants planting one foot in the semi-final where they have not been since 2015 when they went onto win the trophy.
As home fans demanded the release of prisoners as ongoing political upheaval in the region continues, away supporters rued the absence of the injured midfielder Radja Nainggolan but even the Belgian may have struggled to help the Italian lack of fortune.
Ivan Rakitic had hit the post early on but Roma were holding out until skipper Danielle De Rossi turned the ball past his own goalkeeper seven minutes before the break.
Ten minutes after the restart their luck was again out when the ball hit Kostas Manolas and went into his own net – it was the fifth own goal Barca have benefited from in this season’s competition.
Gerard Pique made the game and almost certainly the tie safe just before the hour.
The hard working Edin Dzeko gave Roma hope 10 minutes from time, that is until Luis Suarez added a fourth three minutes from the end.
A convincing victory on a night where Barca also had luck on their side but ran out deserved winners.
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