IFFHS CONTINENTAL NEWS - UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Picture : Andriy Lunin was the hero of Madrid, stopping two penalties !
Statistics on Champions’ League quarterfinals (April 17)
Manchester City vs Real Madrid 1-1 (pen 3-4)
*Real Madrid have eliminated the reigning Champions League title-holders 6 times in knock-out ties (1998, 2000, 2002, 2014, 2022, 2024): at least twice as often as any other side in the competition's history.
Taking into account also the European Cup era (1955-1992), Real Madrid have eliminated the European champions as many as 10 times; the next is Juventus with 5 such cases.
*Carlo Ancelotti as Real Madrid has won 12 UCL playoff ties out of 14 (he failed to do it only vs Juventus in the 2015 semi-finals and vs Manchester City in 2023 semi-finals).
*Ancelotti and Guardiola are now coaches with the most appearances in the European Cup/Champions League semi-finals (10 for each).
Ancelotti did it once with Juventus (1999), 4 times with Milan (2003, 2005, 2006 and 2007) and now 5 with Real Madrid (2014, 2015, 2022, 2023 and 2024).
*Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City) has scored his 11th consecutive UCL goal in just a playoff stage. He didn’t score in the group stage of the Champions League for 7 last years.
*It was 8th extra-time for Real Madrid in UCL; they have played more extra-times than any other team in the history of competition (the next are Chelsea and Atletico Madrid, 7 for each).
*All 6 last cases with extra-time in UCL were successful for “Los Blancos”: they progressed every time.
*Real Madrid have won 11 out of 15 penalty shootouts in all competitions, including all last 4:
2016 vs Atlético (UCL final),
2020 vs Atlético (Super Cup),
2023 vs Valencia (Super Cup),
2024 vs Manchster City (UCL quarter-finals).
Bayern vs Arsenal 1-0
*Bayern have eliminated Arsenal in the Champions League knockout stage for the 5th time.
Only Real Madrid have eliminated a single opponent more times (6 vs Bayern) in knock-out ties in the competition.
*Thomas Tuchel became the first German coach to reach the UCL semifinals with 3 different clubs (PSG, Chelsea and Bayern Munich).
*For the 7th time in XXI Century, a Champions League edition remains without English teams in the semi-finals (2002-03, 2009-10, 2012-13, 2014-15, 2016-17, 2019-20, 2023-24).
*32 goals were scored in 8 Champions League quarter-finals of this edition: the most scored at this stage in any season in the competition.