UEFA Champions League 2025 news

Liverpool has been sensationally eliminated from the Champions League after losing to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties on Wednesday (AEDT).

The runaway Premier League leaders held all the cards in the round of 16 tie after winning 1-0 away in Paris last week.

But Ousmane Dembele's early goal for PSG forced extra time and then penalties where giant goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma came up huge with two big shootout saves in a 4-1 triumph.

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Darwin Nunez of Liverpool sees his penalty saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma of Paris Saint-Germain. Getty

Donnarumma first denied Darwin Nunez by diving left and then Curtis Jones by diving right.

The Italian goalkeeper had been maligned at times earlier in the competition for making some high profile blunders.

Desire Doue scored the winning spot kick for PSG, who will now face either Aston Villa or Club Brugge in the quarter-finals.

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Liverpool were one of the favourites to win the Champions League - a trophy PSG have never got their hands on.

The Ligue 1 leaders had lost at this stage in five of the past eight tournaments.

Earlier, Dembele continued his scintillating form by punishing a flat-footed Liverpool on the break in the 12th minute.

Ousmane Dembele of Paris Saint-Germain scores a goal. Getty

The 27-year-old Frenchman is finally realising his immense potential and linked superbly with Bradley Barcola to score as the home defence got themselves in an unseemly tangle.

PSG held that 1-0 lead at halftime.

"I have to say that was the best 45 minutes of football I've seen this season," Stan Sport's Mark Pougatch said from Anfield.

Mohamed Salah of Liverpool. Getty

"That was absolutely electrifying - from (Mo) Salah's two early chances (for Liverpool) and then the way they (PSG) played on.

"The ability to get in behind Liverpool, particularly when Liverpool had quite a high line and the pace of Dembele.

"Maybe a little bit of a miscommunication there, but it all happened so quickly, and it's a question of stick or twist for Liverpool, and that's what they're not really sure about.

Achraf Hakimi of Paris Saint-Germain and Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool challenge. Getty

"The whole point about pressing is if you're going to press, you've got to do it together. It's got to be choreographed."

After the shootout disaster, Liverpool manager Arne Slot said it was the best football match he had ever been involved in.

"We played the perfect game apart from scoring goals. It came down to penalties and we as Dutch know how to lose those. It feels a bit unfair," Slot said.

Alisson Becker of Liverpool reacts after Ousmane Dembele of Paris Saint-Germain scores. Getty

"It was the best game of football I have ever been involved in.

"It was an incredible performance, especially if you compare it with last week. We were creating chances and then we were 1-0 down.

"We ran out of luck after last week."

Elsewhere, heavyweights Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Inter Milan advanced to the quarters with ease over Benfica, Bayer Leverkusen and Feyenoord respectively.

Barcelona cruised past Benfica with Raphinha scoring twice and Lamine Yamal once in a 3-1 win at home.

The Catalan club advanced 4-1 on aggregate score after last week's 1-0 victory and will play either Borussia Dortmund or Lille in the quarters.

"My teammates make things much easier for me," Yamal said.

"It was a good goal but sometimes these things come off and sometimes they don't. For the assist, I tried to shoot and Raphinha turned it into a goal."

Bayern made it to the last eight a record 23 times in the Champions League era after a 2-0 win at Leverkusen to advance 5-0 on aggregate.

Harry Kane scored his 10th Champions League goal of the season for Bayern and set up another.

"To beat this team 5-0 over two legs shows the type of team that we are," Kane said.

"We're in the quarter-final now where Bayern Munich should be and we want to keep pushing.

"We just want to enjoy this because it's not easy. Especially when you play your domestic rivals, there's a lot of pressure, there's a lot of intensity that goes into it."

Inter beat Feyenoord 2-1 to complete a 4-1 aggregate win and will take on Bayern in the quarters.

- with AP

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