CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Quarter-Finals, First Leg – Tuesday 2nd April

2Europe

Bayern Munich look all but through and Barcelona must have thought the same before a last-kick equaliser by PSG’s Blaise Matuidi.

BAYERN MUNICH 2 (Alaba 1, Müller 63)

JUVENTUS 0

Bayern needed just 26 seconds to take the lead when Austrian David Alaba launched a left-footed rocket from 35 metres out which gave Juventus’s veteran ‘keeper Gianluigi Buffon no chance. The ball took a slight deflection off Arturo Vidal on the way to the bottom right-hand corner in what was one of the fastest goals in the history of the UEFA Champions League.

Toni Kroos’ early groin injury meant Bayern had to shuffle their midfield with Arjen Robben coming onto the right-wing, Thomas Müller moving into the middle with Franck Ribery on the left. Both Ribery and Robben kept Buffon busy with crisp shots, while Bastien Schweinsteiger curled a free-kick just over the top right-hand corner of the goal.

Munich kept up the pressure and the second goal came on 63 minutes when Gustavo fired in a long-range shot, which Buffon parried, but Mario Mandzukic was on hand to square the ball for Müller to tap in. There was more bad news for the Italians as midfielders Arturo Vidal and Stephan Lichtsteiner will both miss the return leg after picking up second-half bookings.

PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN 2 (Ibrahimović 79,

Matuidi 90+4)

BARCELONA 2 (Messi 38, X

avi 89P)

FC Barcelona appeared to have snatched the win when Xavi converted from the spot in the last minute of normal time after Zlatan Ibrahimovic had cancelled out Lionel Messi’s first half opener. The penalty was awarded when Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu stupidly charged out and brought down Alexis Sanchez.

Messi put the Spanish giants into a 38th minute lead when set up superbly by Daniel Alves. This was the four-time Ballon D’Or winner’s 57th goal in all competitions this season. Messi’s night came to a premature end when he suffered a right hamstring injury and failed to emerge for the second half. The Argentina will undergo tests to determine the extent of the damage.

Big Swede Ibrahimovic, who had an unhappy one season spell with Barca, put PSG back in the game when pouncing on a rebound after a Thiago Silva power header in the 79th minute ricocheted off the far post. Then Matuidi popped up in the fourth minute of injury time to give PSG hope for the return leg at the Camp Nou next week.

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