Dortmund and Atletico enter CL quarters amid contrasting results

Borussia Dortmund reached the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time since 2021 after Jadon Sancho and Marco Reus goals eliminated PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday but last season’s runners-up Inter crashed out on penalties.

Dortmund had drawn 1-1 in the Netherlands last month and Sancho’s early shot from 20 metres and Reus’ late strike were enough for a 3-1 aggregate success.

Inter meanwhile went out 3-2 on penalties having lost 2-1 at Atletico Madrid after extra-time. A late Memphis Depay goal for the Spaniards had levelled the tie at 2-2 overall in normal time.

Alexis Sanchez and Saul Niguez both had spot-kicks saved in the shoot-out before Davy Klaassen’s penalty was superbly kept out Jan Oblak and Lautaro Martinez blasted over to leave the last eight of Europe’s premier club competition without Italian representation.

Sancho, who scored his first goal since returning to Dortmund in the Bundesliga win at Werder Bremen on Saturday, made it two in two after just 3 minutes.

The English winger had endured a painful first half of the season having been banished from the Manchester United first team over his perceived ill-discipline, but returning on-loan to Dortmund has rekindled his old spirit.

Niclas Füllkrug fired wide as the hosts dominated the opening period against the team managed by Dortmund’s former boss Peter Bosz, while Dutchman Donyell Malen also had a good chance on 15 minutes against his ex-club.

The 80,000 or so home fans were in vociferous form and PSV struggled to get into the game as the 1997 winners pounced on every mistake, roared on by the crowd.

PSV improved in the second half, with substitute Hirving Lozano striking the post and Johan Bakayoko having a shot well saved by Gregor Kobel, but Dortmund were always a threat and had a Füllkrug goal ruled out for a very tight offside.

Luuk de Jong blazed over a glorious chance for the visitors late on and almost immediately, Isaac Babadi’s slip let in Dortmund substitute Reus to score in stoppage time.

Kobel told DAZN: “It is mega, mega cool, I’m really excited to have qualified.

“We didn’t let them breathe early on, we had chance after chance.”

In Madrid, Simone Inzaghi’s runaway Serie A leaders took the lead just after the half hour when wing back Federico Dimarco finished off a fine move.

But soon after the home side were level, their all-time leading scorer Antoine Griezmann netting after Koke’s deflected through-ball sat up invitingly for the France international.

Griezmann was then denied by Yann Sommer in the second half but substitute Depay equalized on 87 after waves of pressure to send the game to an additional 30 minutes.

After a fairly cagey extra-time, Inter fell apart in the shoot-out.

Record winners Real Madrid, holders Manchester City, six-times champions Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain all progressed to the quarter-finals last week.

On Tuesday, Barcelona and Arsenal joined them in the open draw, which takes place on Friday.

The quarters are scheduled for April 9-10 and April 16-17.

Borussia Dortmund’s Emre Can (2nd R) and Eindhoven’s Malik Tillman (C) battle for the ball during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, second leg soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and PSV Eindhoven at Signal Iduna Park. Bernd Thissen/dpa

Borussia Dortmund’s Salih zcan (L) and Eindhoven’s Malik Tillman battle for the ball during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, second leg soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and PSV Eindhoven at Signal Iduna Park. Federico Gambarini/dpa

Borussia Dortmund’s Julian Brandt (L) and Eindhoven’s Joey Veerman battle for the ball during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, second leg soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and PSV Eindhoven at Signal Iduna Park. Bernd Thissen/dpa

Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann celebrates after scoring his side’s first goal of the game during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, second leg soccer match between Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan at Civitas Metropolitan Stadium. Jonathan Moscrop/CSM via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa

Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann scores his side’s first goal of the game during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, second leg soccer match between Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan at Civitas Metropolitan Stadium. Jonathan Moscrop/CSM via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa

Atletico Madrid head coach Diego Simeone (R) stands on the touchline during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, second leg soccer match between Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan at Civitas Metropolitan Stadium. Fabio Sasso/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa