The UEFA Champions League quarterfinals kicked off with an exciting start as Arsenal managed to secure a draw against Bayern Munich, while Real Madrid fought hard to hold Manchester City to a thrilling 3-3 stalemate. The first leg matches saw two draws, with Barcelona emerging victorious over PSG with a 3-2 win, thanks to Raphinha's impressive brace, and Atletico Madrid securing a 2-1 victory against Borussia Dortmund.
Let's delve into some key statistics that defined the opening day of the UCL quarterfinals:
- Kylian Mbappe failed to register a shot on target in a home UCL match for the first time since September 2021 against Man City, ending his seven-game scoring streak against Spanish clubs.
- No French club has ever advanced in the UCL knockouts after losing the first leg at home, with PSG accounting for four of the seven instances.
- Raphinha became the first Barcelona player to score multiple goals in a UCL knockout stage game since Lionel Messi in May 2019.
- Bernardo Silva's goal at 1:48 marked the second-quickest goal scored against one of Carlo Ancelotti's teams in the Champions League.
- Barcelona scored three goals in an away UCL knockout stage game for the first time since 2015, coincidentally against PSG.
- Manchester City have maintained an unbeaten streak in UCL matches since May 2022 at the Santiago Bernabeu, with 21 games without a loss.
- Phil Foden, at 23 years and 317 days, became the second youngest Englishman to score 15 UCL goals after Wayne Rooney.
- Real Madrid extended their home unbeaten streak to 27 games, the longest since January 2012-May 2013.
- Carlo Ancelotti reached a milestone by coaching his 200th game in the UEFA Champions League.
- Arsenal ended a 5,118-day drought by scoring their first UCL goal in the quarterfinals since April 6, 2010.
These statistics highlight the intense competition and remarkable performances witnessed in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals, setting the stage for an exciting conclusion in the upcoming matches.
