Barca thrash Newcastle, Liverpool cruise into UCL quarters, Bayern, Atletico also advance

Barcelona stormed into the Champions League quarterfinals on Wednesday, routing Newcastle United 7-2 at Camp Nou for an 8-3 aggregate victory, reported Xinhua.

After last week's 1-1 draw in Newcastle left the tie finely poised, Barcelona blew it open with a ruthless second-half display. Fermin Lopez, Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha led the way as the Spanish side overwhelmed Newcastle after the break.

The first half had been a breathless affair in front of 60,000 fans, with five goals and chances at both ends.

Raphinha gave Barcelona the lead in the sixth minute after being played through by Fermin Lopez, but Newcastle responded quickly when Anthony Elanga finished from an angle after a diagonal pass from left-back Lewis Hall.

Barcelona restored its advantage in the 18th minute, Marc Bernal poking home from close range after Gerard Martin knocked down a free kick to expose slack Newcastle marking.

Newcastle hit back again as Elanga grabbed his second of the night, turning in after Harvey Barnes' cross took a slight deflection and fell kindly for a simple finish.

The game continued at a furious pace. Dan Burn produced a vital block to deny Lewandowski, while Lamine Yamal missed from close range when he looked certain to score.

Yamal made up for that miss in first-half stoppage time, converting a penalty after Kieran Trippier pulled back Raphinha.

If the opening period had been evenly contested, the second half belonged entirely to Barcelona.

Fermin Lopez made it 4-2 after Lewandowski's flick sent him clear on goal. Lewandowski then added a fifth with a header from Raphinha's corner while Newcastle was briefly down to 10 men after Sandro Tonali went off with a thigh injury.

Lewandowski struck again on the hour mark, finishing from a fine pass by Yamal, before Raphinha completed the scoring after Joe Willock's costly error.

With the result beyond doubt, Barcelona coach Hansi Flick was able to make changes and rest key players ahead of the weekend.

Meanwhile, Liverpool FC overturned a first-leg deficit in style, hammering Galatasaray SK 4-0 to progress 4-1 on aggregate, reported ANI.

The Reds delivered a dominant all-round performance, with multiple goal scorers stepping up in a clinical display at home stadium Anfield.

Dominik Szoboszlao (25th minute), Hugo Ekitike (51st minute), Ryan Gravenberch (53rd minute) and Mohamed Salah (62nd minute) found their names on the scoresheet for Arsenal.

In another gripping encounter, Tottenham Hotspur secured a 3-2 win over Atletico Madrid in the second leg. However, the result was not enough, as Atletico advanced with a 7-5 aggregate victory, ending Spurs' Champions League campaign despite their spirited fightback.

German giants FC Bayern Munich continued their dominance with a comfortable 4-1 win over Atalanta BC, sealing a massive 10-2 aggregate triumph. Bayern's clinical finishing and control across both legs underlined their credentials as strong title contenders.

With these results, the quarter-final lineup is now confirmed, featuring blockbuster clashes including Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid and Liverpool vs Paris Saint-Germain, as Europe's elite battle for continental glory.