World Champion Sami Khedira and Juventus are into the Champions League quarterfinals. The Italian record champions beat FC Porto 1-0 in the second leg to win 3-0 on aggregate. Leicester City are also through after beating Sevilla 2-0 at home. The Premier League champions turned around a 2-1 deficit from the home leg.
Paulo Dybala put Juventus in front from the penalty sport shortly before the break after Porto’s Maxi Pereira had blocked Gonzalo Higuain’s effort with his hand and received a straight red.
With Khedira in the starting XI, Juve put in a dominant performance but created few clear-cut opportunities to start with. Former Bundesliga player Mario Mandzukic provided the first moment of excitement but he could not find the target with his header and failed to cause Porto keeper Iker Casillas any major problems. However the former European and World champion had no chance of keeping out the home side’s goal on his 175th Champions League appearance.
Brazilian Soares missed the Portuguese side’s best chance to equalise after the break when he was found free in front of Juve captain Gianluigi Buffon but he just missed the target. Fatigue started to set in towards the end for Juventus, who are well on course to win Serie A in Italy and are in their domestic cup final.
Morgan and Albrighton strike for Leicester
Captain Wes Morgan scored Leicester’s opening goal after a cross from a free-kick by African footballer of the year, Riyad Mahrez. Marc Albrighton got the second for the hosts nine minutes into the second half. A tension-filled second 45 minutes was epitomised by Samir Nasri’s sending off after clashing with Jamie Vardy in an off-the-ball incident to receive his second yellow of the night. Steven Nzonzi failed to convert from the spot and take a golden opportunity for Sevilla not long later, after keeper Kasper Schmeichel got down well to save.
Morgan was fortunate to see his effort go in the back of the net after the Jamaican met Mahrez’s cross with his thigh but it was deserved as Leicester put in a thoroughly committed effort in the first half. Sevilla started the second half much better and former Schalke man Christian Fuchs and the rest of the Leicester defence found themselves under huge pressure. Sergio Escudero, also once a Royal Blue, hit a superb strike from distance but saw his shot clatter off the crossbar. However Leicester held on and their remarkable story in Europe continues.