PSG Moves Closer to Champions League Knockout Stage After Key Victory

PARIS, France – Paris Saint-Germain secured a convincing 2-0 victory over Brest, moving one step closer to advancing to the UEFA Champions League Round of 16. The decisive goals came from Bradley Barcola in the first half and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia just before halftime, putting PSG in a strong position as the match drew to a close.

Barcola opened the scoring by skillfully redirecting a cross, which created an opportunity for Kvaratskhelia to score his first Champions League goal. In the 39th minute, Kvaratskhelia executed a precise finish from a challenging angle, taking full advantage of Barcola’s assist.

“We executed the game plan well, and it feels great to help the team,” Kvaratskhelia said after the match. “We are focused on the next round, and we are excited to see who we will face.”

With this win, PSG now prepares to face either FC Barcelona or Liverpool in the knockout stage, depending on the outcomes of remaining qualifying matches. To secure their advancement, PSG simply needs to manage the remaining minutes of the current game effectively.

In another Champions League playoff matchup, Benfica emerged victorious against a beleaguered Monaco side with a 1-0 win, thanks to a clever finish from Vangelis Pavlidis. The match, held at Stade Louis II, saw Monaco reduced to 10 men when Al Musrati was sent off for receiving two yellow cards.

The first half ended goalless, with both teams having opportunities, but it was Pavlidis who broke the deadlock shortly after the restart. He delicately lifted the ball over Monaco’s goalkeeper, Radoslaw Majecki, just three minutes into the second half.

Monaco’s bad luck continued when Musrati was handed a second yellow card for dissent just minutes later, further complicating their efforts to level the score. Although Benfica pressed for additional goals, the single tally proved enough to give them a favorable position for the second leg of the playoff in Lisbon.