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Chelsea survived a spectacular late overhead kick from Mehdi Taremi to overcome Porto and confirm a place in the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in seven years.

Thomas Tuchel’s side went into this ‘home’ last-eight second leg – with both games being played in Seville during the current Covid-19 pandemic – protecting a two-goal lead they only briefly threatened to surrender in the dying seconds following Taremi’s brilliant finish.

Chelsea, who will now face either Liverpool or Real Madrid in the semi-final, played within themselves but it was enough to keep a disappointing Porto at bay, the Portuguese side rarely testing keeper Edouard Mendy with their surprisingly cautious approach, which they only cast aside when it was too late.

Mendy’s poor clearance almost offered Jesus Corona a first-half chance but he could not take advantage, while Christian Pulisic and Mason Mount had opportunities after the break.

Taremi’s goal was out of character with the rest of Porto’s performance and came too late to alter the inevitable course of this quarter-final.

• Best action and reaction from Chelsea v Porto in the Champions League

Cool Kante pulls the strings

Chelsea manager Tuchel suggested he might have preferred to keep N’Golo Kante on the bench after a recent hamstring problem, until an injury to fellow midfielder Mateo Kovacic forced his hand.

And he was rewarded with yet another masterclass from the France international, who showed supreme positional sense, tireless work-rate and that uncanny ability to spot any rare danger before prompting attacks of his own.

Kante has been an outstanding figure since Tuchel succeeded Frank Lampard and it is no surprise the German has come to count on him so readily, this understated but world-class performer completing the full 90 minutes despite doubts over his match fitness.

Chelsea adopted an understandably conservative approach, taking no chances and refusing to offer Porto any route back into this tie. Porto were largely lacklustre and rarely showed any of the sparkle that saw them shock Italian giants Juventus in the previous round.

They may not have offered any serious threat of their own, although Mount was denied by superb defending from Porto defender Wilson Manafa.

In reality, however, there was no need whatsoever for Chelsea to take unnecessary risks that may have allowed Porto back in. This was about game management and, despite that last-ditch scare, for Chelsea it was a job very well done.

Can Chelsea win the Champions League?

Chelsea’s hopes of claiming the crown for a second time will certainly be rising after this mature performance, even in eventual defeat, to add to the impressive elimination of the powerful La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid in the last 16.

Tuchel has Chelsea organised, fiercely disciplined and increasing in confidence – a mood that will only grow as they prepare to face either Liverpool or Real Madrid. Yes, this was a loss but the overall tie will be regarded as a highly satisfactory outcome.

The Champions League can often be about timing the run of form and there is no doubt Chelsea have built up impressive momentum under Tuchel aside from the 5-2 thrashing at home to relegation-threatened West Bromwich Albion at Stamford Bridge recently.

Chelsea will show the requisite respect to whoever they face in the semi-final but they will not fear either Liverpool or Real Madrid, depending on who prevails at Anfield on Wednesday.

Tuchel has bolstered their defence and while this was a performance built on those solid foundations and with Kante and Jorginho as the anchors, Chelsea have already shown they have attacking weapons when required.

Chelsea will not shout about their Champions League aspirations – but there is no reason why they should not fancy their chances, even though the record will show this ‘home’ second leg as a defeat.

Only three shots on target

• Chelsea have reached the Champions League semi-finals for the eighth time, more than any other English side in the competition’s history.
• Porto have exited in the Champions League knockout stages on 14 occasions, with 50% of those eliminations coming at the hands of English sides. Porto have been knocked out by an English team on each of the last three occasions they’ve reached the knockout rounds (Liverpool in 2017-18 and 2018-19).
• There were just three shots on target in this match (1 for Chelsea, 2 for Porto), with two of these coming in added time (Christian Pulisic for Chelsea and Mehdi Taremi’s late winner).
• This was just Porto’s second ‘away’ victory in the Champions League knockout stages (D6 L13), after their win at Deportivo in the 2003-04 semi-final.
• This was Porto’s first ever ‘away’ win against an English side in European competition, with the Portuguese side having failed to win any of their first 21 such games (D3 L18).
• Mehdi Taremi’s 93rd-minute strike was the latest Chelsea have conceded in a Champions League game (excluding extra-time) since April 2005 against Bayern Munich, when Mehmet Scholl scored in the 95th minute.
• Jorginho made eight tackles in this match, the most by a Chelsea player in a Champions League game since N’Golo Kanté against Barcelona in March 2018 (also 8).
• Source: BBC Sports

Paris St-Germain were beaten on the night but held on to claim an away-goals victory over holders Bayern Munich that takes them through to the last four of the Champions League.

In a fascinating second leg between the sides that contested last year’s final, PSG were threatening on the break, testing visiting goalkeeper Manuel Neuer a number of times and twice hitting the woodwork through Neymar.

It was Bayern, though, who broke the deadlock, giving themselves hope of a comeback win as Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting rose highest to follow-up David Alaba’s saved shot with a close-range header.

Missing the injured Robert Lewandowski, the German side lacked their usual ruthlessness up front and were unable to find the second goal that would have continued their trophy defence.

Kylian Mbappe thought he had sealed the tie with just over 10 minutes to go, but after breaking clear and firing in the assistant’s flag ruled his effort out.

PSG will face either Borussia Dortmund or Manchester City in the semi-finals, with the latter holding a 2-1 advantage going into Wednesday’s second leg in Germany.

• Best action and reaction from PSG v Bayern Munich in the Champions League

PSG underline their growth

While this result will go some way towards exorcising the demons of last season’s final loss to Bayern, true redemption for PSG will only come if they can taste victory in Istanbul at the end of May.

It wouldn’t be PSG, though, with their recent humbling history of throwing away Champions League leads, if they did so with little fuss or drama and Tuesday’s tie was more nerve-jangling than it needed to be for the French side.

Soaking up pressure and using the pace and trickery of Neymar and Mbappe on the break, they were the more threatening side for much of the contest.

In the first half, Neuer and the goal frame repeatedly stood between them and an opening goal that would have swung the tie heavily in their favour.

But Choupo-Moting’s goal, coming moments after Neymar had struck both the bar and post with shots in the space of three minutes, ushered back memories of Manchester United’s comeback-win in Paris in the last 16 in 2019.

Progress is being made in front of us, though, and PSG were able to reset, re-focus and largely manage the game during a second half in which Bayern again held the larger share of possession of territory but not the required guile.

Eight months on from Lisbon, PSG still have their speed and trickery in attack, but now look to have married it to a much-needed discipline and resolve under Mauricio Pochettino.

With his Tottenham side having lost the 2019 final to Liverpool, Pochettino has Champions League final demons of his own to vanquish.

Get past Borussia Dortmund or Manchester City in the last four and he and his new side will get their chance.

Bayern go backwards

With 64% of possession and 31 shots to PSG’s six, Bayern had themselves and the brilliance of Mbappe to blame for losing the first leg on home soil.

They were able to edge the second leg, but with 14 shots to their name they will again reflect on a performance lacking in the requisite ruthlessness.

They may top the Bundesliga but Bayern have clearly gone backwards since blowing the competition away in the condensed conclusion to last season’s Champions League tournament.

An ill-timed injury to Lewandowski, positive Covid-19 test for Serge Gnabry and behind-the-scenes problems between the club’s hierarchy and coach Hansi Flick have not helped their cause.

Sane summed up their night, wasting a good chance from inside the box in the first half and then, in the game’s final act, stroking a tame low cross into Navas’ grasp with team-mates in abundance in the box.

Be it with Flick in charge or not, they will undoubtedly challenge again, but for now they must focus all their efforts on their domestic campaign and watch on enviously next month as another side takes the Champions League trophy away from them in Istanbul.

Reigning champions fail to reach last four again

• Bayern Munich are the third reigning Champions League winners in a row to fail to reach at least the semi-final stage in the following season in the competition, something that has not happened since four successive teams failed between 2004-05 & 2007-8 (Porto, Liverpool, Barcelona, AC Milan).
• PSG have reached the semi-finals of the Champions League for the second season in a row, after managing to reach the last four only once in their previous 11 campaigns in the competition before that (their first in 1994-95).
• PSH failed to score at home in the Champions League for the first time in 24 games, since a 0-0 draw with Real Madrid in October 2015.
• Bayern Munich mustered 45 shots over their two clashes with Paris SG, the joint-most any team managed against an opponent in two games in the Champions League this season (level with Sevilla v FK Krasnodar).
• Bayern striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting has scored more goals in his two Champions League appearances against PSG (two) than he scored in his 10 games for them in the competition (one).
• Bayern’s Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting has scored four goals in his last five Champions League games, after netting only twice in his first 20 appearances in the competition.
• David Alaba made his 425th appearance in all competitions for Bayern Munich, the joint-most of any foreign player for the club (level with Franck Ribery).
• Source: BBC Sport