Pepsi Changemakers: Pivotal instances from the Champions League quarter-final second legs

UEFA Champions League Changemakers, brought to you by Pepsi, picks out the pivotal instances that proved decisive in shifting the momentum in the quarter-final second legs.

Super-sub Chukwueze stuns Bayern

After spending much of the previous 84 minutes on the ropes, Unai Emery turned to the bench as he sensed an opportunity to catch Bayern off guard. Samu Chukwueze, a man 13 games without a goal for Villarreal and yet to register in 2022, was not an obvious choice for match winner. But when the visitors swept upfield on a lightning late break, those attacking instincts all came flooding back as the Nigerian youngster swept in Gerard Moreno's pass with unerring poise.

Brilliant Courtois halts slide

Real Madrid were rocking. Chelsea had just gone ahead on aggregate for the first time in the tie and were pushing for a fourth that would surely have sealed a stunning Bernabéu comeback. The Londoners had dominated set pieces for much of the game and, with just over ten minutes of normal time remaining, Kai Havertz snuck through a crowded penalty area to meet a corner and head goalwards. Cue yet more Thibaut Courtois heroics, the former Blue showcasing his reaction speed as he stuck out a long left arm to miraculously palm clear.

Stones' brave block denies Atleti

Still chasing a one-goal deficit as the full-time whistle loomed, Diego Simeone looked to explore every avenue. Adding three pairs of fresh legs 20 minutes from time, Atlético – who hadn't logged a single attempt on goal in the first leg – suddenly had City on the back foot at the raucous Estadio Metropolitano. A final ten-minute battering ensued, but John Stones was on call, reading the flight of Matheus Cunha's sweetly struck effort as he dipped low to deny the equaliser.

Alisson foils Benfica comeback

They couldn't, could they? Jürgen Klopp conceded that even he allowed himself to think it was job done when Liverpool opened up a 6-2 aggregate lead at home to Benfica. Yet the Eagles dared. Goals from Roman Yaremchuk and Darwin Núñez halved the deficit, and unease on the Kop was swelling when, seven minutes from time, Darwin brilliantly sent a volley on a laser path towards the bottom corner. Alisson Becker donned his invisible cape and, like a superhero, flung himself to his right to claw it away. Crisis averted.