David Luiz, whose thunderous header helped knock Chelsea out of the Champions League on Wednesday, apologised to the fans of his former club for his goal celebration even if most of them had gone home by the time he scored it.
The Paris St Germain defender, who won a Champions League winners medal with Chelsea in 2012, powered his header in off the underside of Thibaut Courtois’s crossbar in the 86th minute to level the scores at 1-1 and force the match into extra time.
Eden Hazard put Chelsea ahead 2-1 on the night and 3-2 on aggregate in the 95th minute but the French side equalised nine minutes later to win the tie on the away goals rule.
“Tonight was good for me to score. I said I wouldn’t celebrate but my emotions I couldn’t control,” said the 27-year-old Brazilian.
“Thank you to Chelsea and sorry I celebrated because I was so emotional.”
Luiz, who enjoyed a colourful three-year career at Chelsea before leaving for PSG for 50.0 million pounds ($74.66 million) pounds last summer, played a key role in his team’s victory.
Last season he scored an own goal as the same aggregate score saw Chelsea take the tie on the away goals rule after PSG won 3-1 in Paris and Chelsea won 2-0 in London.
On Wednesday, he was resolute against the physical challenges of Diego Costa, even if he was lucky to stay on the field in the first half after felling the Brazilian-born Spain international when referee Bjorn Kuipers was not looking.
He was booked for feigning injury after another tussle with Costa in the second half, but none of that mattered as PSG held on for a result which had looked unlikely when Zlatan Ibrahimovic was dismissed in the first half.
“It is amazing for everyone, amazing for the Paris club, for Paris city,” he said.
“We did a great game, we tried to win the game. I am happy to be in the next round but we have a long way to go to win the Champions League. We have to keep our feet on the floor.”
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho allowed Luiz to leave Stamford Bridge partly to help pay for the transfer of Costa from Atletico Madrid and partly because the curly-haired defender is prone to erratic mistakes.
He had the last laugh on Wednesday.
“My cycle finished in Chelsea, PSG gave me a great opportunity to continue my career. I was very happy at Chelsea. I respect everyone,” he said.
Rampant Bayern Munich humbled 10-man Shakhtar Donetsk 7-0 on Wednesday to ease into the Champions League quarter-finals and equal the biggest win in the competition’s knockout stages.
After a goalless first leg it was expected to be a close game but it turned into a stroll for the five-times European champions thanks to the early dismissal of Oleksandr Kucher.
Bayern have now won all four home games in Europe this season, scoring 13 goals and conceding none as they set their sights on a sixth European crown.
“I always had faith with my players and I am very happy with their game tonight,” Bayern coach Pep Guardiola, whose team equalled their 7-0 win over Basel in 2012, told reporters.
“People said it may be a tricky game but my players are there for the big moments.
“Obviously the red card changed things but my players perfectly executed our game plan. Sometimes it is not that easy against 10.”
Bayern needed only four minutes to open their account after Mario Goetze was brought down by Kucher and Thomas Mueller converted the spot-kick.
It was the fastest red card in Champions League history from the start of a game and Mueller’s fourth goal this season, all from penalties.
The setback forced a complete change of plan for Shakhtar coach Mircea Lucescu but Bayern were relentless with Arjen Robben missing a huge chance after narrowly failing to connect with a Robert Lewandowski cutback in front of an empty goal.
The Dutchman’s thundering drive then sailed over the bar before he went off with a thigh injury after 19 minutes with a thigh injury.
The substitution did nothing to take the pace out of the Germans’ attacks, with the hosts hitting the post from a Robert Lewandowski header.
Jerome Boateng did better in the 34th, tapping in on the rebound after a Lewandowski shot was temporarily cleared with Shakhtar’s defence in complete disarray.
The Bavarians picked up after the break where they left off with two quick goals from Franck Ribery, who also went off injured, and Mueller. The Germany international joined Mario Gomez on 26 goals as the top all-time German scorers in the competition.
Badstuber scored his first goal since coming back from injuries that ruled him out for two years before Poland striker Lewandowski also got on to the scoresheet.
Goetze made sure of a mention in the record books with the seventh goal of the evening.
