Big-spending Paris Saint-Germain ended an 18-year wait to reach the Champions League quarterfinals on Wednesday while two-time winners Juventus made the last eight for the first time in seven years.

PSG, with David Beckham left on the bench, drew 1-1 at home to Spanish side Valencia at the Parc des Princes which allowed them to progress 3-2 on aggregate.

They had to survive something of a scare, however, with Brazilian attacking midfielder Jonas putting the visitors in front on the night 10 minutes into the second half.

But PSG settled their nerves when Ezequiel Lavezzi, who had also scored at the Mestalla in the first leg, leveled in the 66th minute and PSG held out to secure their place in the last eight for the first time since 1995.

Given the ambitions of the French capital side's mega-rich Qatari owners, failing to make it through would have been nothing short of a disaster, especially given the way they played for most of the first leg.

"We deserved our qualification over the two legs," said PSG coach Carlo Ancelotti. "We didn't play in a relaxed manner in the first half, but paradoxically it was after Valencia scored that we started to play and cause them problems."

In Turin, Juventus, the champions in 1985 and 1996, cruised into the quarterfinals with a 2-0 win over Celtic for an impressive 5-0 aggregate scoreline.

Strikes in either half from Alessandro Matri and Fabio Quagliarella earned Juventus the win, ending all hopes of the "minor miracle" which Celtic manager Neil Lennon had deemed necessary on the eve of the tie.

Juventus were ahead after 24 minutes when Federico Peluso robbed Celtic striker Gary Hooper and fed Quagliarella to the left of goal. When Fraser Forster failed to hold the Italian's shot, Matri ran in to sweep the ball home.

Lennon replaced right back Adam Matthews with Efe Ambrose at halftime, but it was Juventus who moved up a gear. When Juventus' second goal came, it exposed Celtic's defense all too easily.

A long ball from midfield was flighted in for Arturo Vidal, who sneaked in behind Emilio Izaguirre to collect and square for the unmarked Quagliarella to slot home past Forster at the back post.

Meanwhile, Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson and his players face disciplinary action after refusing to speak to the media following their controversial Champions League exit to Real Madrid.

Ferguson is in trouble for not attending the mandatory press conference after his side's 2-1 loss to Real at Old Trafford, a game which turned on the second-half dismissal of Nani.

Assistant manager Mike Phelan faced the press instead while United players passed through the mixed zone refusing to talk to reporters following the team's 3-2 aggregate exit.

The last 16 stage will be completed next week when Schalke and Galatasaray resume after their first leg ended 1-1 and AC Milan take a 2-0 lead to Barcelona.

FC Porto carry a 1-0 advantage to Malaga while Arsenal will try and keep British hopes alive by overturning a 3-1 deficit at Bayern Munich.

AFP - Global Times