Liverpool, Juve through, Arsenal gone from Champions League

Spanish midfielder Luis Garcia helped Liverpool temporarily forget its mediocre season in the English Premier League.

Garcia scored twice in a five-minute stretch of the first half Wednesday to help Liverpool rout Beyer Leverkusen, 3-1, and advance to the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League soccer tournament.

Liverpool is tied for fifth in the Premiership, a distant 28 points behind first-place Chelsea. However, it joined the Blues in the round of eight after its 6-2 aggregate win over the German club.

With Liverpool holding a 3-1 lead after the first leg, Garcia all but ended Leverkusen's hopes when he scored in the 28th minute, then added another tally four minutes later. Milan Baros made it 6-1 on aggregate in the 67th minute before Jacek Krzynowek salvaged a late goal for the hosts in the 88th minute.

Fellow English squad Arsenal, third in the Premiership, was not as fortunate against its German opponent, bowing out despite a 1-0 home triumph over Bayern Munich.

Arsenal's Thierry Henry scored in the 66th minute, delighting fans at Highbury. But the Gunners could not record another strike to offset Bayern Munich's 3-1 first-leg victory.

Bayern became the only of three German squads in the round of 16 to advance. Werder Bremen was eliminated by Lyon on Tuesday.

"It is not nice that we are the only ones through to the next round," Bayern coach Felix Magath said. "I would like our rivals in the championship to have joined us but Bayern have always done a lot for German football in international competition.

"Of course, any team that beats Arsenal can beat anyone in Europe. A few of the real big boys have been knocked out already, so that is why the situation is favorable for us. We can win the Champions League but we will have to see which team we are drawn against. We are also in a good position in the German championship and cup. We have great prospects in all three competitions."

Juventus posted a dramatic 2-0 victory over Real Madrid in Turin on Wednesday to eliminate the Spanish powerhouse prior to the quarterfinals for the first time in the history of the prestigious tournament.

The Italian squad dropped the first leg, 1-0, but bounced back at home as substitute David Trezeguet scored the only goal in regulation in the 75th minute, squaring the aggregate.

After Real's Ronaldo and Juve's Alessio Tacchinardi both were handed red cards in the 113th minute, Marcelo Zalayeta blasted a poor clearance by defender Raul Bravo past Iker Casillas in the 115th for the decisive goal for Juventus.

Also Wednesday, Dutch squad PSV Eindhoven posted a 2-0 triumph at Monaco for a 3-0 aggregate victory over the French side, which lost in the final to FC Porto last year.