Manchester City staged a thrilling comeback against Club Brugge to secure their place in the Champions League knockout phase with a 3-1 victory on Wednesday. They were joined by Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Arsenal, who also ensured progression to the last 16 in the final round of league-phase matches.
Reigning Premier League champions Manchester City overcame an early setback to avoid an embarrassing exit. Their victory sets up a blockbuster play-off tie next month against either title holders Real Madrid or Bayern Munich.
PSG delivered an emphatic performance with a 4-1 triumph over Stuttgart, solidifying their position in the competition. Last week, they defeated Manchester City 4-2, showcasing their dominant form.
Arsenal clinched a direct spot in the last 16, needing only a point but securing a 2-1 victory over Girona thanks to goals from Jorginho and young talent Ethan Nwaneri.
Inter Milan sealed fourth place in the standings by defeating a 10-man Monaco side 3-0. Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid continued their impressive run, making it five straight Champions League wins with a commanding 4-1 victory over Salzburg in Austria.
Bayer Leverkusen also progressed by beating Sparta Prague 2-0. Lille emerged as the only French side to secure a top-eight finish, thrashing Feyenoord 6-1.
Aston Villa, making their first appearance in the competition in 42 years, narrowly grabbed eighth place. Morgan Rogers' hat-trick inspired them to a 4-2 win over Celtic, marking a memorable return to European football.
Several high-profile teams, including Atalanta, Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and AC Milan, finished just one point shy of the top eight. They will join the play-off draw alongside PSV Eindhoven, Benfica, Monaco, Brest, Feyenoord, Juventus, Celtic, Sporting Lisbon, and Club Brugge.
AC Milan dropped out of the top eight following a 2-1 defeat to Dinamo Zagreb, a match turned by the sending off of Yunus Musah in the 39th minute. Despite Dinamo's victory, they were eliminated due to Conrad Harder's equalizer for Sporting Lisbon in their 1-1 draw with Bologna. AC Milan now face a challenging play-off against either local rivals Juventus or Feyenoord.
Liverpool topped their group despite a 3-2 loss at PSV Eindhoven, while Barcelona's 2-2 draw with Atalanta left the Italian side finishing ninth after starting the evening in seventh place.
Reference(s):
Champions League: Man City, PSG stay alive as Arsenal reach last 16
cgtn.com
