Barcelona was eradicated from the Champions League on Wednesday even earlier than enduring one more 3-0 beating by Bayern Munich.
Atletico Madrid additionally went out following a rare sequence round a penalty awarded by video assessment after the ultimate whistle of its 2-2 draw with Bayer Leverkusen.
Atlético’s spot kick was saved earlier than a frantic scramble within the goalmouth nonetheless couldn’t deliver the successful aim the Spanish membership wanted to forestall Porto advancing due to its 4-0 win earlier at group chief Membership Brugge.
Two Spanish powers who had been a part of the failed Tremendous League launch final yr will now miss out on the spherical of 16 of Europe’s prime competitors.
Liverpool’s passage into the knockout stage with a recreation to spare was comparatively calm in a 3-0 win at Ajax to affix chief Napoli in advancing from free-scoring Group A, which has had 44 objectives in 10 video games.
In additional stoppage-time drama with video assessment, Tottenham thought it had gained Group D when Harry Kane shot the ball into Sporting Lisbon’s web with seconds left in a recreation tied at 1-1.
A protracted VAR verify dominated Kane had been offside, a livid Tottenham coach Antonio Conte was proven a purple card, and essentially the most finely balanced group goes to the ultimate spherical subsequent week with all 4 groups having an opportunity to advance.
Group chief Tottenham performs at last-placed Marseille subsequent Tuesday whereas Eintracht Frankfurt — which beat Marseille 2-1 on Wednesday — goes to Sporting.
The assembly between heavyweights in Barcelona was rendered meaningless earlier than kickoff, when the five-time European champion’s hopes of advancing had been ended by Inter Milan’s 4-0 win over Viktoria Plzeň in one of many early video games.
Barcelona wanted Inter to drop factors after which nonetheless needed to beat Bayern, which additionally beat the Spanish crew 3-0 in two group conferences final season and gained 2-0 at residence in September.
The end result was clear after Sadio Mané scored within the tenth minute. Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting doubled the lead earlier than halftime and Benjamin Pavard added a 3rd in stoppage time.
Barcelona, even after signing former Bayern star Robert Lewandowski, has now fallen wanting the spherical of 16 in back-to-back seasons since Lionel Messi left in August 2021 for Paris Saint-Germain.
Bayern and Napoli are the one groups with 5 straight wins on this group stage, and the Italian crew’s 3-0 win in opposition to Rangers ran its aim tally to twenty.
WILD FINISH
Atlético needed to beat Leverkusen and bought a nook on the finish of stoppage time tied at 2-2. The hazard was cleared and the ultimate whistle blown earlier than video assessment assistants noticed a handball.
French referee Clement Turpin consulted his display screen on the midway line and gave the penalty, however Belgium midfielder Yannick Carrasco’s effort was pushed away by goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky. The ball then looped up for Atlético’s Saúl Ñíguez to move in opposition to the crossbar. That in flip teed up Reinildo for a shot that seemed goalbound however struck Carrasco’s ankle and bounced over the aim to security.
Atlético, which misplaced misplaced within the last in 2014 and 2016, can now solely hope to safe third place over Leverkusen in Group B and enter the Europa League knockout playoffs in February.
NOT SO SUPER
On Tuesday, Juventus was eradicated. At some point later it was Barcelona’s flip. Two of the three insurgent golf equipment nonetheless backing the failed Tremendous League venture are already out of the Champions League.
Embarrassment on the sector can be a monetary hit for Juventus and Barcelona, who every reported document losses this yr.
Each missed out on a number of million euros ({dollars}) in consequence bonuses provided within the group stage and won’t get the 9.6 million euros ($9.7 million) in prize cash that UEFA awards golf equipment who attain the spherical of 16.
Barcelona, not like Juventus, is no less than positive of switching to the Europa League in February. That’s price 500,000 euros ($504,000) with seven-figure funds for advancing additional.
Of their authorized problem to UEFA, Tremendous League holdouts Barcelona, Juventus and Actual Madrid will obtain a primary, non-binding opinion from the European Court docket of Justice in Luxembourg on Dec. 15.
LUKAKU’S BACK
Romelu Lukaku is again and scoring for Inter Milan after a two-month absence due to a hamstring damage.
The Belgium ahead got here on as a late substitute in opposition to Plzeň, exchanged passes with Joaquín Correa and fired in a left-foot shot.
“I’ve by no means seen a lot love from a crew for a single participant,” Inter goalkeeper André Onana stated. “And he scored, we’re all joyful for him.”
SPOT-KICK STOPPER
Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa has now saved penalty kicks in three straight Champions League video games.
It was 4 straight spot-kick saves, actually, as a result of Costa needed to cease two efforts taken by Membership Brugge in Porto’s 4-0 win.
The keeper, who wears the No. 99 shirt, first dived to his proper to save lots of Hans Vanaken’s try, which was ordered to be retaken due to encroachment within the penalty field. Noah Lang stepped up for the retake and Costa additionally saved that one diving to his left.
Costa, who ought to go to the World Cup as Portugal’s No. 1, additionally saved penalties in residence and away wins over Bayer Leverkusen, from Patrik Schick and Kerem Demirbay.