UCL: Barcelona exit competition as Bayern extend record-breaking run; Liverpool through to next round
Bayern Munich have extended their record-breaking unbeaten run in the Champions League group stage after cruising to a 3-0 victory against Barcelona at Camp Nou.
Goals from Sadio Mane, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Benjamin Pavard helped the Bavarian giants secure top spot in Group C, with Julian Nagelsmann’s side one of only two teams, along with Napoli, to still have a 100% record in this season’s group stage.
Bayern’s comfortable win in Catalonia has also seen them extend their remarkable unbeaten run in the Champions League group stage to 33 matches – consisting of 30 wins and three draws – the longest such run in the competition’s history
As for Barca, their Champions League fate was already sealed before kickoff and they will now be heading into the Europa League for a second successive season after Inter Milan beat Viktoria Plzen 4-0 earlier this evening.
Barca, who have won only one of their five games in Group C, struggled again against Bayern and they have now lost each of their last six meetings with the German outfit by an aggregate score of 22-4.
Liverpool have secured their progression to the Champions League knockout stages with a comfortable 3-0 win away to Ajax at the Johann Cruyff Arena this evening.
Ajax had dominated the early stages by continually finding gaps in behind Liverpool’s full-backs, with Dusan Tadic wasting by far the hosts’ best opportunity when firing straight at Trent Alexander-Arnold from 12 yards after Brian Brobbey’s cutback.
After weathering an early storm from the hosts, Mohamed Salah broke the deadlock with three minutes of the first half remaining after latching onto Jordan Henderson’s glorious through ball with the outside of his foot, before the Egyptian delicately chipped the onrushing Remko Pasveer.
The Reds will now compete in the Champions League knockout stages for the sixth successive season under Jurgen Klopp’s management, although they will need to beat Napoli by three or more goals at Anfield next week in order to leapfrog the Serie A leaders into top spot in Group A having been beaten 4-1 by them on matchday one.
Ajax, meanwhile, will almost certainly drop down to the Europa League having beaten rock-bottom Rangers 4-0 in the corresponding fixture, meaning last season’s Europa League runners-up would need to win by four or more goals at Ibrox Stadium next week in order to finish third in the group.
With Liverpool trailing Arsenal by 12 points at the top of the Premier League, this competition undoubtedly represents Klopp’s side’s best opportunity of turning what has so far been an extremely difficult season into a glorious one should they go all of the way to the final next summer at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, where of course they have plenty of history having famously beaten AC Milan from three goals down in 2005.
Tottenham Hotspur were left to rue a late VAR call as they missed the chance to qualify for the knockout rounds of the Champions League with a 1-1 draw against Sporting Lisbon in Group D.
The Lilywhites began the game in tepid fashion and were deservedly a goal down at the break courtesy of former academy prospect Marcus Edwards, but Rodrigo Bentancur equalized with 10 minutes remaining before Harry Kane had seemingly won the game for the hosts in the final embers.
However, a lengthy VAR review saw the England captain’s goal chalked off for the tightest of offsides, sparking fury from those in white as Antonio Conte was sent off.
Tottenham collected another point in their efforts to make the knockout rounds, and they remain top of the group after that draw, one point clear of Sporting and Eintracht Frankfurt, who beat Marseille 2-1.
Tottenham travel to face Marseille next week needing a win to ensure a spot in the last-16, as Sporting aim for the same at home to Frankfurt1.
