Barcelona was desperate to win over Inter Milan to keep their fate in their own hands. However, they were unable to get that win in a draw of 3-3 against the Italians.
Barcelona: Barcelona was a step closer to a third successive Champions League group-stage exit despite Robert Lewandowski’s two goals in an exciting 3-3 draw against Inter Milan on Wednesday, as Mohamed Salah scored the fastest hat-trick of the competition’s history when Liverpool beat Rangers.
Bayern Munich, Napoli, and Club Brugge — for the first time since the initial Group Stage in the year 1991-1992they all have booked their places in the final 16.
Xavi Hernandez’s Barca needed to win on Camp Nou to keep their fate in their own hands. Ousmane Dembele’s goal following an expertly-crafted short corner gave the hosts a 2-0 lead at half-time.
However, Inter turned the game around during the second half when Gerard Pique left a cross to the box and Nicolo Barella made a run for it without marking to score.
Lautaro Martinez benefited from less shaky defense to bring the Italians ahead shortly at the end of an hour. He drilled in a low strike, which hit both posts.
Lewandowski made it 2-0 with eight minutes left as his deflected shot sailed over goalkeeper Andre Onana, but Inter substitute Robin Gosens looked to have eliminated the champions five times over with his goal in the 89th minute.
Polish superstar Lewandowski’s powerful shot in the final minute allowed Barca four minutes to strike the winner However, It was Gosens who had the best chance to win the trophy for Inter but was stopped by Marc-Andre Ter Stegen.
LaLiga toppers Barca are currently behind the second-placed Inter by 3 points in Group C however, with a better overall record, Simone Inzaghi’s team will be able to qualify alongside Bayern in the event that they defeat an insignificant Viktoria Plzen on the road within two weeks.
“We had an enormous opportunity and we didn’t take it,” said Barcelona defender Eric Garcia. “We made errors that at this level, you cannot make.”
Bayern reached the knockout stage for the 15th time by winning 4-2 at Plzen.
The German champions cruised to the lead with a 4-0 advantage at halftime, thanks to goals scored by Sadio Mane, Thomas Mueller, and Leon Goretzka’s brace.
Adam Vlkanova and Jan Kliment brought home fans two goals to celebrate however the Czechs were eliminated from the contest.
Liverpool arrived to Ibrox in a state of tension after an early loss to Arsenal was enough to see Jurgen Klopp’s side fall to 10th place in the Premier League table.
Rangers surprised their rivals at the end of the 17th minute when Scott Arfield slotted in before Roberto Firmino leveled.
The Scots fell during the second period, however, when Firmino’s second and Darwin’s first Champions League goals for Liverpool brought the game to a close for last season’s beaten finalists.
Salah made his way off the bench and was not slow in recording a six-minute treble. smashing Bafetimbi Gomis’ record from the year 2011.
Harvey Elliott wrapped up a 7-1 win in the final minutes after Liverpool got closer to a point in winning the following round.
“From the outside everyone expected us to win but we take it a game at a time,” Virgil van Dijk spoke to BT Sport. “We know we’re in a tough period.”
In the earlier game, Group A leaders Napoli advanced in their quest to extend their unbeaten season by winning 4-2 at home against Ajax.
Hirving Lozano and Giacomo Raspadori scored inside the first 16 minutes of the game as the hosts made a roaring start against opponents who they defeated 6-1 in the previous game.
Davy Klaassen and Steven Bergwijn each scored for Ajax in the second half However, further Napoli goals scored by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Victor Olsimhen gave them four wins from four games for Napoli. Serie A pace-setters.
Ajax will need to defeat Liverpool next time they play at Amsterdam for them to maintain their hope of making it through.
Unfavorable Belgians Club Brugge booked a place in the knockout stages with a shrewd goalless draw at Atletico Madrid.
“I have already done a lot of things in my career, but this was a very big moment,” Brugge goalkeeper Simon Mignolet told RTL Belgium.
Brugge who saw Kamal Sowah sent off with 10 minutes remaining they are just four points away in Group B’s summit from Porto who beat Porto 3-0 against Bayer Leverkusen.
Galeno has given visitors Porto an early lead before Kerem Demirbay was not penalized and Patrik Schick had a chance to score an equalizer disallowed in VAR due to handball.
Porto was given a controversial penalty, which was scored through Mehdi Taremi at the end of the 53rd minute, and then the Iranian completed the scoring by scoring a spot-kick.
Tottenham reached the top of Group D with a tight 3-1 win against Eintracht Frankfurt in London.
Harry Kane’s penalty as well as two goals for Son Heung Min sufficed to bring Eintracht down the back of the table.
Marseille was able to leapfrog Sporting Lisbon into second place in head-to-head competition when Alexis Sanchez scored in a 22-0 victory that resulted in Sporting Lisbon losing 2-0. Portuguese end the match with 9 players.
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