Only two teams in Groups E-H of the UEFA Champions League advanced to the knockout rounds on Wednesday, leaving the final match day packed with tension.
[ RECAPS: Liverpool-Napoli | Valencia-Chelsea ]
Barcelona and RB Leipzig are the teams in question, joining the six teams from Groups A-D to have clinched berths: Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Juventus, Tottenham Hotspur, Paris Saint-Germain, and Real Madrid.
Genk 1-4 Red Bull Salzburg
Jesse Marsch’s men aren’t messing around, and Liverpool won’t be caught off guard in Austria given the firepower on show. Salzburg now has 16 goals in five group stage matches, eight coming courtesy of 19-year-old Erling Braut Haland. Salzburg can only advance with a defeat of Liverpool that doesn’t come with three or more goals from the Reds.
RB Leipzig 2-2 Benfica
Down 2-0 and risking their knockout round status, Leipzig got a pair of Emil Forsberg goals in the final six minutes of play. High drama.
Zenit Saint-Petersburg 2-0 Lyon
Artem Dzyuba and Magomed Ozdoev scored near the end of each half as the Russians moved into second in Group G. Both sides have seven points. Lyon next hosts already-qualified RB Leipzig, while Zenit travels to Benfica, who has four points.
Slavia Prague 1-3 Inter Milan
Romelu Lukaku had a goal and set up Lautaro Martinez’s brace as the Italians moved level with Borussia Dortmund for second place in Group F. Dortmund hosts Slavia Prague on Dec. 10 while Inter hosts Barca.
Lille 0-2 Ajax
Hakim Ziyech and Quincy Promes scored, the former’s goal coming on a beautiful team goal started by a sensational flick from USMNT back Sergino Dest. Watch that here.
Barcelona 3-1 Borussia Dortmund
This is the sort of match that Barcelona imagined when it signed Antoine Griezmann this summer. Lionel Messi scored and set up Griezmann and Luis Suarez for markers before Jadon Sancho pulled one back for Dortmund off a Julian Brandt assist. That’s 16-straight knockout rounds for the Blaugranas.
Look at this pass, which he’s done 100 times. The best ever.