UEFA Champions League

UCL wrap: Big guns cruise into Champions League knockouts

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  • Post published:December 8, 2021

Manchester City, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Ajax, Atletico Madrid are all among the teams that will be in contention for the knockout stages of the Uefa Champions League after the first round of match-day six fixtures of Tuesday night.

RB Leipzig 2-1 Manchester City

Kyle Walker was shown a late red card as Manchester City suffered a shock 2-1 defeat at RB Leipzig on Tuesday, but City still advanced to the Champions League’s last 16 as group winners.

Leipzig took the lead against the run of play when Konrad Laimer unleashed a superb pass which beat three defenders and put Szoboszlai in behind the City defence.

The attacking midfielder kept his nerve, rounded City goalkeeper Zach Steffen and fired into the empty net with 24 minutes played.

Leipzig nearly made it 2-0 with half time approaching when Szoboszlai squared to Silva, but the Portugal striker headed straight at Steffen.

A huge roar from the home bench echoed around the stadium when Silva thumped home Emil Forsberg’s final pass to make it 2-0 on 71 minutes.

Leaking a second goal caused City to rally and they pulled one back when Oleksandr Zinchenko floated in a cross to the back post, which Mahrez buried.

Walker’s dismissal only served to reduce City’s numbers for the final seven minutes as Leipzig held on.

Despite PSG’s 4-1 win over Club Brugge, City will go into Monday’s draw as Group A winners while third-placed Leipzig head into the knockout stages of the Europa League.

PSG 4-1 Club Brugge

Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi both scored twice as Paris Saint-Germain rounded out their Champions League group-stage campaign with a 4-1 thumping of Club Brugge on Tuesday.

Mbappe scored twice in the first seven minutes, the second-fastest double at the start of a game in Champions League history, before setting up Messi to make it 3-0 at half time.

Mats Rits got one back for the Belgians in the second half but Messi then netted a penalty to make it 4-1 and give PSG a welcome confidence boost in an underwhelming European campaign to date.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side knew before this game that they were heading through to the last 16 in second place in Group A behind Manchester City after losing 2-1 in England last month.

That means a theoretically harder tie against a group winner awaits them in next Monday’s draw, with Liverpool, Ajax, Bayern Munich and Manchester United already potential opponents.

AC Milan 1-2 Liverpool

Liverpool made it a perfect six Champions League wins from six on Tuesday with a 2-1 victory at AC Milan, which knocked one of Europe’s most storied clubs out of the Champions League.

Fikayo Tomori had given Milan hope they could make the last 16 with his tap-in just before the half-hour mark at the San Siro, but a quick reply from Mohamed Salah and Divock Origi’s nodded finish 10 minutes after the break ensured Jurgen Klopp’s side finished Group B on 18 points.

Serie A leaders Milan, who were missing half their starting back four and three other first-team players – including forwards Rafael Leao and Ante Rebic – failed in ther attempt to make the last 16 for the first time since 2013.

Stefano Pioli’s side have looked accomplished domestically this season but were punished for picking up just one point from their first four group matches.

Klopp made a raft of changes from the Reds side which squeezed past Wolves this past weekend, but there was still an obvious gulf in class between the two teams.

Real Madrid 2-0 Inter

Real Madrid will go through as group winners to the Champions League last 16 after Toni Kroos and Marco Asensio each scored in a 2-0 win over Inter Milan on Tuesday.

A comfortable victory at the Santiago Bernabeu, aided by Nicolo Barella’s red card in the 64th minute when Inter were one goal down, sends Madrid through top of Group D, five points ahead of the Italians, who advance as runners-up.

Inter had to win to claim first place but after weathering an early storm, Madrid were superior, Kroos’ goal putting them in control before Barella’s sending off and then a superb strike from Asensio made the result secure.

Madrid’s reward is they are guaranteed to avoid the likes of Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Manchester City when the draw for the knockout stages is made on Monday, although Lionel Messi’s Paris Saint-Germain will be among those in the runners-up pot.

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