QFour new teams ensured their qualification for the knockout stages of the Champions League on Tuesday: Chelsea, Paris SG, Benfica and Dortmund. They join Napoli, Club Brugge and Bayern.
With 10 points, the 2021 European champion club is guaranteed to be in the next round as first in the group after AC Milan’s victory in Zagreb (4-0).
The Milanese, winners in particular thanks to Olivier Giroud from the penalty spot (59th), took the opportunity to move into 2nd qualifying place (7 pts), ahead of Salzburg (6 pts), their opponent for the final day.
Group F: Leipzig surprises the great Real
Defending champion and already qualified for the eighth, Real Madrid lost their first match of the season (3-2), surprised by the RB Leipzig of Christopher Nkunku, scorer.
With a revamped eleven, without the Ballons d’Or Karim Benzema and Luka Modric, spared, the European champions found themselves quickly led, in particular thanks to a heavy strike from the Frenchman Nkunku (18th). And despite the reductions in the score of Vinicius (44th) and Rodrygo (90th + 4), Leipzig secured their victory.
Enough to allow the German club to consolidate its second place (9 pts) ahead of Shakhtar Donetsk (6 pts), its next opponent, held back by Celtic in Glasgow (1-1).
Group G: Dortmund qualified, City first
Qualification in the pocket for Dortmund: Borussia settled for a 0-0 draw against Manchester City, already qualified, to secure a place in the round of 16 and nullify the efforts of Sevilla, winner in vain of Copenhagen 3- 0.
For the reunion with Erling Haaland, his former center forward who left to shine in England with City, Dortmund resisted well and his goalkeeper Gregor Kobel stopped a penalty obtained and shot by Riyad Mahrez (58th).
Nothing dramatic for the Citizens, who secure first place in the pool with this draw.
Group H: PSG unfolds thanks to its stars
For the eleventh consecutive year, PSG will see the knockout phase of the European queen event, after a very successful performance by its attacking trio “MNM” (Messi-Neymar-Mbappé) against Haifa.
This success guarantees PSG (11 pts) one of the first two places in Group H, of which it occupies the lead with Benfica (11 pts). And the Parisians will travel to Turin next week to compete for first place, synonymous with a potentially more affordable draw on November 7 in Nyon, Switzerland.
At the Parc des Princes, the authorities feared overflows but apart from a brief interruption of the game for the use of smoke bombs in the Maccabi grandstand, the fireworks were rather on the ground, where Paris feasted.
When the Parisians play such a collective score, finding themselves with their eyes closed, it is difficult for the opponent: doubles from Messi (19th, 44th) and Mbappé (32nd, 64th), goal from Neymar (35th), still decisive on the goal against his camp by Sean Goldberg (67th), and final goal signed Carlos Soler (84th)…
Only downside, Abdoulaye Seck took advantage of two defensive releases (38th, 50th) and Neymar, warned, will be suspended in Turin.
Which Juve will PSG find next Wednesday? Hard to say, because the “Old Lady” fell in Lisbon against Benfica, despite goals from Moises Kean (21st), Arkadiusz Milik (77th) and Weston McKennie (79th) who kept hope alive at the end of the match.
