CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ROUND-UP: Barcelona booked place in last 16 round
Champions League Round-Up with today’s games’ results as Barcelona are into the knockout stages for the first time in three years, while Celtic saw the exit after defeat to Lazio. Meanwhile, the clash between Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle United is drama-filled.
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Champions League today’s results
Celtic suffered a late 2-0 defeat to Lazio in the UEFA Champions League, meaning Brendan Rodgers’ side also have no hope of Europa League football this season. The Scottish champions are guaranteed to finish bottom of the table and have now gone 15 games without a victory. Meanwhile, Barcelona returned to beat Porto to seal their place in the last 16.
Joao Cancelo and Joao Felix earned Barcelona a 2-1 comeback win against Porto to book their spot in the Champions League knockout rounds for the first time in three seasons, or since Lionel Messi left Catalan.
After crashing out of the competition in the group stage two years in a row, five-time champions Barca are back in the last 16 after securing a top-two finish with one game remaining.
Barcelona are top of Group H on 12 points, three ahead of Porto and Shakhtar Donetsk who will play each other on the final match day to decide who will join the Spaniards in the knockout stage.
Barcelona 2-1 Porto – Highlights
Only a win can guarantee Xavi’s side a place in the Round of 16, and the Portuguese duo Joao Cancelo and Joao Felix delivered.
There was no Marc-Andre ter Stegen in the post, but Inaki Pena, with an inspired performance, kept the hosts in the game.
Pena made a reflex save to deny a point-blank strike from Galeno in the 28th minute and blocked another effort by the Porto winger two minutes later, but this time, Pepe was well-placed inside the box to strike home the rebound and put them in front.
However, Barca hit back two minutes later with a fine curling shot into the top corner by Cancelo after he dribbled past Joao Mario.
Porto didn’t give up and almost got back in front in the 43rd minute when Pena made a superb one-handed save to palm another Galeno shot from range around the post right before the break.
But Cancelo and Felix came out firing in the second half and Barcelona were transformed, causing all kinds of trouble for the visitors’ defence.
Felix unleashed a thunderous strike from range in the 47th minute that crashed against the crossbar, and he linked up well with Cancelo, both of whom started their career at the Benfica academy, Porto’s rivals in Portugal.
Cancelo was excellent running down the left channel and teed up Felix for a tidy first-time finish just beyond the goalkeeper’s reach in the 57th minute to secure the win.
Barca needs at least a draw against bottom-side Antwerp in two weeks to guarantee the top spot in the group.
Group F: Dortmund seal progression with statement victory in Milan as last MD is crucial
Borussia Dortmund booked their spot in the last 16 by beating AC Milan 3-1 at the San Siro in a lively Group F clash.
Marco Reus, Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, and Karim Adeyemi were all on target to help Dortmund top the group by 10 points, with Paris Saint-Germain, who drew 1-1 against Newcastle, second on seven.
Milan, bottom on five points from five games, can still secure a top-two finish if they win at Newcastle and Dortmund beat PSG in the final Round of games next month.
In Paris, Kylian Mbappe and co secured a 1-1 draw with Newcastle after a Mbappe penalty rescued a point for the hosts in Group F.
PSG were looking for revenge against Newcastle after their drubbing in the first fixture between the two sides, but Alexander Isak, in form after returning from injury, scored on 24 minutes for Eddie Howe’s men.
While another defeat started to look inevitable, a penalty eight minutes into stoppage-time from Mbappe after what looked to be a harsh handball decision rescued a point for Luis Enrique’s side.
PSG now sit second in Group F with seven points, with Newcastle (third) and Milan (fourth) tied on five points as Dortmund top the table on 10.
Group E: Own goals see Atletico into knockouts
Two own goals plus a brilliant Mario Hermoso hooked volley gave Atletico Madrid a 3-1 win at Feyenoord and a place in the Champions League last 16 while eliminating the hosts.
Feyenoord’s Lutsharel Geertruida put the ball into his own net 14 minutes before Hermoso added a stunning second goal in the 57th. However, Feyenoord pulled one back with 13 minutes left as Mats Wieffer headed home from a corner.
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