Despite Liverpool’s surprise defeat, two of the four English sides in the UEFA Champions League confirmed their progression to the knockout stages of the competition.
Chelsea became the first side to qualify for the round of 16 in dramatic fashion, needing a 91st minute winner from substitute Olivier Giroud to send them through as they beat Rennes 2-1.
Before that, they had looked in control after Callum Hudson-Odoi’s opener, until Rennes Frenchman Serhou Guirassy scored an equaliser late on which had to be answered by Chelsea’s own French striker.
Group E was decided by the end of the night, as Sevilla also had a last-gasp winner of their own see them qualify for the next round.
Former Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic put them ahead after just five minutes, but not long after Krasnodar levelled things through Wanderson Campos.
Another ex-Barca player, Munir, was on hand to win for Sevilla though by netting in the 95th minute as that game also ended 2-1.
Their qualification was swiftly followed by Manchester City’s on Wednesday, as the beat Olympiacos 1-0 to confirm progression from Group C.
A goal for Phil Foden was enough for them to take all three points and make it four wins out of four.
Despite both sides being reduced to ten men in the other Group C game, Porto edged out Marseille and the French side officially crashed out of the competition.
Goals from Zaidu Sanusi and Sergio Oliveira meant that Liverpool loanee Marko Grujic’s dismissal did not bother the side Portuguese too much and they won 2-0.
However, the red card for Marseille’s Leonardo Balerdi, who is on loan from Borussia Dortmund, contributed to the fact that the French side are still without a single point in Europe.
Liverpool suffered their first defeat in the competition this season, as Atalanta showed up to Anfield and snatched all three points in Group D, leaving 2-0 winners.
Josip Ilicic and Robin Gosens netted in what proved to be Liverpool’s first loss at Anfield inside 90 minutes since Chelsea in September 2018.
The other match in that group saw Ajax batter FC Midtjylland 3-1, confirming the Danish side’s exit from the Champions League.
A consolation penalty from Awer Mabil wasn’t enough as Ryan Gravenberch, Noussair Mazraoui and David Neres fired the Dutch side to victory.
In Group H, Manchester United bounced back from their last European defeat in emphatic fashion by beating Istanbul Basaksehir 4-1 at Old Trafford, holding on to top spot in the process.
Bruno Fernandes scored an early double before leaving a penalty to Marcus Rashford, and Dan James netted late on to round off the win, despite a consolation freekick scored by Basaksehir’s Deniz Turuc.
Elsewhere in the group, Neymar scored from the penalty spot to keep PSG’s qualification hopes alive as they beat RB Leipzig 1-0.
It was the Brazilian’s 60th goal involvement in just 63 Champions League games and could prove crucial in the battle to make it to the knockout stages.
Progression from Group G was confirmed for both Barcelona and Juventus, as both European giants won their games.
The Spanish side brushed aside Dynamo Kyiv by thrashing them 4-0, with former Middlesbrough striker Martin Braithwaite netting twice whilst American Sergino Dest bagged his first for the club.
Antoine Griezmann also scored late on to round off the victory.
It was a less straightforward task for Juventus, as Hungarian club Ferencvarosi almost took them all the way if not for an Alvaro Morata winner in the 92nd minute.
Myrto Uzuni scored first and mimicked Cristiano Ronaldo’s famous celebration, a move he would regret just 15 minutes later as the Portuguese star scored the equaliser for his side.
The other major Spanish side in the competition, Real Madrid, put their European campaign back on track with a 2-0 win against ten-man Inter Milan in Group B.
Eden Hazard scored an early penalty, which was followed by a Rodrygo goal in the second half after Arturo Vidal had been sent off for the Italians.
The other Group B encounter saw shock leaders Borussia Monchengladbach thrash Shakthar Donetsk 4-0.
Goals from Lars Stindl, Nico Elvedi, Breel Embolo and Oscar Wendt were unanswered by the Ukrainian champions.
Whilst Inter will need something special, it is still possible for all four teams to qualify for the knockout stages.
Current champions Bayern Munich confirmed their qualification in Group A, beating RB Salzburg 3-1 in comfortable fashion.
Robert Lewandowski, Leroy Sane and an own goal by Maximillian Wober sent them into the next round, despite Marc Roca getting sent off.
Atletico failed to beat Lokomotiv Moscow in the other Group A game, with Koke having a goal ruled out by VAR meaning the match ended 0-0.
In Group F, 2020 Golden Boy winner Erling Haaland became the fastest player ever to reach 15 Champions League goals as Borussia Dortmund beat Club Brugge 3-0.
He scored again in the second half and victory was sealed with a superb Jadon Sancho free-kick.
Lazio kept their knockout stage hopes alive too, as they defeated Zenit St Petersburg 3-1.
Last season’s Serie A top scorer, Ciro Immobile, netted either side of a Marco Parolo screamer (on his 250th Lazio appearance) to help seal victory for the Italians.
Victory puts them second in the group behind Dortmund, with both clubs in a good position to progress from the group stages.
By Ali Pollock
