UCL: PSG have to defend the title through playoffs, Liverpool in the Top 8

Ahead of the last round in the Champions League group phase, only Arsenal and Bayern Munich have qualified for the Top 8, while all other teams needed either a win, or a win paired with other results either to make it to the next phase directly or at least through playoffs. The current champion PSG and Newcastle were those teams which needed not only a win, but a help. In the end, nobody helped them and since both failed to defeat each other, they will be in the playoffs come February: PSG – Newcastle 1-1.

Newcastle have won four of their last six games in the UEFA Champions League, keeping a clean sheet in all four victories, but even with the second best defence in the competition couldn’t produce a clean sheet. Goalkeeper Nick Pope saved the Magpies from a certain defeat by saving a soft penalty in the second minute and then stopping Dembele from scoring in the early stages. After that, PSG didn’t sweat Pope much, as all of their chances went over the bar (or a post) and coach Enrique won’t be happy with this result. The hosts were a better side but they failed to win and will have to play two games more. Newcastle was not bad either, as they scored from their only chance in the first half and then had some really good opportunities to turn the game around in the second half.

Even PSG manager Luis Enrique could have hardly wished for a better start as his team got a penalty after just two minutes of play. It’s still hard to believe that the home team got the penalty for handball since Barcola touched the ball first before it touched Miley. But, the referee Vincic looked at the VAR monitor and still decided it was a penalty. Still, Nick Pope managed to save Ousmane Dembele’s shot. But the away fans didn’t enjoy this save for long as the fantastic Vitinha scored another beauty six minutes later for the lead. Dembele had a great opportunity minutes later but Pope saved it again. And then nothing until injury time. PSG held the ball for almost 90% at one point, but created no clear chances. But when Newcastle finally got the opportunity to score, they did with a header from Willock, after Burn’s assist, also with his head. 1-1 in injury time.

Newcastle started better the second half, even scored a goal (denied due to offside) but PSG soon took over. Barcola and Dembele had chances, but they weren’t clear ones, and when Barnes and Gordon came in for Newcastle, the visitors suddenly woke up and even had the initiative for ten minutes. But ten minutes soon turned into 20 and the visitors started to create some dangerous counter attacks. After one of those, Barnes missed a sitter from five meters away, as he didn’t have a good shot after Gordon’s cross. Dembele had a half-chance in the 90th minute but that was it.

Unlike PSG and Newcastle, Liverpool didn’t have to look at other results. The Reds only needed a win against Qarabag to secure a top 8 finish and that’s what they did with ease, scoring six goals in the process. Before the game however there were doubts. Arne Slot was facing a huge defensive crisis as he had only one healthy defender, Virgil Van Dijk. Joe Gomez (injury) and Ibrahima Konate (death of his father) were not available, so midfielder Ryan Gravenberch partnered Van Dijk in center of defense. After only four minutes, Frimpong had to come out due to an injury, so another midfielder, Wataru Endo came in as right back. But even with all those worries, the Reds needed two chances to get into the scoring mode. McAllister took the lead in the 15th minute, before Wirtz scored another one. Qarabaq are a pleasant surprise and even managed to secure a playoff spot even with a 6-0 defeat but Liverpool was just too strong for them, even with all those problems in defense. McAllister scored a brace, and with Ekitike, Salah and Chiesa all adding their goals, the game was easily won.

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - MATCHDAY 8

Wednesday

Ajax - Olympiacos 1-2 (0-0)

/Dollberg 69 pen - Martins 52, Hezze 79/

Arsenal - Kairat 3-1 (3-1)

/Gyokeres 2, Havertz 15, Martinelli 36 - Jorginho 7 pen/

Athletic Bilbao - Sporting Lisbon 2-3 (2-1)

/Sancet 3, Guruzeta 28 - Diomande 12, Trincao 62, Santos 90+4/

Atletico Madrid - Bodo/Glimt 1-2 (1-1)

/Sorloth 15 - Sjovold 34, Hogh 59/

Barcelona - Copenhagen 4-1 (0-1)

/Lewandowski 48, Yamal 60, Raphinha 69, Rashford 85 - Dadason 4/

Benfica - Real Madrid 4-2 (2-1)

/Schejelderup 36, 54, Pavlidis 45+5, Trubin 90+8 - Mbappe 30, 58/

Club Brugge - Olympique Marseille 3-0 (2-0)

/Diakhon 4, Vermant 11, Stankovic 79/

Borussia Dortmund - Inter Milan 0-1 (0-0)

/Dimarco 80/

Eintracht Frankfurt - Tottenham 0-2 (0-0)

/Kolo Muani 47, Solanke 77/

Bayer Leverkusen - Villarreal 3-0 (2-0)

/Tillman 12, 35, Grimaldo 57/

Liverpool - Qarabag 6-0 (2-0)

/Mac Allister 15,61, Wirtz 21, Salah 50, Ekitike 57, Chiesa 90/

Manchester City - Galatasaray 2-0 (2-0)

/Haaland 10, Cherki 29/

Monaco - Juventus 0-0

Napoli - Chelsea 2-3 (2-1)

/Vergara 33, Hojlund 43 - Enzo F. 19 pen, Pedro 61, 82/

PSG - Newcastle 1-1 (1-1)

/Vitinha 8 - Willock 45+2/

PSV - Bayern Munich 1-2 (0-0)

/Saibari 78 - Musiala 58, Kane 84/

Pafos - Slavia Prague 4-1 (1-1)

/Dragomir 17, Bruno 53, Silva 84, Orsic 87 - Chaloupek 44/

Union St. Gilloise - Atalanta 1-0 (0-0)

/Khalaili 70/