Liverpool Stay Perfect, Tight Race for Knockout Spots Liverpool extended their perfect league-phase record with a sixth consecutive win, opening a five-point lead. Meanwhile, crucial victories for Aston Villa, Bayern München, Brest, and Leverkusen ensured a fierce battle for the remaining knockout spots, with just one point separating second and eighth place.
Girona 0-1 Liverpool
Liverpool maintained their flawless record as Mohamed Salah’s composed second-half penalty secured victory. The Egyptian coolly converted from the spot after Donny van de Beek fouled Luis Díaz.
Alisson Becker, returning after a two-month injury absence, made critical saves, including a stunning stop to deny Yáser Asprilla before the break. Liverpool, already through to the knockout stage, faced stern resistance but held firm to claim all three points.
Atalanta 2-3 Real Madrid
Real Madrid returned to winning ways with a thrilling triumph in Bergamo. Kylian Mbappé opened the scoring early, netting his 50th Champions League goal. Atalanta equalized on the stroke of halftime through Charles De Ketelaere’s emphatic penalty.
Vinícius Júnior restored Madrid’s lead, assisting Jude Bellingham for their third, before Ademola Lookman clawed one back for Atalanta. La Dea pushed hard for an equalizer but fell short when Mateo Retegui missed a golden chance in added time.
Bayer Leverkusen 1-0 Inter
Leverkusen climbed above Inter with a dramatic 90th-minute winner from Nordi Mukiele, preserving their perfect home record. Inter, who were the only team yet to concede in the group, withstood early pressure, with Yann Sommer denying Florian Wirtz’s fierce effort. However, Mukiele’s close-range strike broke their resistance in the dying moments.
Club Brugge 2-1 Sporting CP
A late Casper Nielsen strike earned Club Brugge their third win of the campaign. Geny Catamo gave Sporting an early lead, becoming the first Mozambican international to score in the Champions League. Brugge equalized through an Eduardo Quaresma own goal after fine wing play by Andreas Skov Olsen. In a tense second half, Nielsen’s composed finish sealed a crucial victory for the hosts.
Salzburg 0-3 Paris Saint-Germain
Paris Saint-Germain bounced back with a dominant win in Austria. Gonçalo Ramos and Achraf Hakimi combined to break the deadlock before Nuno Mendes doubled the lead in the second half, thanks to a setup from Désiré Doué. Doué added a superb late strike to seal an emphatic victory.
Shakhtar Donetsk 1-5 Bayern Münche
Bayern München delivered an attacking masterclass to secure their first away win in this phase. Despite falling behind to Kevin in Gelsenkirchen’s opener, Konrad Laimer equalized with a thunderous strike. Jamal Musiala then set up Thomas Müller for Bayern’s second before Michael Olise’s penalty extended their lead. Musiala and Olise each added late goals, with Olise’s dazzling solo effort capping off an emphatic display.
Leipzig 2-3 Aston Villa
Aston Villa eliminated Leipzig with a dramatic late winner from Ross Barkley. John McGinn’s opener was canceled out by Loïs Openda after a defensive mix-up. Substitute Jhon Durán restored Villa’s lead with a spectacular long-range effort, but Christoph Baumgartner’s volley made it 2-2. Barkley’s deflected strike in the final minutes sealed Villa’s fourth win, leaving Leipzig out of contention.
Brest 1-0 PSV Eindhoven
Brest climbed to fifth with a resolute defensive performance. Goalkeeper Marco Bizot made key first-half saves, including a superb stop to deny Luuk de Jong. Against the run of play, Julien Le Cardinal smashed home the winner at the back post. PSV dominated the second half, with Ismael Saibari hitting the woodwork, but Brest held on for a famous victory.
Current Standings
- Liverpool: 18 points (perfect record)
- Tight race: 2nd to 8th separated by just one point
With the league phase heating up, the fight for knockout spots promises to be an intense battle.
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