Arsenal are playing a perfect league phase
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Thanks to a breathtaking finish including a goalkeeper’s goal, Benfica Lisbon and star coach José Mourinho moved into the playoffs of the Champions League. The Portuguese defeated Real Madrid 4:2 (2:1). Keeper Anatoliy Trubin scored the decisive goal with a header in the eighth minute of stoppage time. On the last matchday of the league phase, Benfica moved past Olympique Marseille into 24th place. This entitles you to take part in the playoffs.
Crazy scenes took place at the Estadio da Luz after the goal. Players and supervisors fell over the match winner Trubin full of ecstasy. Coach Mourinho, who took over Benfica this season, first celebrated arm in arm with a ball boy and then shouted something into the stands. In the heated final phase, Real lost two players with yellow-red cards: Raúl Asencio and Rodrygo.
For a long time it had looked as if the home team didn’t know that they needed another goal in the final phase. It wasn’t until late in stoppage time that the coach sent all his players forward – with a happy ending. Real didn’t take advantage of two goals from superstar Kylian Mbappé (30th/58th), the Spaniards slipped out of the top 8 and therefore also have to go into the playoffs. Before the Trubin goal, Andreas Schjelderup (36th/54th) had already scored for Lisbon with a brace and Vangelis Pavlidis (45th + 5th) with a penalty kick.
Arsenal is playing a perfect league phase in the Champions League
Meanwhile, Arsenal FC played a perfect league phase. The Gunners won against Kairat Almaty 3:2 (3:1) and thus his eighth game. DFB player Kai Havertz shone in his starting eleven comeback after a five-month injury break with, among other things, a goal and two assists in the first half.
FC Barcelona also moved straight into the round of 16. Coach Hansi Flick’s team turned the game around against FC Copenhagen after falling behind at half-time and won clearly 4-1 (0-1). Defending champions Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle United slipped out of the top eight places on the last matchday and have to play for a place in the round of 16 in the second round.
For both of them, the 1:1 (1:1) in the direct duel was not enough for direct qualification. World footballer Ousmane Dembelé failed early in the game with a penalty for Paris, shortly afterwards Vitinha (8th) scored to give the hosts the lead. For Newcastle, where national players Nick Woltemade and Malick Thiaw started, Joe Willock (45th + 2) equalized.
First goal for Wirtz Naples fails in the group phase
Florian Wirtz scored his first Champions League goal for the Reds in Liverpool FC’s clear 6-0 (2-0) win against Qarabağ Ağdam, who also secured a place among the top eight teams. With six wins, Liverpool is in third place behind Arsenal and Bayern Munich.
However, the Italian champions SSC Napoli, among others, were eliminated. Coach Antonio Conte’s team lost 2:3 (2:1) to Chelsea FC. João Pedro sealed Naples’ elimination with a brace in the second half and shot Chelsea into the top eight. FK Bodø/Glimt reached the playoffs sensationally, winning 2-1 (1-1) at Atlético Madrid.
