Two late goals by 19-year-old Nico Paz and Joselu gave Real Madrid a 4-2 fightback win against Napoli on Wednesday, securing top spot in Champions League Group C with one round of matches remaining.
The 14-times champions maintained their 100 per cent record and have 15 points from five games, eight points ahead of the Italian champions who are second on seven points, three clear of Braga in third. Union Berlin are bottom on two points after a 1-1 draw against Braga earlier on Wednesday.
Giovanni Simeone opened the scoring for the visitors with a close-range strike in the ninth minute but Real hit back quickly, with Rodrygo equalising with a fine shot into the top corner two minutes later, and they went ahead with a Jude Bellingham header in the 22nd.
Frank Anguissa levelled the game from a rebound two minutes after the break but a stunner from range by academy midfielder Paz in the 84th minute gave Real the lead again, and Joselu got the fourth goal with a tap-in in added time.
Braga keep last-16 hopes alive with Union draw
Elsewhere in Group C, 10-player Sporting Braga came from a goal down to draw 1-1 at home with Union Berlin to keep alive their hopes of reaching the last 16.
Midfielder Robin Gosens gave Union the lead three minutes before halftime when he sent a low shot past Braga keeper Matheus before the hosts levelled through Alvaro Djalo after the break with an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net.
The Portuguese side were left with 10 players after the half-hour mark when Union forward Kevin Behrens was fouled by Sikou Niakate, who was initially shown a yellow card that was upgraded to a red following a VAR review.
Braga, third in the standings with four points, can still finish in the top two if they beat second-placed Napoli by more than one goal in the final game next month. The Italian champions won 2-1 in Portugal.
Real Madrid’s Nico Paz celebrates with Bellingham
Copenhagen stalemate ends Bayern’s winning run
Copenhagen ground out a 0-0 draw at Bayern Munich in their Champions League Group A match on Wednesday to snap their opponents’ 17-game winning run in group-stage matches and stay in contention to reach the last 16.
The Bavarians have secured top spot in the group on 13 points, with the Danish side second on five.
Both teams needed time to settle in with Bayern missing several key players through injury.
Copenhagen had an early chance when Roony Bardghji’s 27th-minute shot sailed narrowly wide and Thomas Mueller’s close-range header for Bayern was saved by keeper Kamil Grabara.
The visitors, whose solid backline has been key to their success this season, defended well and came close again two minutes after the restart through Diogo Goncalves’ curled shot.
The Danes can qualify for the knockout stages by beating Galatasaray, who are also on five points after drawing 3-3 with bottom club Manchester United, and they almost snatched a last-gasp winner.
Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer came to the rescue, however, with a double save to deny Elyounoussi and extend the German champions’ record unbeaten run to 39 straight group-stage matches in the competition.
In Group D, Real Sociedad failed to find a clinical touch in front of goal in a disappointing 0-0 Champions League draw with visiting Salzburg, but remained top of their Group D having already qualified for the round of 16.
Inter Milan’s Alexis Sanchez celebrates his goal
Inter Milan fought back from 3-0 down to rescue a point with three goals in the second half in a pulsating 3-3 draw at Benfica after Joao Mario netted a hat-trick for the hosts.
Benfica broke the deadlock after five minutes when Joao Mario finished first time after Casper Tengstedt headed it down for the former Inter player.
He then capitalised on a failed clearance from the Inter defence eight minutes later to double the lead, before completing his hat-trick in the 34th minute when he bundled the ball home from close range from a cross.
Marko Arnautovic pulled one back for Inter six minutes into the second half, while Davide Frattesi scored another goal for the visitors seven minutes later with a well-placed volley.
Alexis Sanchez completed the comeback from the penalty spot after 72 minutes after Nicolas Otamendi had tripped Marcus Thuram.
Inter, who had already qualified for the last 16, are level on 11 points with Real Sociedad, while Benfica are bottom of the group with one point, three behind third-placed Salzburg.
PSV fight back from two goals down to win against Sevilla
PSV Eindhoven fought back from two goals down to earn a 3-2 win in a high-octane Champions League group stage encounter against Sevilla on Wednesday that moved the Dutch side closer to the knockouts and ended Sevilla’s qualification hopes.
Defender Sergio Ramos gave Sevilla the lead in the 24th minute and Youssef En Nesyri chipped the ball over the goalkeeper to extend their advantage two minutes after the break.
Yet the match turned on its head after Sevilla’s Lucas Ocampos was sent off in the 66th minute for two yellow cards in the space of three minutes.
Ismael Saibari got PSV back in the game with a fine volley in the 68th minute and the Dutch side equalised with an own goal by defender Nemanja Gudelj in the 81st.
Ricardo Pepi’s header earned the visitors a comeback victory that lifted them to second place in Group B on eight points. Sevilla are bottom on two points. Arsenal stylishly cruised into the Champions League knockout stages as Group B winners by thrashing French club Lens 6-0 at Emirates Stadium.