Ferran Torres scored twice as FC Barcelona claimed a valuable 3-2 win away to Borussia Dortmund that moves it closer to assuring direct qualification for the last-16 of the UEFA Champions League.

According to this season's Champions League format, teams finishing among the top eight in the group will qualify automatically for the round of 16, while the teams finishing in ninth to 24th place will compete in a two-legged knockout phase play-off to secure their path to the last-16.

After Raphinha's 53rd-minute opener for Barca was canceled out by Serhou Guirassy's 60th-minute penalty, Torres scored from close range in the 75th minute after Fermin Lopez's shot had been saved.

Guirassy leveled again three minutes later as Borussia caught out Barca's defense, but Torres scored his second of the game five minutes from time when his side broke quickly after Borussia made a mess of a corner.

The bad news for Barcelona was seeing Raphinha go off injured in the second half.

Manchester City is in serious danger of not even making the play-off round after losing 2-0 away to Juventus, which left it with just eight points from six matches.

A scrambled effort from Dusan Vlahovic, which the VAR deemed to have crossed the goal-line, put Juventus ahead after 53 minutes and Weston McKennie's volley on the turn doubled the lead in the 75th minute.

Arsenal beat Monaco 3-0 to move third in the group, with goals from Bukayo Saka after 34 and 78 minutes. Saka then assisted Kai Havertz for Arsenal's third of the game two minutes from time.

Gabriel Jesus (L) of Arsenal breaks through during the UEFA Champions League football match between Arsenal and Monaco in London, Britain, on Dec. 11, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Ying)

Bologna and Benfica drew 0-0 in a result that all but eliminates the Italian side from the competition, while Tammy Abraham scored a late goal to see AC Milan come back from a goal down at home to Crvena Zvezda, who had equalized Rafael Leao's opener through Nemanja Radonjic's goal in the 67th minute.

The win leaves Milan a point outside the top-eight, but with relatively accessible matches to play at home to Girona and away to Dinamo Zagreb.

Feyenoord kept its hopes of a top-eight finish alive with a comfortable 4-2 win at home to Sparta Prague. The home side led 2-0 by the 10th minute with goals from Gernot Trauner and Igor Paixao.

Anis Hadj Moussa and Santiago Gimenez piled on the agony for the visitor, who scored a consolation through Albion Rrahmani and an own goal.

Stuttgart came back from conceding an early goal to Young Boys to take a convincing 5-1 win to keep its playoff hopes alive, with Angelo Stiller leveling before halftime, while Enzo Millot, Chris Fuhrich, Josha Vagnoman and Yannik Keitel all scored as the Germans ran away with things in the second half.

Related

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)