The challenge is who can ensure longer as MU manager.
-
IP addresses are NOT logged in this forum so there's no point asking. Please note that this forum is full of homophobes, racists, lunatics, schizophrenics & absolute nut jobs with a smattering of geniuses, Chinese chauvinists, Moderate Muslims and last but not least a couple of "know-it-alls" constantly sprouting their dubious wisdom. If you believe that content generated by unsavory characters might cause you offense PLEASE LEAVE NOW! Sammyboy Admin and Staff are not responsible for your hurt feelings should you choose to read any of the content here. The OTHER forum is HERE so please stop asking.
Chitchat The Official TCSS Thread
- Thread starter Alamaking
- Start date
Mourinho has anger management issues.
How can you discipline your squad when you can't even manage your own temper? Kicking a water bottle because Pogba simulated a dive is kind of childish.
If Utd don't qualify for Champions League, he will be gone by the end of the season.
Liverpool defeat Leeds United to reach semifinals of EFL Cup
Liverpool prodigy Ben Woodburn enhanced his burgeoning reputation by becoming the club's youngest ever goalscorer in the 2-0 EFL Cup quarterfinal win over Leeds.
The academy graduate, at 17 years and 45 days, beat Michael Owen's record by 98 days to write his name into Anfield history books with an emphatic 81st-minute finish.
Divock Origi scored five minutes before having previously laboured against an industrious Leeds side, who took the game to their hosts.
With playmaker Philippe Coutinho ruled out for at least five weeks with ankle ligament damage and striker Daniel Sturridge missing again with a calf injury, Woodburn -- and Origi with a second goal in as many matches -- offered a welcome positive after a difficult few days for the Reds.
It put Liverpool into a record 17th League Cup semifinal and their fourth in the last six years, having lost the final to Manchester City last season and won the trophy in 2012.
Considering most Premier League teams who come to Anfield now look to suffocate their opponents, Leeds manager Garry Monk took the opposite view.
He was rewarded for it as the Sky Bet Championship side dominated the game and the better chances and should have been ahead long before Liverpool finally made the breakthrough.
Hadi Sacko set the tone in only the third minute when he sprang the offside trap only to be denied by Simon Mignolet, one of eight changes from Saturday's win over Sunderland which may have accounted for the lack of rhythm in Liverpool's game.
Aside from Marco Silvestri's save from Georginio Wijnaldum's volley -- set up by a sublime defence-splitting pass from 19-year-old Ovie Ejaria -- Liverpool barely created anything.
Emre Can almost capitalised on substitute Kalvin Phillips' errant backpass but poked past the far post, and otherwise the Leeds defence were finding it relatively comfortable.
Early in the second half Kemar Roofe, the visitors' chief threat, saw his curling shot rebound off the post after beating Mignolet, who then denied the Leeds attacker's angled shot.
Another chance went begging when Kyle Bartley headed wide at a corner and there was a growing sense that Leeds would pay for missing so many chances against one of the highest-scoring sides in the Premier League.
Wijnaldum crashed a shot against the post before Origi, who had been guilty of wanting too many chances in the penalty area, finally decided to keep it simple and slid in at the near post to convert Trent Alexander-Arnold's cross.
But the biggest roar of the night came nine minutes from time when substitute Woodburn joyously blasted into the roof of the net in front of the Kop to cap a memorable few days for the teenager.
Liverpool prodigy Ben Woodburn enhanced his burgeoning reputation by becoming the club's youngest ever goalscorer in the 2-0 EFL Cup quarterfinal win over Leeds.
The academy graduate, at 17 years and 45 days, beat Michael Owen's record by 98 days to write his name into Anfield history books with an emphatic 81st-minute finish.
Divock Origi scored five minutes before having previously laboured against an industrious Leeds side, who took the game to their hosts.
With playmaker Philippe Coutinho ruled out for at least five weeks with ankle ligament damage and striker Daniel Sturridge missing again with a calf injury, Woodburn -- and Origi with a second goal in as many matches -- offered a welcome positive after a difficult few days for the Reds.
It put Liverpool into a record 17th League Cup semifinal and their fourth in the last six years, having lost the final to Manchester City last season and won the trophy in 2012.
Considering most Premier League teams who come to Anfield now look to suffocate their opponents, Leeds manager Garry Monk took the opposite view.
He was rewarded for it as the Sky Bet Championship side dominated the game and the better chances and should have been ahead long before Liverpool finally made the breakthrough.
Hadi Sacko set the tone in only the third minute when he sprang the offside trap only to be denied by Simon Mignolet, one of eight changes from Saturday's win over Sunderland which may have accounted for the lack of rhythm in Liverpool's game.
Aside from Marco Silvestri's save from Georginio Wijnaldum's volley -- set up by a sublime defence-splitting pass from 19-year-old Ovie Ejaria -- Liverpool barely created anything.
Emre Can almost capitalised on substitute Kalvin Phillips' errant backpass but poked past the far post, and otherwise the Leeds defence were finding it relatively comfortable.
Early in the second half Kemar Roofe, the visitors' chief threat, saw his curling shot rebound off the post after beating Mignolet, who then denied the Leeds attacker's angled shot.
Another chance went begging when Kyle Bartley headed wide at a corner and there was a growing sense that Leeds would pay for missing so many chances against one of the highest-scoring sides in the Premier League.
Wijnaldum crashed a shot against the post before Origi, who had been guilty of wanting too many chances in the penalty area, finally decided to keep it simple and slid in at the near post to convert Trent Alexander-Arnold's cross.
But the biggest roar of the night came nine minutes from time when substitute Woodburn joyously blasted into the roof of the net in front of the Kop to cap a memorable few days for the teenager.
Man United could face Liverpool in final after EFL Cup semifinal draw
Manchester United and Liverpool could face each other in the EFL Cup final after they were kept apart in the semifinal draw.
Jose Mourinho's team, who thrashed West Ham 4-1 in Wednesday's semifinal, will face Premier League strugglers Hull City. The Tigers needed a penalty shootout to get past Championship leaders Newcastle United on Tuesday.
The Red Devils will be at home in the first leg on Jan. 10 or 11 before heading to the KCOM stadium two weeks later.
Southampton, who knocked Arsenal out at the Emirates, have been rewarded with a tie against Liverpool, who won at home to Leeds United. Jurgen Klopp will take his side to St Mary's for the first leg, where they won 6-1 in the quarterfinals of the competition last season.
United and Liverpool met in the round of 16 of the Europa League last season, with Liverpool winning 3-1 on aggregate. They have not met at Wembley since the 1996 FA Cup final, which United won 1-0 -- though they did play each other twice at Cardiff's Millennium stadium while Wembley was being rebuilt.
Manchester United and Liverpool could face each other in the EFL Cup final after they were kept apart in the semifinal draw.
Jose Mourinho's team, who thrashed West Ham 4-1 in Wednesday's semifinal, will face Premier League strugglers Hull City. The Tigers needed a penalty shootout to get past Championship leaders Newcastle United on Tuesday.
The Red Devils will be at home in the first leg on Jan. 10 or 11 before heading to the KCOM stadium two weeks later.
Southampton, who knocked Arsenal out at the Emirates, have been rewarded with a tie against Liverpool, who won at home to Leeds United. Jurgen Klopp will take his side to St Mary's for the first leg, where they won 6-1 in the quarterfinals of the competition last season.
United and Liverpool met in the round of 16 of the Europa League last season, with Liverpool winning 3-1 on aggregate. They have not met at Wembley since the 1996 FA Cup final, which United won 1-0 -- though they did play each other twice at Cardiff's Millennium stadium while Wembley was being rebuilt.
EPL game of the weekend:
Man City vs Chelsea K.O 8.30pm (Sat)
Man City vs Chelsea K.O 8.30pm (Sat)
fancy City. Chelsea is overrated. 3 at the back has many weakness, that's why few top teams play that formation. they will get found out sooner or later when teams have a better understanding of their system and play. but it took the EPL 1 full season to work out and nullify Leicester.
fancy City. Chelsea is overrated. 3 at the back has many weakness, that's why few top teams play that formation. they will get found out sooner or later when teams have a better understanding of their system and play. but it took the EPL 1 full season to work out and nullify Leicester.
Chelsea have won their last 7 EPL games under Conte. He' got a stable starting eleven and key players like Hazard and Costa are playing to their potential.
Guardiola is still tinkering with his best starting line up.
I fancy a draw or a narrow win for Chelsea.
Surprise he played Fabregas and also Pedro 2 x-Barcelona players to haunt Guadiola. The Gas provided an Assist for Costa to equalise and after a goal down Chelsea won 3-1
Spur 5-0 Swansea
W. Ham 1-5 Arsenal. Hattrick from the Chilean.
He played Fabregas only because Matic was injured. Fabregas managed to get Fernandinho sent off.
what happened ? should have watched till the end, missed the most outstanding part of the match.
Aguero took out David Luiz with a KungFu kick and then it all kicked off!
Fabregas slapped Fernandinho in the face and he responded by pushing him to the floor. Then everybody joined in the fracas.
Fabregas was also lucky not to be red carded
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38196372
Let's be frank here, Alexis Sanchez carries his whole team. Without him, Arsenal are a very ordinary side.
Second place in the Premier League is rather flattering.
what happened ? should have watched till the end, missed the most outstanding part of the match.
Fabregas slapped Fernandinho and the latter retaliated by clutching Fabregas by the neck and throwing him to the ground. But the ref only saw Fabregas being thrown to the ground and only sent off Fernandinho.
W2W4: With four last-16 spots left, does topping a group really matter?
By Miguel Delaney
espnfc.com
Less and less on the line in 2016
Since it's the final matchday of the group stage, there is obviously one big theme to look at -- do-or-die qualification for the last 16 -- but that also demands a wider historical perspective. There are four places up for grabs, with 12 already decided, and that means this is one of the final matchdays with the least at stake since the Champions League was formed.
In the time since it went to 32 teams in 1999-2000, for example, there have only been three final days with so few knockout round places to play for: three in 2008-09, four in 2010-11 and three again in 2012-13.
The fact that these all come in the last eight years, since Pep Guardiola's initial success at Barcelona first solidified the idea of the "wealthy superclubs" above everyone else, should be something of a concern for the competition. It does seem more and more difficult to eliminate the big clubs, and going into the last games, 15 of the 16 top spots are occupied by the two wealthiest clubs in the groups. The only exception are already-eliminated Tottenham Hotspur. As it is, there are only five matches with actual qualification on the line.
Does finishing first really matter?
One consequence of a majority of qualification places being so easily secured by the wealthier teams, however, is not just that half the top spots still have to be settled. There's also the growing debate over whether it's better to finish first or second this season, as the old advantage of winning a group may not apply, especially depending on how a few of the remaining groups are decided.
As it is, PSG-Arsenal, Napoli-Benfica, Borussia Dortmund-Real Madrid and Juventus-Lyon can still aim for a top spot. Two of those groups will see direct faceoffs, with Benfica hosting Napoli and needing a two-goal win to go top of Group B, although they obviously have other sides involved, too, as discussed above -- while Real Madrid host Dortmund and require a win to oust the Germans.
The other two groups aren't quite so enticing, since Juventus and PSG only need home wins against two sides that have already been thrashed this season, with the Italian champions hosting Dinamo Zagreb, as Sevilla go to Lyon and the French title-winners playing Ludogorets. A PSG victory would again consign Arsenal to second place, but with sides like Manchester City and Bayern Munich already certain to be runners-up, it remains to be seen whether there is much advantage in finishing first.
Group B is the likeliest to end with a bang
At the very least, two of those matches come in what could end up as one of the most rip-roaring groups we've ever seen. The table in Group B is enticingly tight, and that is after some sensationally open games. On Day 2, Napoli walloped Benfica 4-2 before losing 3-2 late on to a rampaging Besiktas. If those matches were engaging, though, there was even better to come.
In the last round of matches, the Turkish side came back from 3-0 down at half-time to draw 3-3 with Benfica. It all means that Besiktas have seven points in third place behind Napoli and Benfica on eight each, but the fact the Italian and Portuguese sides meet in a big showdown could further open things up. That match could end up another shootout, especially if Besiktas can claim a win away to a Dynamo Kyiv side on just two points.
If the Ukrainians claim another draw, Senol Gunes' side will need Benfica to win at Napoli due to head-to-head records. With the way this group has gone, though, expect more fireworks and more surprises. It could still make this entire opening stage one to remember.
Sevilla need to recover their verve to prevent a needless early slip
All of a sudden, the Spanish side's recent surge under the innovative Jorge Sampaoli is in danger of hitting a wall and facing a big disappointment as they travel to Lyon.
Sevilla opened the Champions League with a 0-0 draw away to Juventus, solidifying the feeling that they had adjusted to the manager's sophisticated tactics with impressive speed. The Italian side got revenge for that setback in the Matchday 5, though, beating Sevilla 3-1 away from home. Sampaoli's side followed that with a 2-1 loss to Getafe in their last league game. Having suffered two defeats in their last three matches, they now need to reassert themselves at Lyon to actually secure qualification.
The French side are three points behind second-place Sevilla in Group H, having lost 1-0 to Sampaoli's team earlier in the group. That means Lyon have to win by two goals since a 1-0 win would see Sevilla go through on goals scored. That's how tight this could get, and therefore, how tense it could get. Sevilla certainly need to tighten up again.
Copenhagen could "do a Leicester" but need a favour
For all the discussion about Leicester City's season and how different their Champions League performances have been from those in the league, their Champions League group could offer a similar story elsewhere. Copenhagen could well claim a shock qualification but need Claudio Ranieri's team to do what they've been doing in Europe rather than England: get a result away from home.
The Danish side are currently two points behind second-place Porto, but having claimed a 1-1 draw at the Dragao to go with their home 0-0 against the Portuguese outfit, know that if they finish level on points, they will go through on head-to-head away goals. So, if Copenhagen beat Brugge at home, they would need Leicester to get either a draw or win in Porto. The issue is that the English champions are already through and sure of first place; given their problems in the Premier League, Ranieri might be tempted to play a second-string side against a driven Porto.
By Miguel Delaney
espnfc.com
Less and less on the line in 2016
Since it's the final matchday of the group stage, there is obviously one big theme to look at -- do-or-die qualification for the last 16 -- but that also demands a wider historical perspective. There are four places up for grabs, with 12 already decided, and that means this is one of the final matchdays with the least at stake since the Champions League was formed.
In the time since it went to 32 teams in 1999-2000, for example, there have only been three final days with so few knockout round places to play for: three in 2008-09, four in 2010-11 and three again in 2012-13.
The fact that these all come in the last eight years, since Pep Guardiola's initial success at Barcelona first solidified the idea of the "wealthy superclubs" above everyone else, should be something of a concern for the competition. It does seem more and more difficult to eliminate the big clubs, and going into the last games, 15 of the 16 top spots are occupied by the two wealthiest clubs in the groups. The only exception are already-eliminated Tottenham Hotspur. As it is, there are only five matches with actual qualification on the line.
Does finishing first really matter?
One consequence of a majority of qualification places being so easily secured by the wealthier teams, however, is not just that half the top spots still have to be settled. There's also the growing debate over whether it's better to finish first or second this season, as the old advantage of winning a group may not apply, especially depending on how a few of the remaining groups are decided.
As it is, PSG-Arsenal, Napoli-Benfica, Borussia Dortmund-Real Madrid and Juventus-Lyon can still aim for a top spot. Two of those groups will see direct faceoffs, with Benfica hosting Napoli and needing a two-goal win to go top of Group B, although they obviously have other sides involved, too, as discussed above -- while Real Madrid host Dortmund and require a win to oust the Germans.
The other two groups aren't quite so enticing, since Juventus and PSG only need home wins against two sides that have already been thrashed this season, with the Italian champions hosting Dinamo Zagreb, as Sevilla go to Lyon and the French title-winners playing Ludogorets. A PSG victory would again consign Arsenal to second place, but with sides like Manchester City and Bayern Munich already certain to be runners-up, it remains to be seen whether there is much advantage in finishing first.
Group B is the likeliest to end with a bang
At the very least, two of those matches come in what could end up as one of the most rip-roaring groups we've ever seen. The table in Group B is enticingly tight, and that is after some sensationally open games. On Day 2, Napoli walloped Benfica 4-2 before losing 3-2 late on to a rampaging Besiktas. If those matches were engaging, though, there was even better to come.
In the last round of matches, the Turkish side came back from 3-0 down at half-time to draw 3-3 with Benfica. It all means that Besiktas have seven points in third place behind Napoli and Benfica on eight each, but the fact the Italian and Portuguese sides meet in a big showdown could further open things up. That match could end up another shootout, especially if Besiktas can claim a win away to a Dynamo Kyiv side on just two points.
If the Ukrainians claim another draw, Senol Gunes' side will need Benfica to win at Napoli due to head-to-head records. With the way this group has gone, though, expect more fireworks and more surprises. It could still make this entire opening stage one to remember.
Sevilla need to recover their verve to prevent a needless early slip
All of a sudden, the Spanish side's recent surge under the innovative Jorge Sampaoli is in danger of hitting a wall and facing a big disappointment as they travel to Lyon.
Sevilla opened the Champions League with a 0-0 draw away to Juventus, solidifying the feeling that they had adjusted to the manager's sophisticated tactics with impressive speed. The Italian side got revenge for that setback in the Matchday 5, though, beating Sevilla 3-1 away from home. Sampaoli's side followed that with a 2-1 loss to Getafe in their last league game. Having suffered two defeats in their last three matches, they now need to reassert themselves at Lyon to actually secure qualification.
The French side are three points behind second-place Sevilla in Group H, having lost 1-0 to Sampaoli's team earlier in the group. That means Lyon have to win by two goals since a 1-0 win would see Sevilla go through on goals scored. That's how tight this could get, and therefore, how tense it could get. Sevilla certainly need to tighten up again.
Copenhagen could "do a Leicester" but need a favour
For all the discussion about Leicester City's season and how different their Champions League performances have been from those in the league, their Champions League group could offer a similar story elsewhere. Copenhagen could well claim a shock qualification but need Claudio Ranieri's team to do what they've been doing in Europe rather than England: get a result away from home.
The Danish side are currently two points behind second-place Porto, but having claimed a 1-1 draw at the Dragao to go with their home 0-0 against the Portuguese outfit, know that if they finish level on points, they will go through on head-to-head away goals. So, if Copenhagen beat Brugge at home, they would need Leicester to get either a draw or win in Porto. The issue is that the English champions are already through and sure of first place; given their problems in the Premier League, Ranieri might be tempted to play a second-string side against a driven Porto.
Arsenal top Champions League group as PSG slip up; Napoli, Benfica advance
Arsenal finished in first place in Champions League Group A after beating Basel 4-1, while Paris Saint-Germain settled for a surprise home draw to close out the group stage on Tuesday.
Lucas Perez recorded a hat trick inside 47 minutes before Alex Owobi added a fourth to help the Gunners on their way to a dominant victory.
Arsenal needed just eight minutes to open the scoring at St Jakob-Park, with Kieran Gibbs squaring the ball to Perez after being played in by Alexis Sanchez and the Spaniard then converting from close range at the far post.
By the 16th minute the Gunners were two goals up after Perez added his second of the night, tapping home the rebound from just a few yards out after Gibbs' strike was saved by Tomas Vaclik.
It was 3-0 two minutes after the restart, with Perez firing past Vaclik into the bottom corner to complete his hat trick after Gibbs' pass was diverted into his path by Sanchez.
And it was four for Arsenal just seven minutes later when Iwobi slotted home from close range after Mesut Ozil had pulled the ball back across goal to him, before Basel found a consolation goal through Seydou Doumbia.
PSG entered the final matchday level with Arsenal on 11 points, but the French side's head-to-head advantage would not come into play as they could only manage a 2-2 draw at home with Ludogorets Razgrad.
Virgil Misidjan headed home from Natanael Pimienta's curling cross in the 15th minute as the Bulgarian side secured a spot in the Europa League as third-place finishers.
Edinson Cavani found the equaliser after the hour mark, converting a bicycle kick from close range after a missed defensive clearance.
But just as a winner for PSG seemed inevitable, Ludogorets took the lead for a second time on 69 minutes as Cafu dispossessed Marquinhos and pulled a pass back for Wanderson to score.
Ludogorets were denied a famous victory as Angel Di Maria scored in stoppage time, but PSG could not find a winner in the final moments and finished second in the group.
Arda Turan scored a hat trick in Barcelona's Group C finale, a comprehensive 4-0 win against Borussia Monchengladbach.
With the top spot in the group already wrapped up, Luis Enrique elected to rest Neymar and begin with Luis Suarez on the bench, while Lionel Messi started and opened the scoring for the hosts in the 16th minute, finishing from the centre of the penalty area from a Turan assist.
Turan came out firing in the second half, scoring goals in the 50th and 53rd minutes to effectively seal the win before adding his third in the 67th minute.
The Turkey international joined an impressive list of Barca players to score Champions League hat tricks including Messi, Neymar, Samuel Eto'o, Ronaldinho and Rivaldo.
A young Manchester City side, already assured of second place in Group C, could only manage a 1-1 draw at home against Celtic.
Celtic got off to a bright start when loanee Patrick Roberts ran into the box and scored against his parent club in the fourth minute.
But the Scottish club's lead lasted less than four minutes as Kelechi Iheanacho ran onto a Nolito through ball and took one touch before blasting his shot past Craig Gordon.
Nolito thought he had put City ahead in the 67th minute, but his goal was rightly ruled out for offside.
In Group D, Bayern Munich ended Atletico Madrid's bid to be the seventh team to win all six group games as the German side prevailed 1-0 at home.
Robert Lewandowski's 28th-minute free kick over the Atletico wall was the only goal, though Bayern still finished second behind their opponents.
Russian club FC Rostov secured their place in the Europa League following a goalless draw at PSV Eindhoven.
Bart Ramselaar had a shot hacked off the line late as PSV's evening ended in frustration with last season's Eredivisie champions bottom of the table.
Group B had been set up for an exciting finish but there was little drama after Besiktas had two men sent off and lost 6-0 to Dynamo Kiev.
Dynamo, with nothing to play for, took a ninth-minute lead as Andriy Yarmolenko carried the ball along the baseline and crossed to Artem Besedin to turn in with his knee.
The game changed on 29 minutes when Andreas Beck was controversially sent off for a challenge as Derlis Gonzalez entered the box, though they appeared shoulder-to-shoulder.
But Yarmolenko converted the resulting penalty and two minutes later Vitaliy Buyalskiy took advantage of Dusko Tosic's defensive miscue to loop in a third goal into an open net from long range.
Gonzalez's deflected shot in first-half stoppage time made it 4-0, and it only got worse after the break as Vincent Aboubakar picked up his second yellow, before Serhiy Sydorchuk and Junior Moraes added to the scoreline.
A win would have put Besiktas through, but the result saw them finish third behind Napoli and Benfica, with the Italian side topping the group after a 2-1 win.
Napoli had the better of chances before the other game's progress lifted the pressure, and got their reward on the hour mark, Jose Maria Callejon staying onside to receive Dries Mertens' pass before chipping the keeper.
The players reversed roles 20 minutes later as Callejon provided the pass for Mertens to double the advantage, though Benfica's Raul Jimenez was able to find a late goal.
Arsenal finished in first place in Champions League Group A after beating Basel 4-1, while Paris Saint-Germain settled for a surprise home draw to close out the group stage on Tuesday.
Lucas Perez recorded a hat trick inside 47 minutes before Alex Owobi added a fourth to help the Gunners on their way to a dominant victory.
Arsenal needed just eight minutes to open the scoring at St Jakob-Park, with Kieran Gibbs squaring the ball to Perez after being played in by Alexis Sanchez and the Spaniard then converting from close range at the far post.
By the 16th minute the Gunners were two goals up after Perez added his second of the night, tapping home the rebound from just a few yards out after Gibbs' strike was saved by Tomas Vaclik.
It was 3-0 two minutes after the restart, with Perez firing past Vaclik into the bottom corner to complete his hat trick after Gibbs' pass was diverted into his path by Sanchez.
And it was four for Arsenal just seven minutes later when Iwobi slotted home from close range after Mesut Ozil had pulled the ball back across goal to him, before Basel found a consolation goal through Seydou Doumbia.
PSG entered the final matchday level with Arsenal on 11 points, but the French side's head-to-head advantage would not come into play as they could only manage a 2-2 draw at home with Ludogorets Razgrad.
Virgil Misidjan headed home from Natanael Pimienta's curling cross in the 15th minute as the Bulgarian side secured a spot in the Europa League as third-place finishers.
Edinson Cavani found the equaliser after the hour mark, converting a bicycle kick from close range after a missed defensive clearance.
But just as a winner for PSG seemed inevitable, Ludogorets took the lead for a second time on 69 minutes as Cafu dispossessed Marquinhos and pulled a pass back for Wanderson to score.
Ludogorets were denied a famous victory as Angel Di Maria scored in stoppage time, but PSG could not find a winner in the final moments and finished second in the group.
Arda Turan scored a hat trick in Barcelona's Group C finale, a comprehensive 4-0 win against Borussia Monchengladbach.
With the top spot in the group already wrapped up, Luis Enrique elected to rest Neymar and begin with Luis Suarez on the bench, while Lionel Messi started and opened the scoring for the hosts in the 16th minute, finishing from the centre of the penalty area from a Turan assist.
Turan came out firing in the second half, scoring goals in the 50th and 53rd minutes to effectively seal the win before adding his third in the 67th minute.
The Turkey international joined an impressive list of Barca players to score Champions League hat tricks including Messi, Neymar, Samuel Eto'o, Ronaldinho and Rivaldo.
A young Manchester City side, already assured of second place in Group C, could only manage a 1-1 draw at home against Celtic.
Celtic got off to a bright start when loanee Patrick Roberts ran into the box and scored against his parent club in the fourth minute.
But the Scottish club's lead lasted less than four minutes as Kelechi Iheanacho ran onto a Nolito through ball and took one touch before blasting his shot past Craig Gordon.
Nolito thought he had put City ahead in the 67th minute, but his goal was rightly ruled out for offside.
In Group D, Bayern Munich ended Atletico Madrid's bid to be the seventh team to win all six group games as the German side prevailed 1-0 at home.
Robert Lewandowski's 28th-minute free kick over the Atletico wall was the only goal, though Bayern still finished second behind their opponents.
Russian club FC Rostov secured their place in the Europa League following a goalless draw at PSV Eindhoven.
Bart Ramselaar had a shot hacked off the line late as PSV's evening ended in frustration with last season's Eredivisie champions bottom of the table.
Group B had been set up for an exciting finish but there was little drama after Besiktas had two men sent off and lost 6-0 to Dynamo Kiev.
Dynamo, with nothing to play for, took a ninth-minute lead as Andriy Yarmolenko carried the ball along the baseline and crossed to Artem Besedin to turn in with his knee.
The game changed on 29 minutes when Andreas Beck was controversially sent off for a challenge as Derlis Gonzalez entered the box, though they appeared shoulder-to-shoulder.
But Yarmolenko converted the resulting penalty and two minutes later Vitaliy Buyalskiy took advantage of Dusko Tosic's defensive miscue to loop in a third goal into an open net from long range.
Gonzalez's deflected shot in first-half stoppage time made it 4-0, and it only got worse after the break as Vincent Aboubakar picked up his second yellow, before Serhiy Sydorchuk and Junior Moraes added to the scoreline.
A win would have put Besiktas through, but the result saw them finish third behind Napoli and Benfica, with the Italian side topping the group after a 2-1 win.
Napoli had the better of chances before the other game's progress lifted the pressure, and got their reward on the hour mark, Jose Maria Callejon staying onside to receive Dries Mertens' pass before chipping the keeper.
The players reversed roles 20 minutes later as Callejon provided the pass for Mertens to double the advantage, though Benfica's Raul Jimenez was able to find a late goal.
Similar threads
