Liverpool through to last 16
Ronaldo sets new Champions League scoring record
Philippe Coutinho’s hat trick inspired Liverpool to score seven in their win over Spartak Moscow on Wednesday as they joined Sevilla, Shakhtar Donetsk and Porto in qualifying for the Champions League last 16.
That quartet completed the lineup on the final night of group-stage action that was also notable for another Cristiano Ronaldo goals record in the competition.
The Portuguese superstar scored his ninth in the competition this season in reigning champions Real Madrid’s 3-2 win at home to Borussia Dortmund.
In doing so, he became the first player to score in all six Champions League groupstage matches in a season while also equaling his Barcelona rival Lionel Messi’s record of 60 group-stage goals in total.
Liverpool have also been prolific this season, and their demolition of Spartak was the second time they had won 7-0 en route to finishing top of Group E – they beat Maribor 7-0 in October.
Jurgen Klopp’s side were 3-0 up inside 19 minutes on a night that saw their “Fab Four” run riot.
As a result, there will be a record five English clubs in Monday’s draw, and they will not be able to face each other.
Spartak’s defeat meant Sevilla were through regardless of their 1-1 draw with Maribor in Slovenia.
Maribor captain Marcos Tavares scored the opener, with Paulo Henrique Ganso coming off the bench to equalize for the Spaniards. Spartak go into the Europa League.
Ukrainian giants Shakhtar are through to the last 16 in Group F at the expense of Napoli after beating Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City – who had already won the section – 2-1 in Kharkiv.
Napoli had gone in front early on away to already eliminated Feyenoord through Piotr Zielinski, but Nicolai Jorgensen equalized. Jeremiah St Juste then made it 2-1 at the death for the Dutch champions after they had Tonny Vilhena sent off.
Porto also knew a win would take them through in Group G and the two-time European champions ran riot against a hapless Monaco, hammering last season’s semifinalists 5-2.
Monaco replied through a Kamil Glik effort and a Radamel Falcao header against his old club, while Porto’s Felipe and Rachid Ghezzal for the visitors were sent off after an altercation in the first half.
RB Leipzig were forced to settle for a Europa League spot in their debut European campaign. They lost 2-1 at home to group winners Besiktas, for whom Talisca scored a last-minute winner after Naby Keita had canceled out Alvaro Negredo’s early penalty opener. Leipzig had Stefan Ilsanker sent off.