Loss leaves Liverpool on brink of exit
As four teams advanced to the Champions League knockout round yesterday, last season’s runner-up Liverpool edged closer to an early exit.
A 2-1 loss at Paris SaintGermain in the night’s marquee match was Liverpool’s fifth straight away defeat in the competition, and sparked wild celebrations in Parc des Princes in Paris.
Liverpool, whose only shot on target was James Milner’s penalty to cut PSG’s lead in first-half stoppage time, fell to third place in Group C that has proved the tightest this season.
Still, a two-goal win over current group leader Napoli – which got two goals from Dries Mertens in beating Red Star Belgrade 3-1 – in two weeks’ time will send Liverpool into the round of 16.
Atletico Madrid and Borussia Dortmund ensured they will advance from Group A, and Porto won Group D with a game to spare with Schalke advancing as runner-up.
Barcelona began the week as the only team to qualify after four rounds of games, and was lifted by Lionel Messi’s sixth goal of the campaign to win 2-1 at PSV Eindhoven.
The five-time European champion clinched victory in Group B and will be seeded in the round of 16 – guaranteed to be drawn against a group runner-up and with the second-leg game at home.
In a tense battle to join Barcelona in the December 17 draw, Tottenham got an 80th-minute goal from substitute Christian Eriksen to beat Inter Milan 1-0 at Wembley Stadium in London. Tottenham avoided elimination and joined the Italians on seven points.