Chelsea and AC Milan became the latest teams to seal their places in the Champions League knockout stage after the penultimate batch of group matches on Wednesday.
This duo joined Arsenal, Manchester United, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Roma and Sevilla, who have already ensured their presence in the next round, leaving eight tickets still to be claimed.
Among those sides with work to do in the final cluster of group games next month are nine-time European champions Real Madrid, who came unstuck 3-2 at Werder Bremen.
PHOTO: AFP
Real's loss blew Group C wide open with any one of the four teams still in with a chance of making it to the last 16.
In contrast to the Spanish giants, Chelsea can now approach their final group phase fixture at home to Valencia in the safe position as Group B leaders irrespective of the result on Dec. 11 after a 4-0 stroll at Rosenborg.
Chelsea's last meeting with the Norwegians -- that drab 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge which triggered Jose Mourinho's departure -- was a distant memory as Chelsea tore apart Rosenborg's sometime dreadful defending.
With a goal apiece from Alex and Joe Cole and a brace from Didier Drogba Avram Grant's side warmed up their traveling supporters who braved the freezing temperatures in Trondheim -- including the hardy fan who watched the entire game shirtless.
Blue's skipper John Terry was evidently pleased and happy to get through to the next round.
"We started really well, the pitch was a bit wet and difficult but we adapted well. We knew it was going to be difficult but the early goal helped and all the front boys performed really well today," Terry said.
Liverpool put themselves back in business with a 4-1 stroll over Group A leaders FC Porto at Anfield with Fernando Torres getting a double and Steven Gerrard and Peter Crouch striking late.
That left Rafael Benitez' 2005 champions needing a win against Marseille, beaten 2-1 in Istanbul by Besiktas, to ensure their place in the last 16.
Benitez's very public disagreements with Tom Hicks and George Gillett over transfer policy could have proved a fatal distraction at the pivotal moment of Liverpool's European campaign.
But his players bailed the Spaniard out and he was more contrite after the match, insisting there was no personal issue with his employers.
In Glasgow, Celtic were on course for a 1-1 draw against Shakhtar Donetsk after the opener from the Ukrainian's Brandao had been canceled out by Jiri Jarosik until Massimo Dontai produced a dramatic injury time winner.
The win left Celtic in second in Group D on nine points ahead of next month's final game away to AC Milan, who squeezed through after a 1-1 draw at Benfica.
That left them needing only a point against Celtic to top the standings.
Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti insisted that his side were determined to secure top spot in the group and would be concentrating on that.
"We played well in the first half but in the second half we found it difficult. Maybe we made some mistakes in defense and we were under a lot of pressure but in the end we could have won," he said.
Brazil has four teams, more than any other country, in the expanded Club World Cup that kicked off yesterday in the US, but for SE Palmeiras, the competition holds a special meaning: winning it would provide some redemption. Under coach Abel Ferreira since 2020, Palmeiras lifted two Copa Libertadores titles, plus Brazilian league, cup and state championships. Even before Ferreira, it boasted another South American crown and 11 league titles. The only major trophy missing is a world champions’ title. Other Brazilian clubs like Fluminense FC and Botafogo FR, also in the tournament, have never won it either, but the problem for Palmeiras
Lionel Messi drew vast crowds and showed flashes of his brilliance when his Inter Miami side were held to a goalless draw by African giants Al-Ahly as the revamped FIFA Club World Cup got off to a festive start on Saturday. Fans showed up en masse for the Group A clash at the Hard Rock Stadium, home to the NFL’s Miami Dolphins, but Messi could not fully deliver, his best chance coming through a last-second attempt that was deflected onto the crossbar. Inter Miami next face FC Porto on Thursday in Atlanta, while Al-Ahly, who benefited from raucous, massive support, are to
Twelve days after winning her second Grand Slam title at the French Open, Coco Gauff fell at the first hurdle on grass in Berlin on Thursday as beaten Paris finalist Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the quarter-finals. Recipient of a first round bye, American Gauff lost 6-3, 6-3 to Chinese qualifier Wang Xinyu as world number one Sabalenka beat Rebeka Masarova 6-2, 7-6 (8/6) in her second round tie. Winner of 10 main tour titles, including the US Open in 2023 and the WTA Finals last year, Gauff has yet to lift a trophy in a grass-court tournament. “After I won the first
Sergio Ramos on Tuesday outfoxed two Inter players and artfully headed home the first goal for Monterrey at the FIFA Club World Cup. The 39-year-old Ramos slipped through the penalty area for the score just as he did for so many years in the shirts of Real Madrid and Spain’s national team, with whom he combined smarts, timing and physicality. Ramos’ clever goal and his overall defensive play at the Rose Bowl were major factors in Monterrey’s impressive 1-1 draw against the UEFA Champions League finalists in the clubs’ first match of the tournament. “There is always a joy to contribute to the
RSS