Liverpool drew 2-2 away to Ludogorets to keep their Champions League hopes alive with one game left in Group B. Prior to Wednesday night...
Liverpool drew 2-2 away to Ludogorets to keep their Champions League hopes alive with one game left in Group B.
Prior to Wednesday night's game, Brendan Rodgers said 'our season starts now' - although it is unlikely he expected that to include a Dani Abalo goal for the hosts after three minutes in Sofia.
However, Rickie Lambert struck back with his first-ever Champions League goal five minutes later before Jordan Henderson gave Liverpool the lead in the 37th minute, after good work from a revitalised Raheem Sterling.
The visitors looked to be heading for all three points but up popped Georgi Terziev to level for the home side two minutes from time.
Luckily for Liverpool and more than 2,000 travelling fans, Basel were unable to score against Real Madrid and a victory against the Swiss side at Anfield on Matchday 6 will see them through.
Arsenal beat Borussia Dortmund 2-0 at the Emirates on Tuesday night to once again qualify for the knockout phase of the Champions League.
The north London club managed to get the better of German opposition in the Champions League for the first time in five matches thanks to strikes in each half from Yaya Sanogo and Alexis Sanchez
Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 71st Champions League goal to give Real Madrid a 1-0 win at Baselas they maintained their 100 per cent record in Group B.
The Portugal forward netted from close range after Karim Benzema charged down the left and pulled the ball back for him to equal former Real forward Raul's Champions League tally and move three behind Lionel Messi, who broke the record with a hat-trick for Barcelona on Tuesday.
Reigning European champions Real, who made sure of top spot in the group with 15 points, chalked up their club-record-equalling 15th successive win in all competitions, although they had to survive a difficult second half against the Swiss champions, who battled hard throughout the game with 17-year-old forward Breel Embolo proving a real handful.
Despite their defeat, Basel, who have six points from five games, can still qualify for the last 16 if they draw at Liverpool in their final game.
Liverpool were held to a 2-2 draw by Ludogorets in their penultimate group match and will now need to beat Basel at Anfield to progress.
Atletico Madrid swept into the last 16 with a game to spare as Mario Mandzukic netted a hat-trick in a 4-0 win at home to Olympiakos in Group A.
Last season's beaten finalists secured a fourth straight victory since losing 3-2 to the Greek side in their opening game in September and have 12 points from five matches, three ahead of second-placed Juventus, who won 2-0 at Malmo.
After a typically intense start from the home side, Raul Garcia struck in the ninth minute following a howler from Olympiakos goalkeeper Roberto and another defensive error, this time from Roberto's Spanish compatriot Alberto Botia, let in Mandzukic to tap home seven minutes before the break.
The Croatia forward made it 3-0 in the 62nd minute when he nodded in an Arda Turan cross and he completed his treble with another header from Gabi's free-kick three minutes later.
Second-half strikes from Fernando Llorente and Carlos Tevez securedJuventus their victory over Malmo, the Italian side's first away victory in the group stage for two years.
Llorente broke the deadlock four minutes into the second half, latching on to Claudio Marchisio's throughball and charging from the halfway line before rounding Robin Olsen and slotting the ball home.
Tevez netted a late second in the 88th minute to complete their first Champions League away win since they beat Shakhtar Donetsk 1-0 in December 2012.
Juventus and Atletico meet in Turin in their final group game, with Juve needing a point to ensure qualification.
Monaco stunned Bayer Leverkusen 1-0 with a goal against the run of play from substitute Lucas Ocampos to revive their hopes of reaching the last 16 and scupper the Germans' bid to top Group C with a game to spare.
Ocampos had been on the field for only two minutes when he sneaked into the box in the 72nd minute to slide the ball home after Leverkusen, who had won their previous three group games, dominated the match but were again frustrated by defensive Monaco.
Leverkusen, who have now lost twice to Monaco in the group, had already qualified for the knockout stages without kicking a ball after Zenit St Petersburg beat Benfica 1-0 earlier.
The result left them top of the group on nine points with Monaco on eight and Zenit on seven going into the last matchday.
Andre Villas-Boas’ Zenit side ended Benfica’s hopes of progressing with a nervy victory at the Petrovsky Stadium.
Former Porto striker Hulk laid on the perfect ball for Portugal midfielder Danny to blast the winner in the 79th minute and dump his compatriots out of Europe altogether.
Arsenal qualified for the knockout stages for the 15th successive season when they ended Borussia Dortmund's 100 per cent record in Group D with a 2-0 win at the Emirates Stadium.
Chancel Mbemba scored twice to give Anderlecht a 2-0 victory overGalatasaray, assuring the Belgian champions of third place in Group D and a place in the Europa League.
Mbemba put Anderlecht ahead in the 44th minute when he latched on to a cross and beat Fernando Muslera with a powerful header. He made sure of the victory in the 86th minute with a tap-in after Muslera failed to control a free-kick.
Mbemba put Anderlecht ahead in the 44th minute when he latched on to a cross and beat Fernando Muslera with a powerful header. He made sure of the victory in the 86th minute with a tap-in after Muslera failed to control a free-kick.
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