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UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Barcelona stunned by Royal Antwerp, Celtic beat Feyenoord
It was a drama-filled conclusion to Group H, as Royal Antwerp secured an emphatic 3-2 victory over Barcelona, while Porto joined them in the last 16 with a 5-3 win over Shakhtar Donetsk.
There was early action across both games in Group H. Antwerp, the group’s bottom side, took a stunning lead after 76 seconds when 18-year-old Arthur Vermeeren struck venomously beyond Inaki Pena.
Ferran Torres cancelled out the teenager’s opener 10 minutes before the break with a fine equaliser as Lamine Yamal became the first 16-year-old to register an assist in the competition’s history.
But Xavi’s side found themselves behind again when Antwerp capitalised on some sloppy Barcelona play on the edge of the box before Vincent Janssen excellently finished.
Barcelona thought they had saved themselves from an embarrassing result when Marc Guiu equalised in the dying moments, but it was ecstasy for Antwerp when George Ilenikhena restored the Belgian’s lead in the 93rd minute.
Porto and Shakhtar were fighting for the second qualifying spot alongside Barcelona and the Portuguese side took the advantage when Wenderson Galeno finished a scrappy move.
After shaking off the disappointing early goal, Shakhtar had the ball in the net when Danylo Sikan – flagged offside – tapped home in front of a motionless Porto defence. However, after a VAR check, Sikan was ruled onside and the goal was controversially given and the scores were level.
The home side were back in control just before the players headed to the changing rooms for the break, when Galeno fired in his second of the game with a fiercely hit shot from the edge of the box.
Porto put one foot in the knockouts when Mehdi Taremi added a third for Sergio Conceicao’s side, giving Shakhtar – who needed a win – a mountain to climb if they were to join Barcelona in the last 16.
Shakhtar threatened a miraculous comeback when Stephen Eustaquio scored an own goal, but 40-year-old Pepe restored Porto’s two-goal advantage with a scrappy touch from a corner.
Porto boss Sergio Conceicao’s son, Chico Conceicao, made sure of the result with a fifth in the closing stages.
CELTIC FINALLY WIN AS ATLETICO TOP GROUP
It was a huge night for Celtic, who dramatically beat Feyenoord 2-1 to secure their first three points of this Champions League campaign, while Atletico Madrid claimed top spot in Group E.
Celtic, who were already eliminated from Europe, took the lead against Europa League-bound Feyenoord when Luis Palma converted a 33rd-minute penalty.
On their way to their first win in the Champions League this season Celtic had the wind taken out of their sails as Feyenoord grabbed an equaliser through Yankuba Minteh eight minutes from time.
However, Gustaf Lagerbielke gave Celtic a memorable Champions League sign-off when he headed home at the back post in the 91st minute.
There was a crunch tie for the top spot in Group E, where the already-qualified Atletico Madrid and Lazio battled for, on paper, an easier last-16 match-up.
Atleti drew first blood in Madrid when Antoine Griezmann scored inside six minutes, smartly guiding Samuel Dias Lino’s low cross into the net for his 14th goal of the season and fifth in Europe.
Within minutes of the restart, Atletico doubled their lead and Lino was involved again but this time he put the ball in the net – slamming the ball home on the half-volley.
NEWCASTLE FINISH BOTTOM ON CLIMACTIC FINAL MATCHDAY, PSG QUALIFY
In a topsy-turvy night in Group F, Newcastle – who were once first and then second in the group, finished bottom following a 2-1 home defeat to AC Milan, while Borussia Dortmund drew 1-1 with Paris Saint-Germain.
On one of the biggest nights at St. James’ Park in recent history, Newcastle were knocking on the door straight from the off as they searched for an early goal.
They came close to the lead when Miguel Almiron looked set to tap the ball into an empty net only for Fikayo Tomori to make an exceptional recovery tackle.
The roof at St. James’ Park was blown off when Newcastle went ahead thanks to Joelinton’s emphatic strike into the top corner.
Milan drew level through former Chelsea forward Christian Pulisic before Samuel Chukwueze broke Newcastle hearts with an outstanding winner with five minutes on the clock.
Over in Dortmund, Edin Terzic’s side and PSG couldn’t be separated in the first half which would have been welcome news over on Tyneside as Newcastle moved into second in the group.
There was even better news for Eddie Howe’s side when Karim Adeyemi kept his composure to guide Niclas Fullkrug’s cross beyond Gianluigi Donnarumma as the group leaders Dortmund took the lead.
But just as the nerves began to settle in Newcastle, 17-year-old Warren Zaire-Emery through a spanner in the works to smash PSG level following a wonderfully worked move inspired by Kylian Mbappe.
The game ended in a draw, which means PSG qualified for the round of 16 in second place while Milan drop into the Europa League.
LEIPZIG WRAP UP GROUP STAGES IN STYLE, HAMILTON AND BOBB SCORE ON SPECIAL NIGHT FOR CITY
Group G in the UEFA Champions League was already settled going into the final round of matches with each team locked into their positions, making for a relaxing end to the group stages.
Manchester City had the group wrapped up and qualified alongside second-place RB Leipzig, with Young Boys heading to the UEFA Europa League and Crvena Zvezda bottom of the standings.
Leipzig wrapped up their creditable group stage campaign with a 2-1 home win over Young Boys.
The Germans thought they had an early lead when Benjamin Sesko produced a delicate finish, but it was quickly ruled out for offside.
The game remained goalless until the break but there were a flurry of goals early in the second half.
Sesko struck within five minutes to break the deadlock, which he finished with some distinction – turning his defender and drilling the ball into the top corner.
Young Boys were back on level terms two minutes later when Jean Pierre Nsame was allowed a clear run at goal, before squaring the ball for Ebrima Colley to tap home.
But they weren’t level for long. Another 120 seconds later, Leipzig were back in front when Emil Forsberg struck well across the face of goal to restore the host’s advantage.
In Group G’s other game, City remained perfect in the competition with a 2-1 win in Serbia against Crvena Zvezda, making it six wins in as many games.
Academy graduates Micah Hamilton and Oscar Bobb delivered for the reigning champions, with special goals either side of the break as City capped off the group stages in style.
Hamilton produced a delightful strike on his senior debut to put Pep Guardiola’s side in front, rifling the ball into the roof of the net from a tricky angle after taking two defenders out of the game.
Bobb, who has featured for City twice in the Champions League this season and five times in the Premier League, doubled City’s lead in the second half.
Just as spectacularly taken as Hamilton’s effort, he navigated his way through the defence before guiding the ball into the far corner.
However, it wasn’t a perfect night as the treble winners were unable able to hang on to a clean sheet.
Hwang In-beom grabbed a consolation for the Serbian side with a clean strike beyond Stefan Ortega in the latter stages to send the fans of the already-eliminated side into raptures.
In the final few minutes, City were awarded a penalty after some tricky play from Hamilton forced Nasser Djiga to commit a foul.
Kalvin Phillips stepped up and converted the spot kick to grab his first goal for the club in a touching moment for the out-of-favour midfielder.
Aleksandar Katai grabbed further consolation for Crvena Zvezda but Man City would hold on for the win.
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Arsenal kept their Premier League title dreams alive by ending an Old Trafford hoodoo to grind out a 1-0 win at Manchester United on Sunday to move back top of the table.
Leandro Trossard scored the only goal on 20 minutes as Arsenal won for just the second time in 17 games away at United to go a point clear at the summit.
Manchester City still have the destiny of the title in their own hands as the defending champions have two matches left to Arsenal’s one.
However, the Gunners kept the pressure on Pep Guardiola’s men ahead of their tricky trip to Tottenham on Tuesday.
Defeat further dented United’s chances of competing in Europe next season.
Erik ten Hag’s men showed more spirit than in a dismal 4-0 defeat to Crystal Palace on Monday, but have now won just one of their last eight Premier League games.
United remain eighth in the table, three points adrift of both Newcastle, who they face on Wednesday, and Chelsea.
Arsenal have been in scintillating form in 2024 to remain in the race for their first league title in 20 years.
Mikel Arteta’s men have won 15 and drawn one of their 17 league games since the turn of the year.
But Arsenal were far from their flowing best as the expected onslaught of an injury-ravaged United never materialised under unusually stifling heat in England’s north-west.
The manner of defeat at Palace had increased the scrutiny on United boss Ten Hag.
He made three changes to the team swept aside at Selhurst Park as Scott McTominay, Sofyan Amrabat and Amad Diallo came in.
The Dutchman’s options were again hamstrung by a lengthy list of absentees with captain Bruno Fernandes among those sidelined and a bench littered with youngsters.
But his decision to retain Casemiro as a makeshift centre-back after his woeful showing against Palace will become another stick to beat the beleaguered coach with.
The Brazil captain was dropped from their squad for the Copa America in midweek due to his terrible form.
After United had managed to keep the free-scoring visitors at bay for the opening 20 minutes, Casemiro was culpable for the opening goal.
The 32-year-old was laboured in pushing up from a United goal-kick to play Kai Havertz onside and Trossard then stole in on the blind side of Casemiro to tap in the German’s cross.
United’s new co-owner Jim Ratcliffe was in attendance at Old Trafford rather than at Wembley to see the club’s women pick up their first ever major trophy in the FA Cup final.
The work that lies ahead of Ratcliffe has been laid bare in recent weeks, but the home side did manage to keep the majority of the 74,000 crowd onside by taking the game to Arsenal after the break.
Arsenal, though, were rarely seriously troubled as they held out for a sixth clean sheet in their last seven away league games.
Alejandro Garnacho was United’s one live wire but smashed into the side-netting with his best chance to equalise.
Gabriel Martinelli and Declan Rice were denied by brilliant Andre Onana saves to prevent Arsenal the second goal they craved to avoid a tense finale.
The visitors desperation to see the game out was evident as Martinelli took the ball to the corner with 10 minutes of the 90 still to play.
But Arsenal did just enough to ask the question City, who host West Ham on the final day of the season after their visit to north London in midweek.
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Real Madrid snatched an incredible semi-final victory as two late goals defeated Bayern Munich and set up a Champions League final with Borussia Dortmund.
Bayern looked to be heading to the final when Alphonso Davies cut in and blasted past Andriy Lunin after England captain Harry Kane had found him with a superb pass.
But Joselu grabbed an 88th-minute equaliser when he reacted quickest after Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who had been excellent up until then, fumbled Vinicius Jr’s effort.
There was even more drama to come two minutes later when Joselu, a former Stoke City striker, swept home from six yards after Antonio Rudiger’s square pass.
The goal was initially ruled offside, only for a video assistant referee (VAR) decision to show that Joselu was onside, sparking incredible scenes of celebration in the Bernabeu, with Real hanging on to win 4-3 on aggregate.
Real, 14-time European champions, will face Dortmund on Saturday, 1 June at Wembley.
There was controversy in the 13th minute of injury time at the end of the second half as Bayern’s Matthijs de Ligt thought he had taken the game to extra time.
A ball was played up to Noussair Mazraoui and the assistant referee’s flag was raised for offside, with a number of Real defenders stopping before Bayern’s De Ligt fired into the net.
Television replays suggested the original decision may not have been correct and that had the flag not been raised it would have needed to be checked by VAR, with Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel and a number of players including Kane and fellow Englishman Eric Dier strongly protesting against the decision.
Delight for Bellingham but heartbreak for Kane and Dier
For England midfielder Jude Bellingham, the outcome continues an incredible first season at the Bernabeu and he will face his former side Dortmund in the final in London.
Bellingham left the German team for Real in an £88.5m move in June 2023 and has a chance to complete a double, having already helped Real win La Liga.
“At Wembley, against Dortmund… It’s a weird one, I can’t believe it,” Bellingham told TNT Sports. “When I was seven years old in Birmingham, I was dreaming of nights like this.”
While it was a dream come true for Bellingham, there was heartbreak for his fellow England players Kane and Dier.
Kane has scored 44 times for Bayern since moving in an £86m transfer from Tottenham last summer, but this loss ends his hopes of winning a first major title in his career.
Both Kane and Dier played in the 2019 Champions League final as Tottenham lost 2-0 to Liverpool.
Kane had put Bayern 2-1 ahead in the first leg against Madrid, only for Vinicius Jr to grab his second to leave it at 2-2 after the opening match in Germany.
The second leg was played in a fantastic atmosphere at the Bernabeu. The hosts almost scored early on, only for Neuer to make an excellent double save – pushing Vinicius Jr’s effort against the post and then stopping Rodrygo’s follow-up effort.
Vinicius Jr was a constant threat for Real down their left but again saw Neuer twice make excellent saves.
But Bayern, against the run of play, took the lead in the 68th minute.
Kane, in the centre circle, sprayed a superb pass to Davies on the left flank, and the Canadian ran at Rudiger, cut inside on to his right foot and unleashed an unstoppable strike for what looked to be the winner.
Boss Tuchel, who is leaving Bayern at the end of the season, took Kane off with five minutes to go, before Joselu swung the game in Real’s favour.
The striker took advantage of a rare Neuer error and then scored again three minutes later as Real clinched an incredible victory.
Real boss Carlo Ancelotti, who has reached his sixth Champions League final as a manager, said he is going to “enjoy this week”.
“[My players are] unbelievable. I’m really grateful to them,” Ancelotti added. “They work really hard and I think this is the best squad I have ever had in my career.”
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Crystal Palace sealed a first league double over Manchester United with a rampant 4-0 win at Selhurst Park.
Michael Olise ran 20 yards under no challenge to eventually slot beyond Andre Onana to put Oliver Glasner’s side in the lead after 13 minutes.
Jean-Philippe Mateta surged beyond Johnny Evans to finish emphatically for his sixth goal in a row on home turf.
Tyrick Mitchell tapped in from close range after a fine cross by Adam Wharton in the 58th minute and French youngster Olise capitalised on a Casemiro mistake to power a strike beyond a wanting Onana.
From the first minute, Glasner’s men looked full of intent against a United side who failed to turn up at Selhurst Park.
As a defensive unit, United put in one of the worst performances of the season with Casemiro and Evans becoming their 14th centre back partnership used this campaign.
Eberechi Eze and Olise were given the freedom of the pitch to control the play and caused United trouble on numerous occasions.
Erik ten Hag’s side threatened in a couple of moments with Casemiro twice having goals ruled out – the first for a foul on Dean Henderson and the second for offside.
Odsonne Edouard almost rubbed further salt in the wounds but his injury-time effort struck the upright.
With title-chasing Arsenal next up, United must greatly improve to avoid another thrashing.
No European football for United a possibility
At one stage in the season, Ten Hag’s side looked as though they could put pressure on Aston Villa for a Champions League spot.
That dream is long gone and United are now at risk of missing out on qualifying for any European competition next season.
They must either finish seventh in the Premier League to secure Europa Conference League football or beat Manchester City in the FA Cup final to seal a Europa League place.
One win in seven has seen United slide down the table into eighth and their fixtures do not get any easier with league leaders Arsenal visiting Old Trafford on Sunday.
A defeat by this scoreline can be hugely damaging but for those United fans who made the trip to Selhurst Park on a Bank Holiday Monday, it is the manner in which the players seemingly looked disinterested that will hurt the most.
Wharton an outsider for the England squad?
All eyes have been on United’s talented youngster, Kobbie Mainoo, and rightfully so but it is hard to ignore the performances being put in by midfielder Wharton since his January move.
Wharton, 20, has impressed since day one at Selhurst Park after his £18m move from Blackburn Rovers on transfer deadline day.
Up against England internationals Mason Mount and Mainoo, Wharton shone with his slick passing between the lines and combativeness in defence.
Positionally, Wharton is excellent. Especially for someone at such a tender age. He has the ability to know exactly where to be on the pitch and when it is best to release the ball for a team-mate.
The former Blackburn man has been a huge addition to a Palace side who have won four of their past five.
A fantastic cross for Joachim Andersen to set up Mitchell’s goal was just a small sample of the quality Wharton brings.
England boss Gareth Southgate was in attendance in London with a preliminary squad for Euro 2024 set to be announced on Tuesday, 21 May and with the Three Lions short of players in the mould of Wharton, could a shock inclusion be on the cards?
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Toto Wolff and Red Bull counterpart Christian Horner have reignited their war of words over Max Verstappen after the Mercedes boss again hinted at poaching the three-time world champion.
Verstappen’s future at Red Bull was thrown into doubt last month after his father, Jos, said the team was in danger of being “torn apart” if Horner remained its principal.
It came after allegations against Horner of inappropriate behaviour towards a woman colleague. He denied the claims and an internal investigation cleared him of wrongdoing.
Verstappen has publicly committed his future to Red Bull, but following the Dutchman’s dominant victory at the Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday, Mercedes boss Wolff stirred the pot anew.
Wolff told reporters in Shanghai that “everyone is waiting to see what he (Verstappen) is going to do”.
“There are so many factors that play a role for a driver joining,” said Wolff, who needs to replace seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who is leaving for Ferrari next year.
“Clearly, from the most rational point of view, that’s the quickest car in the hands of the quickest driver,” said Wolff.
“But I don’t think this is the only reason you stay where you are.”
Earlier this season Wolff said that he “would love” to sign the reigning world champion Verstappen if he became available.
His latest comments triggered a prickly response from Horner, who said that Wolff should focus on trying to revitalise Mercedes following a poor start to the season by their high standards.
“Why would you want to leave this team?” Horner said.
“Mercedes are third behind their customers (McLaren and Aston Martin).
“His time would be better spent perhaps focusing on the team rather than the driver market.
“I can assure you that there is no ambiguity about where Max Verstappen will be next year.”
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