Wins for both Spanish sides on Wednesday night, results which already take Atlético Madrid through as group champions and also leave Barcelona mathematically qualified for the knock-out stage. Atlético cruised to an easy 4-0 victory over Austria Vienna to make it four wins out of four, Miranda, Raúl García and Filipe Luis scoring before the break and Diego Costa after. And Barcelona beat AC Milan 3-1 to move five points clear at the top of their group, a Messi penalty and a Busquets header putting them two up before Piqué put through his own net on the stroke of half time, and Messi completing the scoring with his second of the night after Fàbregas set him up near the end. (06.11.13)
Real Madrid are just a point away from qualifying for the knock-out stage after a 2-2 draw at Juventus on Tuesday evening. Vidal gave the Italians a first half lead from the penalty spot after Varane fouled Pogba in the area shortly before the break, but after the restart Ronaldo equalized and then set up Bale for a second. Llorente made it all square again though a few minutes later, the first points that Madrid have dropped in the competition to date. Real Sociedad kept their slim hopes of survival alive with a 0-0 draw at home to Manchester United, although they now have to win their next two games and hope that the Premier League side do the same for them to qualify. It could have been worse though, Van Persie firing a second half penalty against the upright. (05.11.13)
Atlético cruised to an easy 4-0 victory over Austria Vienna to make it four wins out of four, ensuring them first place in their group with two games still to go. Miranda opened the scoring with just over ten minutes gone, firing a shot in to the net after Raúl García's header from Koke's corner was blocked, and García himself made it two with a looping header over Lindner from Diego Costa's cross. Costa had another effort saved, but with the first half coming to a close the visiting keeper could only push out Adrián's shot from a Juanfran cross, and Filipe Luis turned in the rebound from close to goal. Midway through the second half Atlético were awarded a penalty when Ortlechner brought down Cristian Rodríguez in the area, but Lindner guessed correctly and kept out Costa's spot kick. The Brazilian striker was hungry for more though, and with eight minutes to go he finally got his name on the scoresheet after Raúl García laid back a centre from Oliver Torres. (06.11.13)
Barcelona have already made sure of their place in the last sixteen after beating AC Milan 3-1 on Wednesday evening. As expected, the Italian side put out a defensive line-up, and chances were few and far between up to the half hour mark, when Neymar won a penalty off Abate which Messi converted. Ten minutes later Busquets got free of his markers to head a wide Xavi free kick down past Abbiati, but with the first half coming to a close Piqué turned Kaká's cross in to his own net trying to clear. Allegri brought on Balotelli at the break, and the ex Manchester City striker immediately made his impact, bringing a good save out of Valdés and producing a run which ended with Kaká shooting wide. Abbiati had to save from Iniesta and Alexis though and Neymar fired a shot over the bar after cutting across the edge of the box, and with ten minutes to go Messi picked up a return pass from Fàbregas to wrap things up with a shot over the advancing keeper. A good win against the strongest team in the group, and with a five point gap over the rest, just one more point will ensure them top spot. (06.11.13)
Real Madrid are just a point away from qualifying for the knock-out stage after a 2-2 draw at Juventus on Tuesday evening. Ronaldo and Bale went close early on, but Casillas had to save from a Pepe deflection and a Marchisio header before he was finally beaten by a Vidal penalty after Varane fouled Pogba shortly before the break. Soon after the restart Benzema intercepted a poor back pass by Cáceres to set up Ronaldo for the leveller, and Xabi Alonso rattled the crossbar with a long shot a few minutes later. Casillas and Pepe managed to stop Marchisio once again, and with an hour on the clock Ronaldo passed across for Bale to fire a low shot past Buffon. However ex Athletic striker got on the end of a Cáceres cross to make it all square some five minutes later, and Casillas had to be on his toes to save from Tévez near the end. Madrid drop their first points in the competition to date, although with six point gap over their next two opponents Galatasaray and Copenhagen, they are almost home and dry. (05.11.13)
Real Sociedad kept their slim hopes of survival alive with a 0-0 draw at home to Manchester United, although they now have to win their next two games and hope that the Premier League side do the same for them to qualify for the next round. The Basque side had yet to pick up their first point in the competition, and they were overawed at first by their prestigious opponents, Carlos Martínez deflecting a shot by Kagawa just wide of the post, and Iñigo Martínez clearing ahead of Chicharito Hernández. Agirretxe slipped when presented with a good chance though, and De la Bella and Rubén Pardo fired shots wide either side of half time. Chicharito missed a good chance from Kagawa's assist soon after the restart, and Moyes decided to bring on Van Persie and Ashley Young with an hour or so gone. And the Dutch striker hit the post twice in the next ten minutes, the first from Young's cross and the second from the penalty spot after Young fell theatrically under a challenge from Bergara. Carlos Vela almost deflected a Xabi Prieto shot past De Gea at the other end, and after Fellaini got himself sent off for a second bookable offence, Seferovic and Chory Castro tried their luck, but in the end a point was the best they could get. (05.11.13)