Manchester City came from behind to overcome Club Brugge 3-1 at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday in the final day of the UEFA Champions League new league phase format, Afrosport reports.
City entered the game needing a win as they were just outside the playoff spot, but the Premier League champions fell behind in the first half to a sublime finish from Nigerian midfielder Raphael Onyedika just before the halftime break.
The second period was much different, and Pep Guardiola’s men drew level eight minutes after the restart thanks to a solo goal from Mateo Kovacic. They, however, completed the comeback in the 62nd minute through an own goal from Joel Ordonez before Savinho’s 77th-minute strike put the icing on the cake.
The result ensured both City and Club Brugge secured spots in the playoffs, with both sides on 11 points each.
Man City comeback win keeps them alive in the #UCL 🔵 pic.twitter.com/670kVdYcLl
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) January 29, 2025
Elsewhere, Paris Saint-Germain, who were also desperately in need of a win to keep their European hopes alive, thrashed Stuttgart 4-1 at the MHPArena, knocking the German side out of play-off contention.
A hat trick from Ousmane Dembélé and a brilliant header from Bradley Barcola were enough to help Luis Enrique’s men finish 15th with 13 points.
Paris are through to the knockout phase play-offs ✅#UCL pic.twitter.com/S4YbWaAGPc
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) January 29, 2025
At Villa Park, Aston Villa recorded a 4-2 win over Celtic to just clinch an automatic ticket to the knockout rounds, having finished in the eighth position.
The Premier League side quickly got in front with two goals inside the first five minutes from Morgan Rogers, but Adam Idah scored a two-minute brace to draw the visitors level.
Ollie Watkins restored Villa’s lead on the hour mark before Rogers scored his third goal to record his first Champions League hat-trick and push Unai Emery’s men over the hurdle.
Aston Villa make top 8 👏#UCL pic.twitter.com/xsQxlSNbKC
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) January 29, 2025
Meanwhile, at the Montilivi Stadium, teenage midfielder Ethan Nwaneri scored the winner as Arsenal completed a 2-1 comeback win against Girona.
Nigerian-born forward Arnaut Danjuma had given the hosts the lead, but a penalty from Jorginho restored parity for the Gunners, before Nwaneri’s sublime curler in the 42nd minute sealed victory for Mikel Arteta’s men, who finished third in the standings.
Biggest surprise? 🤔#UCL pic.twitter.com/jYj2IiT5UQ
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) January 29, 2025
In the other results, Mario Pasalic scored the equalizer as Atalanta held Barcelona to a 2-2 draw in Spain. The La Liga giants progressed to the knockout round, having finished second, while Atalanta ended ninth and will settle for the playoffs.
Antoine Griezmann scored twice as Atletico Madrid thumped RB Salzburg 4-1; Lautaro Martinez scored a hat-trick to lead Inter Milan to a 3-0 win over 10-man Monaco; and 10-man AC Milan were beaten 2-1 at Dinamo Zagreb.
10-man Liverpool lost 3-2 to PSV; Serhou Guirassy scored a brace as Borussia Dortmund beat Shakhtar Donetsk 3-1; Real Madrid overpowered Brest 3-0; Nathan Tella scored in Bayer Leverkusen’s 2-0 win; and Bayern Munich beat Slovan Bratislava 3-1.
Conrad Harder scored late to save Sporting’s blushes in a 1-1 draw against Bologna; Sturm Graz stunned RB Leipzig 1-0; Lille sealed a 6-1 rout of Feyenoord; and Juventus lost 2-0 at home to Benfica.
The league phase is complete ✅#UCL pic.twitter.com/8Ix7MvcqI4
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) January 29, 2025
