Chelsea defeated Napoli 3-2 in their final league phase game at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona to automatically qualify into the UEFA Champions League round of 16, Afrosport reports.
Enzo Fernandez put the Blues in front from the penalty spot in the 19th minute before Antonio Vergara and Rasmus Hojlund’s strikes in the space of 10 minutes gave Napoli the lead into half time.
The result remained in the Partenopei’s favour until the 61st minute when Brazilian foward Joao Pedro made it 2-2. The former Brighton & Hove Albion man scored the winner in the 82nd minute to help Chelsea finish in the top eight while Napoli were eliminated by finishing 30th.
The other four English clubs secured an automatic spot to the round of 16 as Manchester City defeated Galatasaray 2-0, likewise Tottenham Hotspur against Eintracht Frankfurt while Liverpool thumped Qarabag 6-0. Arsenal finished with a 100% record by defeating Kairat Almaty 3-2, the returning Kai Havertz scoring a goal and providing an assist, likewise Viktor Gyokeres.
Other teams that finished in the top eight were Bayern Munich after their 2-1 win away at PSV Eindhoven which had Jamal Musiala score his first goal since returning to action after six months out with a fractured leg.
Barcelona cane from behind to defeat FC Copenhagen 4-1 at the Camp Nou while Sporting Lisbon came from behind twice to defeat Athletic Bilbao 3-2.
In other results, Real Madrid fell out of the top eight to finish ninth after losing 4-2 to Benfica, in a reunion with former manager Jose Mourinho. Inter Milan finished in the playoff spot despite their 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund, likewise Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle United after their 1-1 draw at the Parc des Princes.
Other teams that finished in the playoff spot were Juventus and AS Monaco after their goalless draw, Atletico Madrid after their 2-1 defeat to Bodo/Glimt, Atalanta after their 1-0 loss to Union Saint-Gilloise and Bayer Leverkusen after their 3-0 win over Villarreal.
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Olympiacos also made it into the playoffs after defeating Ajax 2-1 in Amsterdam, likewise Club Brugge after their 3-0 win over Olympique Marseille. Debutants Pafos narrowly missed a playoff spot after defeating Slavia Prague 4-1.
