Champions League Drama: PSG Stuns Man City, Real Madrid Moves Forward/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Manchester City’s Champions League hopes hang by a thread after a shocking 4-2 loss to Paris Saint-Germain. Meanwhile, Real Madrid secured its knockout stage spot with a dominant 5-1 win over Salzburg. Arsenal, Inter, and AC Milan also claimed key victories, while Bayern Munich suffered a stunning defeat to Feyenoord, complicating its path forward.
Champions League Roundup Quick Looks
- Man City Stunned: A 4-2 defeat by PSG leaves City needing a win against Club Brugge to avoid elimination.
- PSG’s Comeback: Goals from Dembele, Barcola, Neves, and Ramos secure PSG’s 22nd place in the standings.
- Real Madrid Advances: A commanding 5-1 victory over Salzburg ensures Real Madrid’s progression to the knockout rounds.
- Key Wins: Arsenal, Inter, and AC Milan strengthen their positions in the top eight.
- Bayern’s Struggles: A 3-0 loss to Feyenoord drops Bayern to 15th, risking a tough playoff draw.
Champions League Drama: PSG Stuns Man City, Real Madrid Moves Forward
Deep Look
The Champions League group stage is reaching its dramatic finale, and the stakes have never been higher. On Wednesday, Paris Saint-Germain stunned Manchester City in a thrilling 4-2 comeback victory, while Real Madrid cruised past Salzburg 5-1 to secure a place in the knockout stages. Here’s a breakdown of the night’s key games and what lies ahead.
Man City on the Brink After PSG Upset
Manchester City, the 2023 Champions League winners, now teeters on the edge of elimination following a shocking loss to PSG in Paris. Despite taking a commanding 2-0 lead early in the second half with goals from Jack Grealish and Erling Haaland, City capitulated to a PSG resurgence.
Within six minutes, Ousmane Dembele and Bradley Barcola brought PSG level. The turnaround was capped in the 78th minute by a Joao Neves header, with Gonçalo Ramos adding a fourth in stoppage time.
City manager Pep Guardiola expressed determination heading into next week’s decisive match against Club Brugge: “We will do everything there, and if we don’t do it, we don’t deserve it.” City sits in 25th place, needing a win to secure a spot in the knockout playoffs, while Brugge needs only a draw.
PSG, now in 22nd place, faces its own challenge, traveling to face 24th-place Stuttgart in a must-win scenario.
Real Madrid Secures Progression
Real Madrid, the defending European champions, ended any doubts about its qualification with a dominant 5-1 victory over Salzburg. Brazil stars Rodrygo and Vinícius Júnior each scored twice, while Kylian Mbappé added another to seal Madrid’s place in the top 16.
The win comes after an inconsistent group stage for Madrid, which had suffered three losses to Lille, AC Milan, and Liverpool. Madrid now prepares to face Salzburg again in June during the FIFA Club World Cup in Philadelphia.
Arsenal, Inter, and AC Milan Strengthen Top-8 Claims
Arsenal and Inter Milan delivered expected victories to rise to third and fourth in the standings, respectively. Arsenal eased past Dinamo Zagreb with a 3-0 win, while Inter edged Sparta Prague 1-0.
AC Milan also impressed, climbing to sixth place after a 1-0 victory over Girona, courtesy of a first-half strike by Rafael Leão. All three teams are vying for a coveted top-eight finish, which guarantees a direct path to the round of 16.
Bayern’s Woes Deepen
Bayern Munich’s Champions League campaign took a hit with a 3-0 defeat to Feyenoord. The loss drops the German giants to 15th place, leaving them at risk of facing another top team in the knockout playoff rounds.
Fortunately for Bayern, its final group-stage match is against struggling Slovan Bratislava, which has lost seven consecutive games. A win would help Bayern avoid a potentially brutal playoff draw against teams like Juventus or Real Madrid.
Other Results and Final Round Stakes
Elsewhere, Celtic secured its place in the knockout rounds with a 1-0 win over Young Boys, while Leipzig ended its six-game losing streak with a 2-1 victory over Sporting Lisbon. Shakhtar Donetsk stayed in contention by beating Brest 2-0, but their hopes remain slim.
Next Wednesday’s final round will see all 36 teams in action simultaneously, with the top eight earning direct passage to the round of 16. Teams ranked ninth to 24th will enter a knockout playoff stage, with the pairings drawn on January 31 at UEFA’s headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.
The Road Ahead
For clubs like Manchester City and PSG, next week’s matches will define their seasons. The stakes are equally high for Bayern Munich, which risks facing a far tougher path to the trophy than expected. Meanwhile, Real Madrid, Arsenal, and AC Milan can breathe easier as they solidify their spots in the next round.
The new Champions League format has brought unprecedented drama, and with 18 matches kicking off simultaneously next Wednesday, fans can expect a thrilling conclusion to the group stage.
