Europe, Jan. 29 (SANA) The group stage of the UEFA Champions League concluded on Matchday 8, with several high-profile clubs securing direct qualification to the Round of 16.
Arsenal topped the overall standings with a perfect 24 points, followed by Bayern Munich with 21, making both teams the first to book their spots in the knockout stage.
Barcelona came from behind to beat Copenhagen 4-1 at home. Viktor Dalsgaard gave the Danish side an early lead in the 4th minute, but Robert Lewandowski equalized in the 48th, followed by Lamine Yamal (60) and Rafinha’s penalty (69). Marcus Rashford added a late fourth in the 84th minute. The win took Barcelona to 16 points, securing fifth place and direct qualification.
Manchester City also advanced after a 2-0 home win over Galatasaray, with Erling Haaland (11) and Riyad Mahrez (29) on target. City finished with 16 points, eighth in the group.
Liverpool dominated Qarabağ 6-0 at Anfield, overtaking Real Madrid to finish third with 18 points. Chelsea secured progression with a 3-2 win at Napoli, thanks to Enzo Fernández’s penalty and a brace from João Pedro, while Napoli’s goals came from Antonio Vergara and Rasmus Høiland.
Sporting CP came from behind twice to beat Athletic Bilbao 3-2, with Alison Santos scoring the decisive late goal, finishing seventh in the group with 16 points. Tottenham completed the top four with a 2-0 win at Eintracht Frankfurt, goals from Randal Kolo Muani and Dominic Solanke putting them on 17 points.
The top eight teams advance directly to the Round of 16, while teams ranked ninth to 24th will face two-legged playoffs to determine the remaining eight spots.
