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In the recent Champions League fixtures, powerhouses Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City, and Atletico Madrid clinched their spots in the last 16 with commanding victories in their respective group matches. Kylian Mbappe played the role of savior for PSG, securing a crucial draw with a last-minute equalizer against Newcastle United.
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Manchester City, the defending champions, orchestrated a remarkable comeback led by Phil Foden to triumph over RB Leipzig with a 3-2 scoreline, ensuring their progression to the knockout stages. This victory extends City's impressive record at home in the Champions League, remaining unbeaten in 29 matches since a 2018 defeat to Lyon. Additionally, the team has topped its Champions League group for seven consecutive seasons.
Erling Haaland, the sensational Norwegian striker, continued to break records, becoming the fastest player to reach 40 goals in the Champions League, achieving this feat in just 35 games. Haaland's prolific scoring isn't limited to European football, as he previously set a Premier League record by netting 50 goals in 48 games.
Group E saw dramatic developments as Ciro Immobile's late double propelled Lazio to a 2-0 win over Celtic. Atletico Madrid then secured their passage to the next round with a 3-1 victory against Feyenoord, aided by two own goals. Atletico leads the group with 11 points, closely followed by Lazio with 10 points. The decisive match on December 13 between Atletico and Lazio will determine the group winner.
In Group F, Newcastle United initially took the lead against PSG, but a controversial late penalty allowed Mbappe to equalize, maintaining PSG's hopes in the group. Borussia Dortmund secured their last 16 spot with a victory against AC Milan, overcoming an early penalty miss by Milan. Dortmund tops the group with 10 points, followed by PSG, Newcastle, and Milan, all vying for progression in the upcoming matches.
Group G witnessed a thrilling encounter where Phil Foden played a pivotal role in Manchester City's comeback against Leipzig. His contributions led to goals from Haaland and Alvarez, ensuring City's win and top spot in the group. Leipzig holds second place, with Young Boys and Red Star Belgrade trailing.
Finally, in Group H, Barcelona staged a comeback against Porto, overturning an early deficit with goals from Cancelo and Félix. Shakhtar Donetsk kept their knockout hopes alive with a narrow victory over Antwerp. Barcelona leads the group, but the final positions remain undecided, with Porto and Shakhtar closely contesting for progression.
These Champions League fixtures have set the stage for an exciting conclusion to the group stages, with teams demonstrating skill, resilience, and tactical prowess in pursuit of European glory.
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