Champions League: Real suffer loss; Porto, Man City advance
It looked as though Madrid's fate would be out of their hands heading into next week but Inter Milan handed them a lifeline by beating leaders Borussia Moenchengladbach 3-2.
It looked as though Madrid's fate would be out of their hands heading into next week but Inter Milan handed them a lifeline by beating leaders Borussia Moenchengladbach 3-2.
It looked as though Madrid's fate would be out of their hands heading into next week but Inter Milan handed them a lifeline by beating leaders Borussia Moenchengladbach 3-2.
Real Madrid's Champions League hopes are hanging in the balance after they lost 2-0 at Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday, leaving them third in Group B with one round of games remaining.
The 13-time European champions went behind in the 57th minute when Shakhtar substitute Dentinho capitalised on a lapse in concentration by Raphael Varane to score in an empty Olympic Stadium, where Madrid won their last Champions League in 2018.
Israeli forward Manor Solomon then wrapped up the home side's shock win over the Spaniards in the 82nd with a solo run on the counter and finish into the bottom corner.
Dentinho came on in the first half to replace striker Junior Moraes, who was injured after being hauled down by Varane in a bid to prevent the forward racing towards goal unchallenged.
Shakhtar, who beat Madrid 3-2 away in October, are second in Group B on seven points, level with Zinedine Zidane's side but above them due to their superior head-to-head record.
It looked as though Madrid's fate would be out of their hands heading into next week but Inter Milan handed them a lifeline by beating leaders Borussia Moenchengladbach 3-2.
Real host Gladbach next week in their final game knowing victory would secure qualification from their group for a 24th consecutive season. They would also go through with a draw as long as Inter beat Shakhtar at home. The defeat followed Saturday's 2-1 reverse to Alaves in La Liga but Zidane vowed to fight on, dismissing suggestions he could resign as he did in May 2018 after lifting a third straight Champions League crown.
"I'm optimistic. This is a difficult moment but we need to show our character now and stand tall," he said."What happened today is a real shame because we did not deserve it but we have to win our next game. We're going to believe in ourselves and we're going to fight, you can be sure about that," he added at the post-match news conference.
FC Porto joined Manchester City in advancing to the next phase after the two played out a goalless draw in their Group C clash.
The point, combined with defeat for Olympiakos in France, was enough to ensure Porto finished second while City, who had already qualified last week, are assured of top place.
But Pep Guardiola’s team surrendered their 100 per cent record in the group despite dominating their hosts as they set up a myriad of chances but proved unable to make the breakthrough.
With one round left to play, City are on 13 points, three more than Porto – with both well clear of Olympiakos and Olympique Marseille, who have three points each.