Champions League: Chelsea and Arsenal will be in 8th, Gent also

Chelsea, Arsenal, AS Roma, Dynamo Kyiv and AA Gent, for the first time in its history Wednesday took the last tickets for the 8th finals of the Champions League at the end of the last day the group stage.

Overview of forces before drawing final fate on Monday 8th, played in February and March, which oppose the first groups, which have the advantage of receiving the return leg, the second (knowing that two clubs chicken or even a federation can not meet).

Three favorites

Barcelona, ​​Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, the first of their groups, have monopolised five of the last seven C1 and are still shaking the football Europe.

Barca, the momentum of its tripled in 2014-2015 (C1, Liga Cup), administered several monumental beatings (4-0 against Real Madrid in the league, 6-1 against Roma C1). Licked his possession game, his trident MSN (Messi, Suarez, Neymar) and the reinforcement of Arda Turan and Aleix Vidal make it a must favorite.

Bayern, he thrives on almost 3 goals per game on average, driven by the constant goals of Müller-duo Lewandowski and good adaptation of Douglas Costa. The German club and Guardiola are hungry for revenge after two failures in the last four.

Real has certainly lost some of its luster under Rafael Benitez, deemed defensive game between accumulation and squabbles of all kinds. But with such Cristiano Ronaldo, author of a new record of 11 goals in the group stage, the Spanish club can claim his "undecima (11th C1).

Accustomed to go

Atletico Madrid, the 2014 finalist, finished at Benfica in a little tough group. The combativeness of the band at Diego Simeone and his hermetic (140 goals conceded in 21 games this season) are always a formidable opponent, with Griezmann unleashed.

Manchester City is extracted from the top of a spicier chicken and will seek its first historic quarter of C1. Much will depend of Aguero, striker often injured. But at least the Citizens do not they meet Barca, their tormentor in 8th last two seasons.

Chelsea, in total dormant in the league, played Wednesday its season and Jose Mourinho perhaps his head. The Blues managed to beat Porto (2-0) and finish top of Group G. Sortis from the eighth last season, they will have to raise their level, singularly Hazard and Diego Costa, hoping to find the quarters.

Second but mighty

Juventus, finalist 2015 season started badly but recovers the bar, like Pogba. His defeat in Seville Tuesday (1-0) was however relegated to 2nd place. The Old Lady does not pay this fake 8th?

PSG - Ibrahimovic makes a close-season perfection in France but failed to overtake Real in his group, bowing 1-0 to Madrid, albeit against the run of play. After three failures quarters, Paris, which plays its season on the C1, seems better armed. But it will have to go.

Arsenal was hot but thanks to a tripling of Giroud Wednesday on the ground of Olympiakos (3-0) will be present in 8th for the 16th time in a row. It is at this stage that the Gunners were eliminated in the last five seasons ...

Surprises and outsiders

Zenit St. Petersburg finished first in its group and grazed the full house, beaten Wednesday by AA Gent (2-1). A dangerous Russian team with his attackers Hulk and Dzyuba (6 goals).

Wolfsburg and PSV have less scope than other clubs but still donated Manchester United in the Europa League. The Germans will see for the first time the 8th of C1, the Dutch no longer had played since 2007.

Roma trembled to the end, unable to beat BATE Borisov (0-0), but taking advantage of zero between Leverkusen and Barcelona (1-1). Italians suffer from poor defense.

Benfica, more comfortable than in C1, C3, may be considered by the first group as an excellent draw, as Gent, Tom Thumb who made the lunch in Lyon and Valence. Or Dynamo Kiev.

Results of the group stage of the 2015/2016 edition of the Champions League. The first two of each group are qualified in 8th finals, the third will play the Europa League.

The draw of the eighth finals played out in February and March Monday oppose the first groups, which have the advantage of receiving in the second leg, to the second. Two clubs from the same group or federation can meet.

The first group:  Real Madrid (ESP), Wolfsburg (GER), Atletico Madrid (ESP), Manchester City (ENG), FC Barcelona (ESP), Bayern Munich (GER), Chelsea (ENG), Zenit St Petersburg (RUS)

The second group: Paris SG (FRA) PSV Eindhoven (NED), Benfica (POR), Juventus (ITA), AS Roma (ITA), Arsenal (ENG), Dynamo Kiev (UKR), Gent (BEL)

The third group, donated C3: Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR), Manchester United (ENG), Galatasaray (TUR), Sevilla (ESP), Leverkusen (GER), Olympiakos (GRE), FC Porto (POR), Valencia CF (ESP)

The last group eliminated: Malmö FF (SWE), CSKA Moscow (RUS), Astana (KAZ), Mönchengladbach (GER), BATE Borisov (BLR), Dinamo Zagreb (CRO), Maccabi Tel Aviv (ISR), Lyon (FRA)

Champions League: Chelsea reassures and qualifies

Chelsea, which was not much better than in past events, managed to qualify with a hint of realism against FC Porto (2-0) and finish top of Group G of the Champions League, Wednesday after the sixth and final day.

With 13 points, the Blues doubled over the Portuguese, losers of the evening despite their ten units because victims away from the start of Kiev, vanqueur facing Tel Aviv (1-0), which ends at a length in front of them .

Bournemouth sealed by who had the plunge (1-0) after three encouraging matches without conceding a goal, the Londoners this time benefited from the little push they had not been Saturday.

It is not their coach José Mourinho who complain, who is increasingly heckled and offers a welcome respite before the shock which now awaits the surprising leader against Leicester.

To face his former club, the Portuguese coach had returned to the classic, with the aim Courtois, Terry in defense and to Costa.

Replacing the last two meetings, the scorer weighed, brought the opening goal, two warnings too, and received one for having left lying on foot before Casillas.

Launched towards the 12th minute, he stumbled over his team-mate but the unfortunate Marcano countered the reference that Maicon could only accompany the purpose.

However, this is the only opportunity that has obtained the Spaniard who still wait a bit to score his eighth goal in 2015.

Placed left after acting as false N.9, Hazard hope it finally score his first goal in 26 games now and it is therefore Willian, served by the Belgian, who made ​​the break to recovery (52). This is the fifth goal this season C1 for the Brazilian, more than ever top scorer in the competition.

Previously, visitors had kept the ball but unable to remove the game, Porto also struggled with a speedy compact opponent to shoot against.

The 14th Premier League so his group won for the 10th time in 13 participations.

Opposite, the Porto coach Julen Lopetegui may regret having waited to use a striker, Aboubakar in the? Case (57) because Brahimi (64) or Tello (78) were then successfully tested Courtois. But it is especially the home defeat 15 days ago against Kiev expensive.

Despite their fourth setback only in 15 European away, so leave the Portuguese fought for the 4th time at Stamford Bridge. If they want to impose day England, the draw of the C3 might give them another chance Monday.

Chelsea: Mourinho wants to avoid PSG

Chelsea and Jose Mourinho will be well with go-final round of the Champions League. A victory against FC Porto (2-0) allowed the Blues to secure the top spot in Group G. They have thus kill two birds with one stone, to the delight of their Portuguese manager. 

"He only had us a point, but we played like we need three, welcomed Mourinho to micro BeIN Sports after the game. We have not been afraid to take responsibility, especially at a time when we are struggling in the league. It might seem natural for players feeling the pressure with poor results in the Premier League, but the players were as if the rest did not exist and that the Champions League was their only concern. " 

 Mourinho "embarrassed" by the support of fans 

 Four days after a new home defeat in the league, facing the Bournemouth promoted (0-1), the pressure was clearly on the shoulders of Mourinho. Yet Stamford Bridge again expressed his gratitude throughout the game. What has moved the main person. "Sometimes I feel embarrassed, to be honest. 

Their support goes beyond anything I could imagine in a complicated period for us, even though we were champions last season. At least we gave them fun tonight (Wednesday) and we will wait for the draw enthusiastically. "

Champions League: Lewandowski and Müller wake Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich, Ribery with holder and extensively reworked team, needed one hour and Lewandowki-Müller duo to wake up on the lawn of Dinamo Zagreb (2-0) Wednesday in a final day of League Champions without issue.

The Germans were assured before the meeting to finish top of their group F and therefore be seeded when the draw for the 8th finals next Monday. The European future of the Croats was he already clogged.

Pep Guardiola has benefited to breathe goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, remained in Germany and replaced by Sven Ulreich. The Catalan coach also chose to leave Kingsley Coman, Thomas Müller, Arturo Vidal and Jerome Boateng on the bench at kick-off.

The first event of this part no longer sad issue and finally was the first tenure of Franck Ribery since injuring his ankle March 11. The French 32-year-scorer for his return Saturday after about nine months away, must include his place in the starting lineup on the left flank of the attack to the many wounded in the Bavarian rows (Douglas Costa, Arjen Robben, Mario Götze).

If hazardous showed twice - a shot went just wide of the post of the Croatian goalkeeper (9th) and then stumbling on Eduardo in the surface (16) after a service Robert Lewandowski in the depth - n Ribery 'not prevent Bayern to deliver a very sluggish first period.

The Croats, who proceeded by cons, could have repeatedly surprise the German ogre (6th, 26th, 54th) and even Pivaric ended up finding the cross (70th).

We had to wait the hour to finally see the game come to life, under the guidance of duo Müller - Lewandowski, and Bayern win again, four days after his first loss of the season in the German Championship at Mönchengladbach (3-1).

Entered at the break in place of the Bavarian Ribery to boost game, Thomas Müller needed only about fifteen minutes to find the head of Lewandowski, a right center (61st). The unlocked position, the Poles launched by Sebastian Rode, signed twice a balloon pricked three minutes later (64th), his seventh goal in the group stage.

The pocket victory Müller hit the post in the final minutes (87th) penalty, whistled for a foul on Eduardo Vidal.

Champions League: Lyon saves his honor against Valencia

Olympique Lyon, already eliminated, won his first European win this season with some great performance on the lawn of a timid team Valencia (2-0) Wednesday at the 6th and final day of the League of champions.

 If Hubert Fournier was on trial before this match, the coach Rhone bought himself time with the successful performance provided by its players. After four defeats and a draw, which had cut short their European future, Lyon have finally won a victory in the Champions League.

Fournier had said before the game: "We will especially focus on show another face This will allow us to get out heads high.". Mission accomplished.

The party had however started badly and could have turned out quite differently without a twist of fate for the Lyonnais.

At the 10th minute, Mustafi saw his goal disallowed for a foul on Gonalons nonexistent. One minute before the same Mustafi had already sent a header against the post Lopes.

But Lyon is immediately resumed and answered in stride. On a beautiful pass from Grenier, Cornet resisted the return of defender but saw his shot blocked by Domenech (12).

- First failed to Neville -

Gradually, Lyon put his foot on the ball and procured the finest occasions, such as the head of Rafael (28), served by Grenier free kick.

At the 36th minute, Lyon were finally rewarded with the first goal in the Champions League Cornet. And what a goal! At the edge of the area, he curled a beautiful shot from the left that had become lodged in the far corner of Domenech stuck there.

Lyon returned to the locker room by having generally dominated his subject even without Alcacer could have scored a reflex stop Lopes (32).

In the second half, OL lowered his foot and was dominated but without actually being in danger. Hubert Fournier's men proceeded against, including through the speed Cornet, very legs.

A paying strategy because in the 76th, Lacazette was launched in depth by Tolisso and slammed a beautiful cross-shot from the left (2-0). A goal that had punctuated a voluntary performance and combative striker Team France, limped out just after his goal.

After the game, the players showed themselves satisfied with the image reflected by the team. "We have honored the club with this victory," said Lopes. President Jean-Michel Aulas has also said very proud of the performance of his men. "The ambition of the OL is intact although this season, the Champions League has hurt us," said the president of the OL.

Lyon eliminated from all European competition, can feed any regrets after this performance. Gary Neville for his first on the Valencia bench, lived her disillusionment and now will try to do well in the Europa League.

Ronaldo ever higher, Lyon and Manchester United KO: lessons from the 1st round

Cristiano Ronaldo is a hit, Gent surprises, Manchester United and Lyon disappoint. Such is the situation after the phase of the Champions League. 

Ronaldo to top: Ronaldo, always higher. The Portuguese scored a quadrupled during the demonstration of Real Madrid face Malmö (8-0) and took over as the record of goals in the group stage (11). 

If it has not managed to shake the nets of PSG, CR7 scored a hat-trick against Shakhtar, then doubled against the Ukrainian club, and another brace against Malmö, Sweden, before Tuesday night festival. The triple Ballon d'Or and scored more goals than twelve teams in the group stage of the Champions League!

The quiet PSG, Lyon almost irrelevant: Without trembling, PSG very overhauled, dominated Donetsk (2-0). The triple champion of France title finished second in their pool behind Real Madrid and qualified for the final eight for the fourth consecutive year. In regular. 

In 200 years, Lyon also validated his ticket every year without much problem. Times change. OL version 2015 was not the level. Winner Wednesday night in Valencia (0-2), Hubert Fournier's men have yet experienced a burst of pride. Too little, too late. With a point before the final day, OL signed a performance of rare mediocrity and no longer play any European competition this season. A failure in a cooking group yet within reach. In six days, the club Rhone underperformed