Like the draw of Paris-Saint-Germain against Benfica Lisbon (1-1), the evening of the Champions League, Tuesday, October 11, did not mark the history of European football. We will especially remember the inability of the leaders to honor their status. This fourth day of the C1 group stage has already allowed two teams to qualify for the round of 16, while others are getting a little closer to elimination.
Biggest result on Tuesday?
Man City and Real Madrid through the round of 16! #UCL
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) October 11, 2022
Rüdiger sacrifices himself to send Real to the round of 16
Real Madrid got scared. Opposed to Chakhtior Donetsk on neutral ground in Warsaw, the reigning European champions have long chased after the score. Surprised by the goalOleksandr Zubkov (46th), the Merengues relied on a header from Antonio Rüdiger after additional time (90 + 5th), to equalize and qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League.
On his first achievement in C1 with the Spanish club, the German defender also offered the image of the evening. HASalmost caught the full force of the opposing goalkeeper, Antonio Rüdiger, ended the match with his face and shirt bleeding. A sense of sacrifice that must appeal to Madrid supporters.
A chilling image: Rüdiger’s bloody equalizer against Chakhtior #UCL pic.twitter.com/Up1rSt2VEe
– CANAL+ Foot (@CanalplusFoot) October 11, 2022
City braked but qualified
Everything pointed to a new walk in the park, but the trip to Copenhagen didn’t go as planned at all. While they thought they were leading 1-0 very quickly, after a cannon shot signed Rodrigo, the Cityzens were brought back to earth by the VAR (11th). Then they missed a penalty, through Riyad Mahrez (25th), whose hand had caused the goal to be canceled. Also in the first period, the young Sergio Gomez received a red card for annihilation of a goal opportunity, leaving City ten against eleven (30th).
After scoring 18 goals in their previous four games, Manchester City were finally held to a halt by brave Danes. Pep Guardiola will be able to console himself with the qualification of his men for the round of 16 of the C1, after the draw of Borussia Dortmund and Sevilla (1-1) in the other match of group G.
Juventus continue to dig
The Old Lady had a bad evening. While they had the opportunity to pick up on PSG and Benfica in the race for the round of 16, Juve did not capitalize on their victory in the first leg to once again dismiss Maccabi Haifa. She even lost to the least experienced opponent in the group (0-2), who had not won in the competition for twenty years…
Surprised from the start, the Bianconeri did not find the resources to react and even lost Angel Di Maria to injury (24th). The two goals from Omer Atzili (7th and 42nd) almost got the better of their hopes for the final phase. After the draw between PSG and Benfica (1-1), Massimiliano Allegri’s team is five points behind their two opponents, when six units remain to be taken. Even if she wins against the Parisians and the Lisbon people, her destiny is no longer in her hands.