The Champions Blog #1.6

 The Champions Blog 

Please Note: Original creation date was 13th December 

The final matchday of the Champions League had it all. Shocking eliminations, amazing comebacks and happy moments. On this matchday, the Round of 16 lineup is officially completed with four more teams qualifying for the last 16. This is the Champions Blog

In Berlin, already eliminated, Union Berlin hosted Real Madrid, leaders in Group C. Real could have the opportunity to go undefeated in their group for the first time since their astonishing 2016-17 winning campaign. The game started off with Union Berlin almost capitalizing  from a mistake in Real Madrid's penalty area. Real Madrid star, Jude Bellingham almost had the chance to score but had his attempt saved by Union Berlin goalkeeper, Frederik Rønnow. Madrid almost had their chance to score but failed to capitalize after Joselu narrowly missed a header which met the crossbar. As the first half neared its end, Real Madrid successfully appealed for handball in the Union penalty area but Luka Modric's attempt was saved by the heroics of Rønnow and the two remained all square until one minute later when Kevin Volland managed to tuck away a shot past Kepa Arrizabalaga which helped the home side take the lead into the first half. With the second half underway, Real started pressing and attacking more, and came so close in Rodrygo but the heroics of Rønnow once again have proven decisive for Union Berlin. However, not long later and Real would find themselves equalized with Union thanks to a thumping header from Joselu which met with a delicious cross from Rodrygo. In the 72nd minute, Joselu managed to grab his brace after netting his second header of the game after netting home from a cross by Fran García. As plenty of substitutions went by, Union Berlin managed to find and equalizer and it came from midfielder, Alex Kral before Real Madrid would find a winner in Dani Cabellos. In the end, it was Real Madrid who would win. Plus, they won in style winning 6 out of 6 matches from Matchday 1 and finish in 1st in Group C.

Picture Above: Real Madrid players Dani Cabellos and Jude Bellingham celebrating the winning goal scored

Elsewhere in Manchester, the Bundesliga champions, Bayern Munich travelled to England to face possibly eliminated, Manchester United. If Manchester United were to lose, they would be eliminated from the Champions League and from Europe. Bayern, if were to win here would extend their record in undefeated games in the Champions League group stage. The game started of with very good attacks and chances coming from both sides. However, things started heating up midway through the second half when Alejandro Garnacho of Manchester United accidentally tripped up Bayern forward, Kingsley Coman which ended up in a fight between Garnacho and some Bayern Munich players. However, clinical United player, Harry Maguire sustained a groin injury and had to be subbed of shortly before half time with Northern Irishman, Johnny Evans replacing him. The game went into half time as a goalless draw from both sides. It wasn't until the 70th minute that a goal would be scored and it came from Kingsley Coman who nicked away a 1 on 1 finish against Andre Onana, however, even though that goal proved to be worth a lot, the assist from Harry Kane was just as exquisite. This meant that Manchester United were the first English team in the history of the competition to concede 15 goals in the group stage. After both sides had their share of chances, even though a lot came from Man United, the Red Devils couldn't find an equalizer and Bayern walked away with the three points. This defeat for Manchester United meant that United have finished bottom of their group, and are not only eliminated from the Champions League but from Europe, ultimately. For the first time since 2005, the Red Devils have finished bottom of their Champions League group. 

Picture Above: Manchester United players dejected after their Champions League elimination

Elsewhere, Copenhagen astonishingly managed to qualify for the last 16 for the first time since the 2010-11 season, and they did so with a 1-0 win at home against Galatasaray. Arsenal and PSV, who have already qualified for the last 16 met in Eindhoven and the spoils were shared in a 1-1 draw. Sevilla were also knocked out of Europe completely with a 2-1 defeat away to Lens, who managed to qualify for the Europa League knockout stage. In Group C, Napoli hosted Braga in the Estadio Diego Armando Maradona and defeated the Portuguese side 2-0 and qualified for the last 16 as runners-up. In Group D, already qualified teams, Real Sociedad and Inter Milan played with each other in a match in which would determine the winner of Group D. It was a goalless draw but the group was won by Real Sociedad by goal difference. Finally, Benfica travelled to Austria to play RB Salzburg and won 3-1 to seal their Europa League place.

Picture Above: Copenhagen players celebrating their qualification into the last 16. Real Sociedad player Takefusa Kubo heading the ball away from Inter Milan players. Arsenal players, Eddie Nketiah and Mohamed Elneny celebrate a goal vs PSV.

The following day, the Belgian champions and already eliminated team, Antwerp hosted the Spanish champions and already qualified, Barcelona. They went into the match as favorites and to seal top spot in Group H. However, despite being the favorites, Antwerp was the team that got off to a flying start thanks to a strike from Arthur Vermereen within 90 seconds into the match after capitalizing from a goalkeeping mistake from Iñaki Peña. However, Ferran Torres managed to grab an equalizer for Barcelona after finishing off a clinical counter attack. That is how the half ended, but there was more to come. Early on in the second half, Vincent Janssen scored to make it 2-1 however, it would be ruled for offside by VAR. A couple moments later, Sergio Roberto of Barcelona was shown a red card for a harsh challenge on Mandela Keita however after VAR speculation, the card was overturned and a yellow card was given instead. Janssen would find a goal for Antwerp and it was onside this time to make it 2-1 for the home side. It looked as though it would be a sensational home win for the side but La Masia graduate, Marc Guiu managed to tuck away a nice header from an Ilkay Gundogan free kick to make it 2-2 in the 91st minute. As things stood, it looked as though Barca would go home with a point but a last minute counter attack finished off with a goal from George Ilenikhena would seal Antwerp's first ever win in Europe. Barca would still top the group via head to head record with second placed side, Porto. 

Picture Above: Antwerp player, Vincent Janssen dribbling the ball past Barca defenders, Sergio Roberto and Oriol Romeu. 

Elsewhere, Group F leaders Borussia Dortmund hosted Ligue 1 champions, Paris Saint Germain, in a highly anticipated game for both sides. Dortmund have already miraculously qualified for the last 16 and PSG can still qualify if they can avoid defeat in Dortmund. The game started off with both sides getting off with great attacks and very close chances to scoring, but the closest chance came in the 17th minute, when Kylian Mbappe of PSG had his close range open goal shot saved off the line by Dortmund defender, Niklas Süle. However, despite numerous chances from both sides, no goal was scored and the match went into the first half goalless. The first goal finally came in the first half and it came from Karim Adeyemi who gave Borussia Dortmund the breakthrough goal and strengthened Dortmund's grip on their Group F lead. However, it didn't take hours for PSG to find an equalizer and it came from PSG starlet, Warren Zaire-Emery within five minutes of Dortmund's goal. After loads of substitutions, PSG managed to find their second goal of the game and it came from Kylian Mbappe coming from a beautiful assist from former Dortmund played, Achraf Hakimi. However, one lengthy VAR check later, and the goal was ruled offside and it remained all square. In the end, it was proven to be a titanic-clash draw for both sides as PSG also managed to qualify for the last 16 as Group F runners-up and finished second in their group for the third time in a row. 

Picture Above: PSG forward, Kylian Mbappe trying to dribble past Dortmund defenders, Mats Hummels and Marcel Sabitzer. 

Elsewhere in Europe, Lazio managed to qualify for the last 16 and runners up in Group E despite their 2-0 defeat against Atletico Madrid, who finished top of that same group. Celtic managed to grab their first and only win of their group with a 2-1 home win against Feyenoord, who will play Europa League in the new year. Newcastle could've also qualified for the last 16 if they could defeat AC Milan in St James's Park, however, the Rossoneri were the better side, prevailing with a 2-1 win, which helped them qualify for the Europa League knockout stage. In Group G, Manchester City travelled to the Serbian capital, Belgrade to face Crvena Zvezda and thanks to their academy graduates and a debut goal by Kalvin Phillips, the reigning champions managed to scrape a 3-2 win. In Germany, RB Leipzig hosted Young Boys with the home side winning 2-1 thanks to goals from Benjamin Sesko and Emil Forsberg while Young Boys are to play to Europa League football in 2024. In Group H, Porto sealed their last 16 place with an emphatic 5-3 win over Shaktar Donetsk. Tied on points for first place, Porto lost on top spot due to head to head points with Barcelona.

Picture Above: The Round of 16 teams for the 2023-24 Champions League season

 The Champions League is officially done as of 2023. What a year of football it has been. Lots of priceless moments, new starlets, old greats leaving, and a new champion. The Champions Blog will return in February 2024 when the Round of 16 kicks off.