Champions League round-up: Benfica end Juve’s hopes as PSG hammer Maccabi and RB Leipzig edge Real Madrid | Football News

Benfica’s Rafa Silva scored two superb goals as they edged Juventus 4-3 in a thriller at Estadio da Luz to seal a place in the knockout stages of the Champions League and end the Italian club’s chances in this years competition.

Benfica have 11 points from five games, the same as Group H leaders Paris Saint-Germain, while Juve’s three points leaves them to focus on winning a place in the Europe League, something they can secure on the final matchday when they host PSG.

Antonio Silva, 18, scored his first Benfica goal to give the home side the lead after 17 minutes, but Juventus drew level when Moise Kean bundled the ball home four minutes later.

Benfica were back in front thanks to a controversial penalty that was converted by Joao Mario before Rafa Silva appeared to make the points safe with two sublime finishes, either side of the break, that perfectly illustrated his technique and guile.

But the visitors pulled a goal back late on through Arkadiusz Milik after he was set up by 19-year-old English winger Samuel Iling, and the latter was key again in creating a chance for Weston McKennie to score Juve’s third.

That saw a tense finish on a night when Benfica looked as though they would humiliate their visitors but had to hold on as Rafa Silva missed out on a hat-trick by hitting the post.

Messi and Mbappe at the double as PSG thrash Maccabi

Paris Saint-Germain’s Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe both scored twice with Neymar also on target as the French club’s fearsome attack tore apart Maccabi Haifa in a 7-2 win to send them into the last 16 of the Champions League.

The irrepressible trio were too much for a Maccabi side to handle, although the Israelis showed great heart in the Group H clash with Abdoulaye Seck scoring twice.

Messi got the ball rolling in the 19th minute with a sumptuous opening goal with the outside of his left foot and Mbappe curled in his side’s second in the 32nd.

Mbappe and Messi then combined to play in Neymar three minutes later with the Brazilian’s shot going in off the post.

Seck replied almost immediately with a header but Messi dispatched a left-footed shot inside the post just before halftime after linking with Neymar again.

Maccabi again reduced the arrears in the 50th minute with a looping header but PSG were not done and Mbappe sent another curler past goalkeeper Joshua Cohen before Neymar’s low cross was turned into his own goal by Sean Goldberg.

Messi, who was denied a ninth Champions League hat-trick by the crossbar, then set up Carlos Soler to wrap up the scoring with six minutes remaining.

RB Leipzig one step closer to knockout stages after Real win

RB Leipzig took a big step closer to the Champions League knockout stage with a 3-2 home win over Real Madrid.

The German side are second in Group F on nine points, one behind leaders Real and three ahead of Shakhtar Donetsk, whom they will face in their final group game next week in need of a draw to guarantee them a top-two spot.

With Real Madrid already having qualified for the last 16, manager Carlo Ancelotti rested several regular starters and his side were dominated early by the young Leipzig team.

The home side took the lead 13 minutes into the game with Josko Gvardiol scoring on the rebound from a Thibaut Courtois save after a bullet header by Andre Silva.

With the champions still recovering from the first blow, Leipzig extended their lead five minutes later when David Raum tried to pass into the box but the ball deflected off a defender into the path of Christopher Nkunku, who was quick to react and rifled the ball in off the crossbar.

Vinicius Jr put Real back into the game just before the break with a header that went just inside the left post.

But a Timo Werner strike from close range to finish a quick counter-attack in the 81st minute put Leipzig 3-1 up.

After being fouled inside the area, Rodrygo scored from the penalty spot for Real’s second goal in added time.

Milan thrash Dinamo Zagreb to revive UCL hopes

AC Milan revived their hopes of reaching the Champions League last 16 with a 4-0 win at Dinamo Zagreb in Group E.

Back-to-back defeats by Chelsea in their two previous matches had left Milan with plenty to do to qualify for the knockout stages, but Matteo Gabbia’s first-half header set them on their way to a crucial victory in Croatia.

Portugal forward Rafael Leao’s solo run and finish early in the second half put the game beyond the home side, before Olivier Giroud made doubly sure of the three points with a penalty just before the hour mark.

A late own goal put the seal on the second win of Milan’s European campaign that moves them up to second place on seven points. If they avoid defeat next week against third-placed Red Bull Salzburg they will reach the last 16.

Milan’s victory also means Chelsea progress to the knockout stages as group winners after their 2-1 win away to Salzburg earlier on Tuesday, while Zagreb stay bottom on four points.