Agency Report –
Berlin – Bayern Munich were beaten 3-0 at Feyenoord on Wednesday to complicate their Champions League last 16 hopes, while Paris Saint-Germain swapped places with Manchester City in the elimination zone after a 4-2 comeback win.
The Bundesliga leaders are 15th in a seeded play-off spot and the Dutch side 11th following Santiago Giménez’s double and a late goal from Ayase Ueda.
Both sides have outside hopes of a top-eight finish and automatic last-16 qualification in the final round of league matches next Wednesday, when Bayern host lowly Slovan Bratislava with a play-off spot more likely.
Bayern captain Manuel Neuer told DAZN: “We are frustrated. We are disappointed by the performance we put in. We didn’t have enough decisiveness in attack and in defence. It’s bitter.”
PSG were undone by a rare Jack Grealish goal shortly after he had entered the fray and Erling Haaland soon made it 2-0 in Paris. But Ousmane Dembélé, Bradley Barcola, João Neves and Gonçalo Ramos hit back to leave PSG 22nd in an unseeded play-off spot and City in real trouble in 25th.
Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Martin Ødegaard sent Arsenal up to third and all but through with a 3-0 home win over Dinamo Zagreb, who are outside the play-off spots.
Inter Milan are fourth thanks to a Lautaro Martínez goal in a 1-0 success at Sparta Prague, who are out of the last-16 running.
Real Madrid hammered now eliminated Salzburg 5-1 in the Bernabeu courtesy of Rodrygo’s stylish brace, Kylian Mbappe and a Vinicius Junior double. The holders are now in a seeded play-off place and stay in the hunt for automatic progression.
Rafael Leão scored as seven-times champions AC Milan moved sixth with a 1-0 home victory over Girona, who are out of last 16 contention, while 18th-placed Celtic edged bottom side Young Boys 1-0 late on.
Shakhtar Donetsk beat 13th-placed Stade Brest 2-0 but remain outside the play-off spots.
In the other early game, substitute Yussuf Poulsen bundled home to give already eliminated RB Leipzig a 2-1 win at home to Sporting, who are 23rd in an unseeded play-off spot after a third straight loss.
The best eight teams go straight through to the last 16 in March while clubs placed ninth to 24th will enter February’s two legged play-offs. The bottom 12 will be eliminated.
Liverpool and Barcelona became the first teams to automatically qualify for the last 16 in Tuesday’s action.
Fitful Bayern, all six goals in second half in Paris
Injury-hit Feyenoord, whose passionate fans let off so many flares that play was briefly suspended early on, made a bright start against lethargic Bayern in rainy Rotterdam.
A deflected ball forward fell into the path of Gimenez and he was never going to miss on 21 minutes.
Bayern have been fitful in Europe this term and Harry Kane wasted good chances on his 50th Champions League appearance as they lost a third European game this term.
Then, in first half stoppage-time caused by the flares, Raphael Guerreiro conceded a penalty moments after coming on as a substitute and Gimenez converted. Bayern’s Leroy Sané later hit the post before Ueda sealed matters.
French champions PSG thought they had taken the lead before the break against City, but Achraf Hakimi’s strike was ruled out for an earlier offside.
Grealish and Haaland then both netted in similarly fortunate fashions after the interval before Dembélé struck on 56 minutes from Barcola’s assist. Barcola then netted himself on the hour to level after the ball came back off the bar.
City then left Neves completely unmarked at the back stick on a free-kick and he headed home on 78, before Ramos netted in injury time after a long VAR check to shoot PSG up the standings. The scenes were similar to Barcelona’s amazing comeback at Benfica on Tuesday.
Pep Guardiola’s 2023 winners City, who have also struggled in the defence of their English title this term, host Club Brugge next week in a must-win game although they are helped by Stuttgart and PSG right above them meeting each other.
Guardiola told TNT Sports: “I accept the defeat because the best team won and we have a last chance at home against Bruges.”
By Mark Meadows
