BVB after 3-1 at AC Milan in the round of 16 – RB Leipzig loses to City

Champions League

Borussia Dortmund mastered the toughest group in the Champions League with flying colors and reached the round of 16 early. Even in the hot atmosphere of San Siro, coach Edin Terzic’s team kept a cool head and consolidated their lead in the table with a 3-1 (1-0) victory over AC Milan. This means that BVB, which was previously only considered an outsider, is spared a final on the last preliminary round matchday on December 13th against Paris Saint-Germain.

In front of 75,600 fans, Marco Reus (10th/foul penalty), Jamie Bynoe-Gittens (59th) and Karim Adeyemi (69th) ensured the second away coup for the fourth-place team in the Bundesliga after the 1-0 win in Newcastle on Tuesday evening. Samuel Chukwueze (37th) managed to equalize for Milan. The victory boosts BVB’s self-confidence for the top Bundesliga game on Sunday against the previously unbeaten league leaders Bayer Leverkusen.

Anyone who had hoped for a better start for BVB after the turbulent 4-2 win against Gladbach was initially deceived. Less than six minutes had been played when full-back Julian Ryerson made a bad pass while going forward. The hosts’ counterattack landed on Chukwueze, whose shot in the penalty area hit Nico Schlotterbeck’s upper arm – there was a questionable penalty that Gregor Kobel strongly defended against Olivier Giroud.

Now BVB could have fallen back into old patterns, but instead the Kobel parade gave the guests a boost. Less than three minutes later, Bynoe-Gittens was fouled in the Milan penalty area – and now Borussia received a penalty. Reus did better than Giroud and confidently converted to take the early lead.

Dortmund then played with concentration, just as maturely as they had in the first half at Newcastle United a few weeks ago. Terzic initially did without Salih Özcan and Julian Brandt, who were on the bench due to colds. But the starting eleven did well, BVB repeatedly threatened the Italians, some of whom moved up high, with their fast wingers.

Until what happened so often in the past happened again: inattention on the defensive. The nimble Chukwueze got to the ball on the right wing and neither Bynoe-Gittens nor Ramy Bensebaini went into a duel with the Nigerian; at best they provided support. The 24-year-old thanked him and shot the equalizer from a tight angle.

It was one of those typical patterns that BVB keeps falling into. Almost everything actually went well, especially the concentration was largely right this time. The Milanese continued to press high after the break, but Borussia mostly defended safely and consistently. However, there were minor misfires. Luckily for the guests, the AC also afforded this. Because, like the Dortmund defense, the Italians didn’t really intervene when BVB got through in front of the box after almost 60 minutes. After a fine assist from Marcel Sabitzer, Bynoe-Gittens finally got the ball and flicked it flat into the left corner. The first good attack after the break gave Dortmund the lead again.

Shortly afterwards, Terzic somewhat surprisingly replaced the young goalscorer. But the coach’s ideas paid off. Instead of the Englishman, substitute Adeyemi shone, as the Milan defense again gave him too much space and thus made it 3-1.

Late defeat after a 2-0 lead: RB Leipzig loses at Man City

After the 7-0 humiliation at Manchester City a good eight months ago, RB Leipzig sold themselves dearly for a long time, but suffered the next bitter defeat against the defending champions. After taking a 2-0 lead, coach Marco Rose’s team lost 3-2 at the Etihad Stadium.

After a brace from 23-year-old Loïs Openda in the 13th and 33rd minutes, Manchester’s super striker Erling Haaland (54th) scored the next goal before Phil Foden (70th) equalized. Julián Alvarez scored the winning goal in the 87th minute. In the fight for group victory, the decision has been made between the previously qualified teams: with 13 points, City can no longer be pushed out of first place.

Also FC Barcelona and Atlético Madrid in the round of 16 of the Champions League

FC Barcelona is also in the round of 16 of the Champions League. Without national goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen, who was still ailing, the Catalans won 2-1 against FC Porto. João Cancelo (32nd minute) and João Félix (57th) turned the game around for Barcelona after Pepê had given FC Porto the lead (30th). Atlético Madrid also qualified for the knockout round: The Spaniards won 3-1 (1-0) at Feyenoord Rotterdam and go into the last matchday of Group E as league leaders. The result also made Lazio Rome’s participation in the round of 16 perfect ), in the final duel with Madrid in two weeks it will be about winning the group.

In the Netherlands, an own goal from Lutsharel Geertruida (14th) and goals from Mario Hermoso (57th) and Santiago Gimenez (81st), also in their own goal, made Madrid’s success perfect. Mats Wieffer managed to score the next goal (77′).

In the competitive Dortmund Group F, Kylian Mbappé secured Paris Saint-Germain a 1-1 draw against Newcastle United with a penalty goal in stoppage time (90+8) and thus the best starting position for the remaining round of 16 ticket. PSG comes second behind BVB on seven points, Newcastle and AC MIlan have five points each. Alexander Isak’s goal (24th) was not enough for the British.

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