Liverpool and Barcelona handed easier route to Champions League final after wins
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Liverpool and Barcelona have become the first clubs to advance from the revamped 36-team Champions League group phase directly into the round of 16, and their path to the final has now opened up. The Reds stayed perfect in this season's competition and won the 'league phase' with their seventh win from seven matches in their 2-1 victory at home to Ligue 1 side Lille, who were reduced to 10 men just before the hour mark when Aissa Mandi was sent off for his second bookable offence when he dragged back Luis Diaz.
Mohamed Salah had given the hosts the lead in the first half after racing onto a Curtis Jones through ball, but Jonathan David grabbed a leveller for Lille shortly after Mandi's red card. Harvey Elliott's deflected strike from distance then put Liverpool back in front five minutes later and they were able to see out the win with relative ease.
The victory sees the Reds move onto 21 points from their seven matches, with their final league phase match away at PSV Eindhoven next Wednesday now effectively a dead rubber for them, although it won't be for the Dutch side as every position in the table is scrapped over.
Barcelona played out a dramatic match in Lisbon as they beat Benfica 5-4 having been 3-1 and 4-2 behind. Raphinha scored a 96th minute winner for Barca as they edged a remarkable game to take them to 18 points from their seven matches. Liverpool will now certainly finish in the top two places but they could still change positions on Matchweek 8, although in truth finishing first and second in the league phase makes little difference. Barca are also on the cusp of securing a top two place, and will do so unless they lose their final match at Atalanta and one of Inter Milan, Arsenal or Brest win both of their remaining games.
