Champions League: Juventus and Bilbao win, Atletico draw; Frankfurt knocked out

TURIN: Juventus secured a Champions League playoff place with a 2-0 home win over Benfica on Wednesday, its third successive victory, courtesy of second-half goals from Khephren Thuram and Weston McKennie.

The win moved Juventus to 15th in the standings on 12 points, while Benfica is 29th on six points. The top eight advance to the last 16, with the next 16 going into the playoffs.

After an even opening half, the host found the net 10 minutes after the break, with Thuram weaving his way into the area and making space to drive a shot into the bottom corner.

Juventus doubled its lead nine minutes later when McKennie played a neat one-two with Jonathan David before steering the ball past ‘keeper Anatoliy Trubin.

Benfica was handed a lifeline with a penalty nine minutes from time, but Vangelis Pavlidis slipped just before the kick and sent his effort well wide.

Juventus is away to AS Monaco on the final matchday of the league phase next Wednesday, with Jose Mourinho’s Benfica needing a win to have any chance of staying in the competition when it hosts Real Madrid.

Galatasaray earned a hard-fought 1-1 draw against visiting Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday, as Marcos Llorente’s own goal cancelled out Giuliano Simeone’s early header.

The result leaves Atletico eighth in the standings with 13 points, keeping it in contention for a top-eight finish and direct qualification to the round of 16.

Galatasaray, currently 16th on 10 points, remains in the hunt for a knockout playoff spot.

Qarabag’s Bahlul Mustafazade scored a late winner to keep his side’s hopes of a Champions League playoff place very much alive in a 3-2 home win over Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday.

Athletic Bilbao mounted a superb second-half comeback to defeat Atalanta 3-2, giving the Spanish side renewed hope of progressing to the playoff qualification round.

Atalanta commanded the first half and opened the scoring in the 16th minute when Gianluca Scamacca connected with a curling cross from Nicola Zalewski, heading firmly past goalkeeper Unai Simon.

Bilbao grew into the game after the break, showing greater composure in possession. It equalised in the 58th minute with Gorka Guruzeta striking cleanly from the centre of the box.

Ernesto Valverde’s side turned the match on its head in the 70th minute when substitute Nico Serrano, who had come on for Unai Gomez two minutes earlier, made an instant contribution with a well-taken goal after being set up by Robert Navarro.

The momentum was all with the visiting side, which added a third just four minutes later when Navarro slotted the ball past Marco Carnesecchi.

However, Atalanta clawed one back in the dying minutes when Nikola Krstovic scored a close-range goal from a fine cross by Charles De Ketelaere. Agencies

Also Read: Champions League: Harry Kane’s double sends Bayern Munich through