Barcelona are on the brink of a group-stage Champions League exit for the second successive season after being held to a draw by Inter Milan in a breathless and high-octane game at the Nou Camp.
Having been beaten in the San Siro last week, Xavi’s side went into the game knowing that they really needed to win to maintain hope of progressing from Group C, with teams on the same points split by their head-to-head record.
The draw leaves Inter – who sit second, behind Bayern Munich who progressed on Wednesday – three points ahead of Barcelona, with both to still play Bayern and Viktoria Plzen.
Barcelona took the lead just before half-time when Raphina did well to keep the ball in, before threading through for Sergi Roberto, who squared for Ousmane Dembele to tap home.
It cued joyous and extravagant celebrations from boss Xavi and the whole Barcelona dugout but that soon turned to despair in the second half.
Nicolo Barella latched onto an Alessandro Bassani dinked ball and lashed into the roof of the net to pull Inter level, before Lautaro Martinez chested a right-wing cross from Hakan Calhanoglu inside Eric Garcia, with his effort hitting both posts before going over the line.
It led to a cauldron of noise at Nou Camp, and that pressure eventually told when Poland striker Robert Lewandowski saw a header fall back at his feet, and his deflected effort squeezed past Andre Onana.
From there the game descended into chaos.
Inter took the lead again as Onana cleared quickly for Martinez, who squared for Robin Gosens to lash home and leave Barcelona out of the competition again.
However, that was not the end of the drama, as Lewandowski rose highest to meet Garcia’s cross from the right and head past Onana and keep the hosts’ hopes alive again.
Inter then had two chances to win it on the break as Kristjan Asllani was put through but Marc-Andre ter Stegen saved with his legs.
Mohamed Salah came off the bench to score an incredible six-minute hat-trick as Liverpool obliterated Rangers in the Champions League.
The striker netted three times in his sensational first 13 minutes on the pitch to silence a once-euphoric Ibrox crowd.
Scott Arfield had given Rangers an early lead with their first group goal, but a Roberto Firmino double and a Darwin Nunez strike set Liverpool on their way, with Harvey Elliott getting a seventh after a VAR check.
It was a mesmeric second-half performance from the Premier League club, who now just need a draw against Ajax in Amsterdam in two weeks to advance to the next stage.
Son Heung-min scored twice as Tottenham beat 10-man Eintracht Frankfurt to move top of Champions League Group D.
Frankfurt took an early lead when Eric Dier lost possession and Daichi Kamada was teed up to score from close range but Harry Kane set up Son for the equaliser six minutes later.
England captain Kane then scored from the penalty spot and Son’s thumping volley made it 3-1 before half-time.
Frankfurt’s Tuta was shown a second yellow card for bringing Son down early in the second half but Faride Alidou’s header made it 3-2 with three minutes remaining to make for a nervous ending for Spurs.
Kane missed a second penalty in stoppage time but Tottenham held on for a deserved win.
Bayern Munich progressed to the Champions League knockout stage for the 15th successive season with a victory at Viktoria Plzen in Group C.
While their Bundesliga form has seen them only win four of their opening nine games, they have won all four of their Champions League group games, scoring 13 goals.
They raced into a 4-0 lead within 35 minutes as Sadio Mane linked with Leon Goretzka before slotting home, Thomas Muller converted a Kingsley Coman cross and Goretzka scored twice from Leroy Sane passes.
The advantage saw Julian Nagelsmann make changes – including Muller, who went off with an injury – and that led to a disjointed second-half display, allowing Adam Vlkanova and Jan Kliment to score for Plzen.
Bayern need a point from their final two games to guarantee top spot, with games against Barcelona and Inter Milan to come.
Free-scoring Napoli moved into the knockout stages of the Champions League with an entertaining win over Ajax.
They raced into a two-goal lead as Hirving Lozano sent a looping header into the far corner and Giacomo Raspadori thumped a left-footed drive into the roof of the net.
Ex-Everton man Davy Klaasen’s header reduced Ajax’s arrears after the break, before Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s penalty, harshly awarded for handball against Jurrien Timber after a Video Assistant Referee review, extended Napoli’s lead back to two goals.
The visitors were then given a late penalty when Juan Jesus was adjudged to have fouled Brian Brobbey, with former Tottenham forward Steven Bergwijn converting to cause a nervy finale.
However, those nerves were settled when Victor Osimhen harried Daley Blind into a mistake and tapped into the empty net for his first Champions League goal of the season.
The result leaves Napoli, who have now scored 17 goals in their four group games, in pole position to top group A, at the expense of Liverpool.
