Champions League LIVE: Result and final score from City-Sevilla, Chelsea-Dinamo, Juve-PSG and more
Goal updates from the Champions League as the group stages come to a close
Chelsea midfielder Denis Zakaria scored on his debut as his side finished their Champions League Group E campaign with a 2-1 win over Dinamo Zagreb at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, topping the group and ending the European campaign for the Croatians.
Manchester City teenager Rico Lewis marked his first senior start with his maiden goal for the club as City came from behind to complete their commanding Champions League group stage with a 3-1 defeat of Sevilla.
FC Copenhagen scored their first goal in this season’s Champions League campaign, drawing 1-1 with already qualified Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday in their last Group G game.
Celtic, meanwhile, failed to earn a first victory in the Champions League this year as they succumbed to a 5-1 defeat by Real Madrid at the Bernabeu.
Follow all the action, goal updates, and major incidents from across the Champions League tonight:
Postecoglou doesn’t need extra motivation to improve Celtic
Celtic boss, Ange Postecoglou, says that improving his side and developing their skills to compete at the highest level of Europe is all the motivation he needs after the club’s poor Champions League campaign this season.
Two draws with Shakhtar Donetsk are all the Scottish champions have to show from their five group games, which has seen them create more than their fiar share of chances but they haven’t been good enough to convert them. The Hoops have been found wanting in the last third of games but Postecoglou believes this campaign can be built on to improve the team.
"I do this because this club deserves to be at this level and this year has given me the motivation and appetite to make sure we’re here every year and make an impact," he said.
"We get 60,000 at every game, we’ve got an unbelievable stadium that creates the most unique of atmospheres. A club of our size deserves to be playing at this level so that’s where the motivation lies.
"I want this football to make an impact. It’s not about me. I don’t need to prove myself to anybody.
"I’m quite comfortable in the kind of manager I am, but I also know I have a responsibility with this football club to make sure it takes its rightful place amongst the best football clubs in the world."
Real Madrid vs Celtic
Real Madrid and Celtic have met three times in the European Cup/Champions League. The Spanish side lost the first on March 5th, 1980 (0-2), but beat Celtic 3-0 14 days later to progress to the semi-final.
The most recent meeting was the 3-0 win for Real at Celtic Park in September.
This will be the fourth time a Scottish side has faced Real in Madrid in the European Cup/Champions League, with each of the previous three ending in defeats - 0-6 for Rangers in 1963, 1-5 for Kilmarnock in 1965 and 0-3 for Celtic in 1980.
Champions League permutations: What’s at stake in final week of group stage?
Matchday six of the Champions League is upon us – the most stressful midweek of the season for some clubs, and potentially the most lucrative too.
This time around there are plenty of sides who are already sitting pretty and assured of their spot in the competition once the knockout stage begins in the new year, but others still have a bit of work to do, have top spot to fight for, or a Europa League berth to attain.
From the Premier League teams involved, Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool are certain to be involved in the last 16, while Tottenham Hotspur clinched a qualification spot in dramatic fashion against Marseille on Tuesday.
It leaves four groups, and two places in the last 16, left to play for tonight.
As a quick reminder, the tie-breaking format when teams finish level on points in a group is as follows:
Champions League permutations: What’s at stake in final week of group stage?
AC Milan are among the clubs still needing to seal their passage into the last 16
Real Madrid vs Celtic early team news and predicted line-ups
Celtic are without captain Callum McGregor and defender Cameron Carter-Vickers due to injury. Real Madrid could be without their captain Karim Benzema, who remains a doubt after missing their last three matches.
Predicted line-ups
Real Madrid: Courtois; Mendy, Militao, Nacho, Vazquez; Kroos, Tchouameni, Camavinga; Hazard, Rodrygo, Asensio
Celtic: Hart; Taylor, Jenz, Welsh, Ralston; Hatate, O’Riley, Mooy; Abada, Furuhashi, Forrest
Real Madrid vs Celtic
First up are two games kicking off at 5.45pm as Celtic travel to Real Madrid and Shakhtar Donetsk host RB Leipzig. The second match is a big as the winner of that game will go through to the last-16 but there should also be plenty of goals at the Bernabeu.
Madrid defeated Celtic 3-0 in the reverse fixture but the Hoops performed admirably for 60 minutes and Ange Postecoglou will be hoping his team can stand up to the reigning champions tonight as well.
A victory against Real - and Celtic’s first in Europe this year - would end a poor campaign on a high note and give the Scottish side some confidence going forward.
Champions League tonight
Hello and welcome to The Independent’s coverage of tonight’s Champions League action.
There are only two spots left to be decided in the knockout stages of the competition with AC Milan and RB Salzburg vying for second place in Group E whilst RB Leipzig and Shakhtar Donetsk shoot it out for the final qualifying spot in Group F.
All the other groups have their qualifiers but that doesn’t mean things aren’t up for grabs. There are places in the Europa League to play for and teams will want to finish at the top of their respective groups to ensure a better draw in the next round.
The British interest lies with Celtic, Manchester City and Chelsea this evening. The Scottish champions are already out of the competition but will look to finish on a high when they take on Real Madrid in the 5.45pm kick off whilst City and Chelsea both kick off their matches at 8pm.
Pep Guardiola and Graham Potter are sure to rest an rotate their squads as both teams are secure at the top of their groups but there should be plenty of goal action across the competition.
We’ll be keeping an eye on all eight of the Champions League matches this evening and will bring you updates for any goal as well as team news and any exciting incidents.
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