Sevilla, Porto claim final Champions League slots
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SEVILLA and FC Porto grabbed the final two spots in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, while Juventus and Borussia Dortmund finished up with the debatable advantage of being group winners.
A team that finishes top of its group will be drawn against a runner-up when the knockout stage begins — which usually offers a clear advantage.
Not this year.
With the likes of titleholder Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain hanging around as possible opponents in Monday’s draw, group winners will be wary.
“When we reached the final in Berlin (in 2015) we had finished second in our group,” Juventus CEO Giuseppe Marotta said. “When we finished first last season we were eliminated (by Bayern).
“So it’s difficult to think rationally. The important thing in the Champions League is the draw. We’ll rely on destiny,” Marotta said before a 2-0 win over Dinamo Zagreb made sure the Bianconeri would finish atop Group H.
Juventus had already qualified for the knockout stages, but the win secured top spot ahead of Sevilla, which also advanced following a 0-0 draw with Lyon.
In Group E, Bayer Leverkusen finally scored from a penalty this season in a 3-0 victory over Monaco.
Both teams were already assured of advancing to the round of 16 before the final group matches. Monaco finished on 11 points, one more than Leverkusen.
Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur won at Wembley Stadium at the third attempt, beating CSKA Moscow 3-1 to secure third place and a spot in the Europa League.
In Group F, a late equalizer by substitute Marco Reus earned Borussia Dortmund a 2-2 draw against defending champion Real and first place in the group.
Dortmund finished the group with 14 points, two more than Real. Legia Warsaw, which defeated Sporting Lisbon 1-0 in Poland, finished third with four points to qualify for the Europa League.
In Group G, FC Porto breezed into the knockout phase with a 5-0 rout of Leicester, which had already secured top spot in the group on its competition debut.
Porto’s emphatic win over the English champion ensured it was not overtaken by FC Copenhagen, which beat Club Brugge 2-0 to finish with a Europa League place.
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