That, then, is us. Thanks for your company and comments – night night.
Here’s David Hytner’s report from Marseille…
And what an effort from Eintracht Frankfurt, who also fought back from a 1-0 half-time deficit. Sporting will be feeling extremely poorly, not just because of tonight but because they missed some colossal chances to sort things at Spurs last week.
What a comeback that is from Spurs. Scott was covering that for you so I didn’t have it on, but everything I saw and heard of it told me they were lucky to be only one down at half-time. But without Conte in their dressing room – he was sent off last week – they were much improved thereafter, and scored two very fine goals – though before the second, Sead Kolasinac missed an incredible chance to win it.
Relive a wild night in Marseille with Scott Murray’s MBM…
Updated
Here’s Andy Hunter’s report from Anfield.
Rangers ended their first Champions League campaign in 12 years with six defeats out of six, two goals scored and 22 conceded. Ah.
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting is one of the most in-form strikers in Europe.
— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) November 1, 2022
Yep, really pic.twitter.com/MEhB7te93H
BT just told Salah that Liverpool’s first goal was his and he was clearly made up, before giving it the team is the most important thing. He is a magnificent killer.
Updated
“I think the reason TAA got a yellow is he did a sneaky thing that I’ve noticed from Liverpool and other teams a few times this season, a bit of gamesmanship,” reckons Neil Hattersley. “When the ball is dead for a moment near the sideline but there is an opportunity for a quick throw/kick etc, they kick a second ball onto the pitch, thus slowing down play when convenient. Seems like Fernandinho didn’t know all the tricks in the book…”
Yes, the presence of balls on the line is a good tweak, but of course humans being humans, they’ve found a way to subvert its intention.
“Saying Mark Hughes was tough is a bit like saying the Leeds team of the late 60s/early 70s were tough,” recons Richard Hirst. “It’s the truth, but not the whole truth. The Man Utd of the Hughes/Robson era were every bit as ‘tough’ as the earlier Leeds.”
Those are my dads so I’m biased, but yes, I agree.
Phew! That was quite a night; we only had one live group, but the D-Boyz did not let us down.
Results
Group D
Marseille 1-2 Spurs
Sporting 1-2 Eintracht Frankfurt
Spurs win the group, Eintracht take second, and Sporting go into the Europa playoffs.
Updated
GOOOOAAAAL! Marseille 1-2 Spurs (Hojbjerg 90+5) SPURS WIN THE GROUP!
Someone sends Hojbjerg through he drives forward in the inside-right lane, and clobbers a glorious rising finish across the keeper and in off the far post!
Results
Group A
Liverpool 2-0 Napoli
Rangers 1-3 Ajax
Napoli win the group, Liverpool take second and Ajax go into the Europa playoffs.
**
Group B
Leverkusen 0-0 Club Brugge
Porto 2-1 Atletico
Porto win the group, Brugge take second and Leverkusen go into the Europa playoffs.
**
Group C
Bayern 2-0 Inter
Plzen 2-4 Barcelona
Bayern win the group with a 100% record, Inter take second, Barcelona go into the Europa playoffs.
Updated
GOAL! Liverpool 2-0 Napoli (Nunez 90+7)
I didn’t see this one because it’s been manic elsewhere, but it happened.
Updated
Full-time: Sporting 1-2 Eintracht
This time, Eintracht get it away! We’re over time, and that is it! Eintracht have done it! They’ve turned around a half-time deficit, and they’ll be in the knockouts! Those travelling fans are going to have a party tonight! There’s small ruckus among the players, I’m not sure why; well I am, one won and one lost, one went through and one went out. The soccer!
Updated
And the ball bobbles about in the box, resulting in another from the other side…
In Lisbon, Sporting have a corner. The keeper is up and there’s a minute to go.
Oh man, in Marseille, Kolasinac has missed a back-post free header! How has he sent that wide! Dearie me, that’ll haunt him until the day he dies. Spurs are nearly there!
Nunez has just been booked for cheerily booting someone. He’s clearly learned a lot from that red card he got against Palace.
Where Salah has just failed to get on the end of an excellent cross from Nunez at the far post, thanks to Ostegard’s touch that took the ball away from him.
Seven added minutes at Anfield.
GOAL! Rangers 1-3 Ajax (Conceicao 89)
Ajax will go into the Europa League playoff! Tadic sends Conceicao through the middle – yes, he’s the son of Sergio the Porto manager, for those wanting to feel old – and he cuts inside onto his left foot, then bends a lovely finish into the far corner. What a day for the Conceicao clan!
Updated
In Marseille, Hojbjerg has just crunched a drive against the bar. Spurs have done well to recover from a horrible first half for the second time in a week, though as I type that, Sanchez has just had a low shot blocked by Perisic. Lenglet celebrates wildly.
GOAL! Rangers 1-2 Ajax (Tavernier pen 87)
The keeper dives left and the kick goes down the middle.
PENALTY TO RANGERS
Can they salvage some pride; a tiny portion of?
GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Napoli (Salah 85)
I think this is Nunez’s goal, but it looks like it’s been given to Salah. The former gets up brilliantly to hammer a header from a corner and we’re not sure if the ball’s over the line or not, Meret shovelling it out, then the latter rams it from close range, again the keeper shovels out, but that time it was definitely in.
Updated
“Ok, no,” says Matt Dony. “Trent isn’t the world’s best defender. But that half-volley driven down the wing is worth the odd heart-attack moment. He can play passes that other defenders can only dream of. The beautiful game, and all that…”
Depends what you’re trying to achieve. He can obviously do some great stuff, but if I was gameplanning for Liverpool, I’d be targeting him and the space in behind – though it’s not his fault Wijnaldum left, was replaced by a different kind of player, and those around him got old.
“Divided loyalties here in Naples as I watch Liverpool-Napoli,” emails Colum Fordham. “The tension when deciding the validity of Ostegard’s headed goal was palpable with my son and Neapolitan relatives praying for a goal and me – split between divided loyalties – hoping for something else. But I have to admit Napoli have the edge this year, especially with the new wunderkind Kvaratskhelia”.
You can never be sure in a cup competition, and Liverpool know they know how to win it. I don’t think they could manage a tough draw, but if they get a kind one, it’s not impossible. Napoli, on the other hand, can beat anyone, but we can’t be sure how they’ll respond in a big knockout tie.
“Trent gets a yellow for tapping the ball slightly away from an opponent?” writes Rick McGahey. “I wouldn’t give that when I reffed 13 year olds.”
I’m afraid I didn’t see that, as it got kind of busy. In general, though, I find the Champions League refs are better than the Premier League versions.
WHAT A GOAL! Bayern 2-0 Inter (Choupo-Moting 72)
Choupo-Moting has been in great form of late, the Stoke legend takes the ball 25 yards out, more or less dead centre, and absolutely annihilates a finish into the top right bin!
GOAL! Sporting 1-2 Eintracht (Kolo Muani 72)
WHAT A TURNAROUND! Knauff sends a ball over the top, Kolo Muani nods it down, powers down the right of the box, and leathers a low finish across the keeper into the far corner! Eintracht now lead the group, and Sporting are going to the Europa!
Updated
GOAL! Viktoria Plzen 2-4 Barcelona (Torre 75)
A fine ball over the top from Raphinha sends Torre in at inside-left, and he rifles a riser into the roof, on debut. Great finish.
Back to Barca, Kessie has gone off looking unhappy – I think he’s injured. I’m not sure what’ll happen to their squad in January, but if they can keep it together, I think Xavi is cooking something interesting. Whether they can get good while Lewandowski is still good, I don’t know, but they’ve got Gavi and Pedri, which is very helpful.
Ivan Perisic: delivery master pic.twitter.com/dLcJYGS0XY
— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) November 1, 2022
In Marseille, Harit has just slammed a drive over the Spurs bar, while in Lisbon, Eintracht want a penalty. But looking at the incident again, Sow dived.
Tottenham are back in the running!!! 🤩
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) November 1, 2022
Clément Lenglet marks his 50th #UCL appearance with a huge goal to level things at the Stade Vélodrome!
Things are looking up... pic.twitter.com/82BEP9mTgl
“Tactics are overrated and today is another proof,” says Yash Gupta. “Tottenham for once said to hell with caution and got their reward for being brave.”
Talent and mentality will always be more important than tactics and coaching, but the best teams tend to have liberal helpings of all four.
GOAL! Viktoria Plzen 2-3 Barcelona (Chory 63)
A cross from the left, a glanced header inside the far post, and this game is still alive!
Updated
GOAL! Sporting 1-1 Eintracht (Kamada pen 62)
With lasers on his face, Kamada opens body and powers a sidefooter into the side-netting as the keeper dives the other way. That’s a big boy’s penalty, and Eintracht are still in this, though as things stand, it’s Spurs and Sporting going through.
Updated
PENALTY TO EINTRACHT!
This is harsh, I think – Coates leapt, maybe received a shove in the back, ended up facing away from the ball, and raised an arm that knocked it.
GOAL! Marseille 1-1 Spurs (Lenglet 54)
Perisic swings over a fine free-kick from the left and Lenglet moves away from his marker, leaps, turns, and guides a really good header inside the far post. Spurs had improved, apparently, though they couldn’t have got much worse.
“That Mark Hughes link was brilliant,” says Jay Koch. “I had no idea he was that good. I just watched it in full, muttering ‘holy expletive’ to myself.”
I’m biased – he and Bryan Robson were my first footballing heroes. But he was an amazing player – touch, awareness, toughness, timing, spectacular goals, amazing football brain.
NO GOAL! Rangers 0-2 Ajax
Kudus went slightly early, so the goal is chalked off.
GOAL! Rangers 0-3 Ajax (Kudus 56)
Oh, Rangers. A terrific cross from the right, Kudus is alone in the middle, and he finishes confidently.
GOAL! Viktoria Plzen 1-3 Barcelona (Torres 54)
A second goal for Torres, who charges towards the box, exchanges passes with Raphinha, and swipes through the keeper’s legs.
Updated
NO GOAL! Liverpool 0-0 Napoli
I’m surprised it took that long because it looked pretty clearly offside to me.
I think that’s probably offside; when it takes this long for a goal-decision, I always think they’re trying to allow it, but the evidence is telling them they can’t. But it was crowded inside the box, so perhaps they’re struggling to draw a line.
GOAL! Liverpool 0-1 Napoli (Ostigard 53)
Kvaratskhelia swerves in a free-kick from the left, Osimhen goes early, Osditgard might too, but in the meantime he’s headed past the lilac-clad Alisson for his second Champions League goal in two weeks.
GOAL! Viktoria Plzen 1-2 Barcelona (Chory pen 52)
Pena dives to his left so Chory clips to his left/
I didn’t see the offence, but Pablo Torre committed it…
In Plzen, the home side have a penalty.
At Anfield, Milner is down; I think he took a bang on the head in the first half, so assume it’s because of that. Really, though, we need to have rolling subs for injuries of that ilk – we need to protect footballers fro themselves, from their managers and from us. He gets up, walks off and takes a hug from Klopp, before being replaced by Elliott.
We’re off again…
Half-time
Marseille 1-0 Spurs
The second half will be a bazzer.
Massive credit to Marseille, who lost their first two games in the group before beating Sporting twice. They’ve still got work to do, but they’ve properly turned up tonight, while Spurs have not.
Half-time scores
Group A
Liverpool 0-0 Napoli
Rangers 0-2 Ajax
**
Group C
Bayern Munich 1-1 Inter
Plzen 0-2 Barcelona
**
Group D
Marseille 1-0 Spurs
Sporting 1-0 Eintracht
Updated
GOAL! Marseille 1-0 Spurs (Mangulu 45+2)
Mayham in Marseille! A short corner, an outswinging ball to the back post, and a leaping, butting thunk inside the near post. That’s a very, very good header and everything I’ve seen and heard says the home side deserve that, likewise the away. As it stands, Sporting and Marseille will go through!
Updated
GOAL! Viktoria Plzen -2 Barcelona (Torres 44)
A ball into the box, a header across the face, and a lashed close-range finish. VAR has a look at offside, but finds nothing amiss.
Eintracht should equalise, Tuta meeting a corner and heading into the ground, but too close to the keeper.
Rangers and Victoria Plzen are really going for it https://t.co/chkrUbKza5
— Will Unwin (@Will_Unwin) November 1, 2022
Jones slides Salah in and he’s through! But Meret gets a touch on his lifted finish, before the flag goes up for offside.
GOAL! Sporting 1-0 Eintracht (Gomes 39)
Spirting battle hard down the right, Edwards eventually finds a crossing angle, and when it takes a deflection, Gomes controls a sidefooted volley at the back post that the keeper should save but doesn’t.
Whoever Wolves appoint, they need to do it soon.
Sporting have just had Nuno Santos stretchered off – he landed awkwardly and looks to have jiggered his ankle. He was every bit as upset as you’d imagine.
In France, Conte of course sends a more defensive player on for Son, and Lloris has just shoved away a ferocious drive from Veretout – though one at a nice height for the keeper.
I say that, but they were far from perfect in the first half of their home game with Barca. They got away with it, but not much I’ve seen of them this season says likely champions. But who knows how things’ll go after the World Cup.
GOAL! Bayern Munich 1-0 Inter (Pavard 32)
A right-wing corner swings out, Pavard heads down because no one bothers marking, and that’s 1-0. Bayern draw nearer to another perfect group.
Updated
GOAL! Rangers 0-2 Ajax (Kudus 29)
Ajax go down the left, the cut-back reaches Kudus, and he opens a Supermalt, takes a swig, has a lie down and shoots, the effort deflected into the net. Rangers have had a terrible time on their Champions League return.
Inter are giving Bayern some hassle, a ball across the face of goal slid wide – by whom I did not see. And bad news for Spurs in Marseille, where Son has taken an accidental Mbembe shoulder to the face; he’s been guided off looking groggy, and I’m not sure he’ll return. Godspeed, old mate.
This Sporting v Eintracht game has a decent tempo to it, as you’d expect. Both sides could go through but both could end up with nowt, so needle is being nurtured.
Updated
Marseille have just shot a foot past Lloris’s far post; Sporting have had no one attack a fine ball in; and a Plzen player has just headed against the Barca bar.
Spurs are really missing Dejan Kulusevski. I wonder if, when he’s back, Conte will try him at wing-back to get in an extra attacker, or persevere with the current method.
Eintracht are improving and a ball into the box sees Kolo Muani collect and have a shot deflected over the top. He’d strayed offside, but the point remains.
Kvaratskhelia has just stuck the ball in behind “Trent”, stomped on the gas and powered past. He ran out of pitch as he tried to cross, but that’ll keep happening if yerman doesn’t learn how to defend with his body.
In Marseille, the home side have started well and Alexis has just run across the front post, ducking to glance a decent header just wide of the far. But the home side have lost Eric Bailly, off with a recurrence of hamstring injury, which is a shame – he has the raw materials to be good, but has never stayed fit enough for long enough to grow as he might’ve done otherwise.
Oh gosh, a Sporting defender has just flicked on a near post corner … taken by Eintracht … and the keeper had to make a fine reaction save.
Sporting are starting to create against Eintracht while, in Munich, Inter have just been denied a penalty. Barella, I think, shot from distance, a defender a way away put arm over face, blocked it, and both ref and VAR said NOWT/
GOAL! Viktoria Plzen 0-1 Barcelona (Alonso 6)
Fati shoots from the left if the box, the keeper makes a hash of it, and Alonso slides in at the far post. If Barca score four more, Plzen will better Borisov and Legia’s record of most goals conceded in a group stage; currently, they’ve let in 21.
Updated
Salah slips jones in down the side of the box and from a narrow angle, he lifts over the keeper and onto the roof of the net.
GOAL! Rangers 0-1 Ajax (Berghuis 4)
This is a lovely finish, Berghuis leaning right and sending the keeper the same way, only to pass into the opposite corner.
Updated
“3-4-3 works best if centre-backs, wingbacks and wide players enter the midfield in certain stages of the game,” returns Yash Gupta. “That allows central parity plus wide overloads. However only few players can do that in this Spurs squad which is why it looks lethargic. In my armchair football-fan opinion it works well if Romero is playing and one of Kulusevski or Gil are in the forward line. It still requires someone holding width on the right side. Kulusevski, Gil and Moura can provide that. Spence is an unknown quantity. Doherty works best as underlapping player. So ideally play any two of Doherty/Moura/Gil/Kulusevski. Because of injury issues this hasn’t been possible yet.
However I think biggest problem for Spurs was their approach this season. Thankfully against Sporting in the second half Spurs finally resembled the team of last season. That happened with Moura and Gil on the right. That happened again against Bournemouth with Moura/Perisic/Sessengon/Gil on the right in the second half. Spurs aren’t far from clicking.”
I don’t know – I don’t see any permutation available to Spurs in midfield that’d let them dictate play against a good side. Kane and Son aside – and perhaps Romero – there’s a lack of quality relative to what their competitors have. They spent roundabout £100m this summer, and I’m not sure what they got for it.
I think Curtis Jones is playing down the left, not at the point of a diamond.
“Dead rubber it may be,” says Stephen Carr, “and a team selected with an eye on Sunday, but I’m not looking forward to this. I also do not have any beer in the house.”
You can follow Marseille v Spurs here, with Scott Murray. I’m watching Liverpool v Napoli, Sporting v Eintracht, and the goals show.
Updated
Across Europe, teams emerge from tunnels.
Result correction
Uefa’s site had Porto beating Atléti 3-0, when it was actually 2-1 – perhaps someone forgot which team was which – but it doesn’t alter the fundamentals. Porto win the group, atléti go out.
I feel like I’ve almost forgotten how good Sánchez was. His transfer to Man United isn’t the worst of all-time because he was free and they got rid of Mkhitaryan into the bargain, but if someone had told you he was going to be a complete bust, you’d still never have guessed just how much of a bust he’d be.
"I have HUGE admiration for Arsenal - beating Spurs every time was a great joy!" 👀
— Hayters TV (@HaytersTV) October 31, 2022
Former @Arsenal superstar @Alexis_Sanchez ahead of tomorrow night's Champions League clash against @SpursOfficial 🏆#UCL pic.twitter.com/H05I7GHN6I
Napoli and Bayern are both bidding for a 100% group record. That’s only happened 10 times previously:]
Milan 92-93
PSG 94-95
Spartak Moscow 95-96
Barcelona 02-03
Real Madrid 11-12
Real Madrid 14-15
Bayern 19-20
Ajax 21-22
Liverpool 21-22
Only one of those sides lifted Big Ears: Bayern 19-20.
“This Tottenham team is the same which chased the game and won it at Bournemouth so not surprised about Gil’s omission",” says Yash Gupta. “Moura finally looked like himself since his injury and so things look simple. Best thing with Gil is he can be introduced in any stage of game – winning or chasing a goal. His chaotic play gets all the attention but his technical ability is among the best in this squad. Even Conte admitted it last season and again this season.”
I just don’t get the 3-4-3 – in general, in that it leaves you outnumbered in the middle and wide, but also with these players. If Spurs were my team I’d be wanting Conte to at least play 3-5-2, with someone – Moura or Gil, I guess – breaking through the centre.
Results – Porto win Group B, Club Brugge come second, Leverkusen into Europa League, Atlético de nada
Porto 2-1 Atleti
Leverkusen 0-0 Brugge
Updated
Tottenham players were given an early wake up call after fireworks were set off outside their team hotel in Marseille at 4am… 😳⏰ pic.twitter.com/d93vnzVbkf
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) November 1, 2022
On this day in 1963, Mark Hughes was born. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a better first touch than his nor big-game player than him, and this compilation video, showing the full range of his ability, is my favourite of its genre.
On which point, it’s still Porto 2-0 Atléti and Leverkusen 0-0 Brugge. Should it stay that way, Porto will win the group, Brugge will take second, Leverkusen will go into the Europa playoff and Atléti will take the walk of shame.
I do love a club Twitter announcing goals against it and this is a goodun – the emoji numbers, and especially the full stops
24' | FC Porto 2️⃣-0️⃣ Atleti
— Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) November 1, 2022
Goal. FC Porto.
As for Napoli, they play most of their big hitters, and I’m looking forward to watching Osimhen and Kvaratskhelia – who isn’t. I hope both stay through the winter window, because their team not only have a great chance of winning Serie A, but the firepower to give grief to any team, any time.
My guess is that Liverpool play a diamond in midfield with Fabinho at the base, Milner and Thiago the sides, and Jones roaming behind Firmino and Salah. I liked the look of Jones when he first came through – the ability to run with the ball in midfield is very useful, and he reminded me a bit of Steve McManaman. But he’s not quite come on, so needs to take chances like this one.
Grown adults latest:
Liverpool🏴 message for Napoli🇮🇹: "Napoli not welcome we are waiting" pic.twitter.com/rMpklz59N8
— 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐔𝐥𝐭𝐫𝐚 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 (@thecasualultra) October 31, 2022
Liverpool, meanwhile, received the good news that Jürgen Klopp has no plans to resign – his agent said so earlier. He has looked tired recently, as have his team, and it seems unlikely he’ll get the funds necessary to rebuild – getting players as brilliant as Mané and Salah for less than £70m isn’t happening again, and it’s also unlikely they’ll nail so many purchases in a row. Anyhow, Robertson, Elliott, Gomez and Nunez are omitted, with Tsimikas, Milner, Konaté and Jones coming in.
I’d wondered if Antonio Conte might pick Bryan Gil, who made a difference when he came on against Sporting last week. Not a massive difference, his team were just dreadful prior to. But Conte has his ways, so it’s a one-paced central-midfield without any serious creativity, with one wing-back who’s over the hill and another who’s under it. They’ve still got Harry Kane, though, and I’d expect them to do enough tonight for that reason. But it’s very hard to see where they’re going.
Right, let’s have some teams:
Group A
Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Tsimikas, Fabinho, Thiago, Milner, Jones, Salah, Firmino. Subs: Kelleher, Adrian, Gomez, Elliott, Ramsay, Robertson, Nunez, Carvalho, Bajcetic, Phillips.
Napoli: Meret, Di Lorenzo, Ostigard, Kim, Olivera, Ndombélé, Lobotka, Anguissa, Politano, Osimhen, Kvaratskhelia. Subs: Idasiak, Sirigu, Jesus, Mario Rui, Zanoli, Elmas, Gaetano, Zerbin, Zielinski, Lozano, Raspadori, Simeone.
**
Rangers: McGregor, Tavernier, King, Sands, Barisic, Davis, Arfield, Tillman, Sakala, Kent, Colak. Subs: McCrorie, McLaughlin, Matondo, Kamara, Morelos, Wright, Devine, Fraser, Lowry, Allan.
Ajax: Pasveer, Timber, Bassey, Alvarez, Wijndal, Bergwijn, Taylor, Tadic, Sanchez, Kudus, Berghuis. Subs: Stekelenburg, Gorter, Klaasen, Brobbey, Ocampos, Kaplan, Rensch, Blind, Lucca, Grillitsch, Magallan, Conceicao.
-----
Group C
Our team to take on @inter_en 👊#packmas #FCBInter pic.twitter.com/Eh6Fb5iUJ1
— FC Bayern Munich (@FCBayernEN) November 1, 2022
1️⃣1️⃣ ⚫🔵#FCBInter #BayernInter #UCL #ForzaInter pic.twitter.com/3UAvbeZLLD
— Inter (@Inter_es) November 1, 2022
**
👥 | This is our starting XI for the final @ChampionsLeague group stage match against Barcelona 🇪🇸 #fcvp #PLZBAR #UCL pic.twitter.com/NexlubYMNu
— FC Viktoria Plzeň EN (@fcviktoria_en) November 1, 2022
🚨🚨🚨 BARÇA XI! 🚨🚨🚨 pic.twitter.com/whSItKi6Rg
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) November 1, 2022
----
Group D
Marseille: Lopez, Bailly, Balerdi, Tavares, Rongier, Guendouzi, Clauss, Veretout, Harit, Mbemba, Sanchez. Subs: Ngapandouentnbu, Blanco, Gigot, Gerson, Payet, Suarez, Under, Kolasinac, Kabore.
Tottenham Hotspur: Lloris, Perisic, Dier, Lenglet, Davies, Sessegnon, Bentancur, Hojbjerg, Lucas, Son, Kane. Subs: Forster, Royal, Spence, Doherty, Sanchez, Tanganga, Skipp, White, Bissouma, Sarr, Bryan.
**
Here’s our 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙓𝙄 #SportingCP #SCPSGE pic.twitter.com/mjTukMe80j
— Sporting CP English (@SportingCP_en) November 1, 2022
Our line-up to face @Sporting_CP 👊#SGEuropa | #SCPSGE | #UCL pic.twitter.com/Mn2eJrWF2Y
— Eintracht Frankfurt (@eintracht_eng) November 1, 2022
Latest scores: Porto 2-0 Atlético de Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen 0-0 Club Brugge. As things stand, it’s Leverkusen who’ll go into the Europa, with Atléti going home; for that to change, Atléti must either draw or win, or Leverkusen must lose.
Updated
Preamble
The group stage of the Champions League has been criticised for years and rightly so: it exists to make money, not because it’s the best way of structuring a competition. But the attitude to it of people in England has also been criticised and rightly so: the richest clubs strolling through to the knockouts doesn’t make it necessarily boring.
But tonight’s entertainment is a hard sell because, of the four groups in action, only one is in the balance. Marseille v Spurs can be followed with Scott Murray – Spurs need a point and Marseille need a win, Sporting v Eintracht. Sporting, meanwhile, are through with a draw, and also if they and Spurs both lose; Eintracht need to win.
Otherwise, Rangers need a five-niller to pip Ajax to Europa League playoff action, and course we’ll also be covering Liverpool v Napoli. If the former beat the latter’s 4-1 result when the teams met in Italy, they’ll top the group, but the game should be fun regardless of consequences. All of which is to say: it’s on!
Updated
