Champions League round-up: Jude Bellingham shines again for Real Madrid as Bayern Munich stall and Inter mount fightback
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Updated 29/11/2023 at 22:50 GMT
There were goals aplenty in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday as Jude Bellingham played a starring role in Real Madrid's win over Napoli and Inter and PSV mounted remarkable comebacks against Benfica and Sevilla respectively. Bayern Munich stuttered with a 0-0 draw at home to Copenhagen, while Arsenal and Manchester United had contrasting nights in their games against Lens and Galatasaray.
‘The love affair with him continues!’ – Bellingham fires Real Madrid ahead
Jude Bellingham notched his 15th goal of the season for Real Madrid as the 14-time European champions beat Napoli 4-2 to continue their perfect UEFA Champions League start.
Giovanni Simeone gave the visitors a shock early lead after nine minutes, but it didn’t last long before Rodrygo unleashed a rocket of a strike to level.
Bellingham then headed the hosts in front midway through the first half, but Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa levelled after the restart in Walter Mazzarri’s second game since returning for a second spell as coach of the Italian champions.
Nicolas Paz put the Spaniards back in front with seven minutes to go, when a shot from the edge of the box beat Alex Meret.
As stoppage-time began, there was still time for some more Bellingham magic as the England international delivered a beautiful cross with the outside of his foot into the path of Joselu for a tap-in.
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‘On a plate’ – Bellingham provides sublime assist for Joselu as Real Madrid beat Napoli
Elsewhere in Group C, Braga had Sikou Niakate sent off after just 30 minutes but managed a 1-1 draw with Union Berlin.
Things had looked set to unravel for Braga in Portugal when Robin Gosens found the opener in the 42nd-minute.
But the 10-man hosts rallied as Alvaro Djalo drew them level early in the second half to grab a point that keeps their faint hopes of reaching the last 16 alive.
Real Madrid have won the group after picking up a perfect 15 points, while Napoli are second with seven points, three clear of Braga - who they host in the final gameweek - and five ahead of Union Berlin, who are out.
Bayern Munich finally drop points as Man Utd play out classic
Bayern Munich had a penalty awarded and then withdrawn in stoppage time as they dropped points for the first time in the Champions League this season with a 0-0 draw against FC Copenhagen.
The Germans thought they had a golden chance to win it late on when handball was called in the box, but the decision was overturned following a VAR intervention.
It marked the first time for more than five-and-a-half years that Bayern have failed to score in a home Champions League game, with Thomas Muller and Harry Kane having the best chances for the hosts.
The point boosts Copenhagen's hopes of reaching the last 16, leaving them in second place in Group A, level on five points with Galatasaray, who they face in their final game.
A classic was played out in Istanbul as Galatasaray and Manchester United took a point each from a breathless, rollercoaster 3-3 draw.
Early goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Bruno Fernandes put United in control, but Hakim Ziyech struck twice either side of a Scott McTominay goal before Kerem Akturkoglu lashed in a 71st-minute leveller.
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Highlights: Man Utd pegged back by Galatasaray in six-goal thriller
Sevilla capitulate and Arsenal dominate
In Group B, 10-man Sevilla blew a two-goal lead in the final 22 minutes to lose 3-2 to PSV in an extraordinary clash in Spain.
Sergio Ramos, who returned to his boyhood club in the summer after spells with Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, scored the first goal of his second spell midway through the first half.
The 37-year-old bundled in from an Ivan Rakitic free-kick to the delight of the Estadio Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan crowd, his first goal in Sevilla colours since striking against Real in May 2005.
Hopes of just a second Sevilla win in 12 games in all competitions were raised as Djibril Sow had a goal disallowed and Youssef En-Nesyri headed off the bar as the hosts piled on the pressure before the break.
PSV then got off to the worst start possible in the second half when En-Nesyri struck within two minutes of the restart, Sevilla’s top scorer finishing well from a Marcos Acuna ball.
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Highlights: Sevilla knocked out of Champions League after surrendering two-goal lead
However, just as the Spaniards looked to be cruising to victory with half an hour to go, Lucas Ocampos received two yellow cards in the space of three minutes to leave his side with 10 men.
PSV needed just two minutes to take advantage as Ismael Saibari netted a superb volley to pull one back and fire the starting gun for a nervy conclusion.
With eight minutes left on the clock, disaster struck for Sevilla when Nemanja Gudelj chested the ball into his own net.
The home side's misery was compounded in stoppage time when Ricardo Pepi headed home a winner two minutes into stoppage-time.
At the Emirates, Arsenal thrashed Lens 6-0 with goals from Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Odegaard and Jorginho.
The dominant Gunners are guaranteed to finish as group winners with 12 points, while PSV sit behind them on eight points, with Lens on five and eliminated Sevilla on two.
It marks the first time that Arsenal have reached the last 16 of the Champions League since 2017.
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'Oh my word!' - Martinelli wows fans with stunning strike for Arsenal
Inter stun Benfica with comeback
There was a cracker in Group D as Inter remarkably fought back from a 3-0 half-time deficit to grab a 3-3 draw away to Benfica.
A much-changed Nerazzurri side knew they were already through before kick-off and played like it, as they were blown away at the start.
Joao Mario scored a hat-trick inside 34 minutes to send Benfica cruising towards their first European win of the season, but Inter battled back after the break as Marko Arnautovic, Davide Frattesi and Alexis Sanchez scored in less than 20 minutes.
Things got worse for the hosts when Antonio Silva was sent off with six minutes to go, but they held on to take their first point of a disappointing Champions League campaign.
Real Sociedad and Red Bull Salzburg played out a 0-0 draw in Spain that leaves the Liga side level with Inter on 11 points.
Those two sides will battle it out for top spot in the group when they meet at San Siro on Tuesday, December 12.
Salzburg are in a strong position to grab the Europa League spot as they sit third with four points, three above Benfica.
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