Zinedine Zidane stands on the sideline during the Spanish League
football match between Real Madrid CF and Cadiz CF at the Alfredo
Di Stefano stadium in Valdebebas, northeastern Madrid, on October
17, 2020. (Photo by PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU / AFP)
Curtis Jones sent a depleted Liverpool through to the
Champions League last 16 on Tuesday, while Zinedine Zidane
dismissed suggestions he might walk away from Real Madrid after
another defeat by Shakhtar Donetsk left their European hopes in the
balance.
Liverpool were without a host of key players for the visit of
Ajax to Anfield in Group D, with 22-year-old Irishman Caoimhin
Kelleher starting in goal in the absence of Alisson.
Teenager Jones scored the only goal just before the hour,
tucking the ball in after Ajax ‘keeper Andre Onana thought he could
afford to let a Neco Williams cross sail over his head.
The result was vital for the Premier League champions after
their home loss to Atalanta a week ago, and it allowed them to
secure a spot in the knockout phase.
“Honestly since I was at Liverpool that feels like one of the
biggest Champions League nights. Without supporters in, it was the
most important, most difficult, most exceptional,” Liverpool
manager Jurgen Klopp told BT Sport.
They will go through as group winners after Atalanta had to come
from behind to draw 1-1 at home to Midtjylland, Cristian Romero
heading in a late equaliser in response to Alexander Scholz’s
thumping opener for the Danes.
Atalanta are a point clear in second from Ajax, with the sides
meeting in Amsterdam in their last game next week.
Two-time former European champions Porto also sealed a last-16
spot after drawing 0-0 at home to Manchester City, who were already
through and are now guaranteed to top Group C.
Porto would have qualified regardless, because Olympiakos lost
2-1 to Marseille in France, with Dimitri Payet scoring two
penalties in the second half to turn the game around after Mohamed
Mady Camara fired the Greeks in front.
The result ends Marseille’s Champions League record run of 13
straight defeats and means they could yet pip Olympiakos to third
place and the consolation of a Europa League berth.
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– Lukaku double, Atletico held – Real Madrid could yet be
consigned to a similar fate after they went down 2-0 to Shakhtar in
Kiev, their second defeat this season by the Ukrainians.
Substitutes Dentinho and Manor Solomon scored second-half goals
in Kiev as Shakhtar stunned the 13-time European champions again,
having won 3-2 in Madrid in October.
Shakhtar had lost their last two Group B matches against
Borussia Moenchengladbach by an aggregate score of 10-0, but now
move above Real into second place with one game remaining.
Gladbach are top by a point, while Shakhtar have the upper hand
on Real thanks to their superior head-to-head record.
However, the damage was limited for Real after Inter Milan won
3-2 away to Gladbach to keep their own hopes alive.
Matteo Darmian put Inter ahead and Romelu Lukaku scored twice
for Antonio Conte’s side. Alassane Plea netted a brace for Gladbach
but was denied a hat-trick, and a late equaliser, because of an
offside call.
It means Inter are bottom of the group but could still qualify,
while Real will definitely qualify as long as they win at home to
Gladbach.
Madrid have made it out of their group in every year since 1997
and so failure to qualify would be seen as a disaster, but Zidane
is not considering stepping down.
“I am not going to resign, not at all. We are always going to
have difficult moments, and we are on a bad run, but we need to
keep going,” said the Frenchman.
Real’s city rivals Atletico Madrid will also still have it all
to do in their final group game after being held to a 1-1 draw at
home by a weakened Bayern Munich.
Joao Felix gave Atletico the lead against a Bayern side who had
already won Group A. Thomas Mueller won and then converted a late
penalty to earn the defending champions a draw.
Salzburg can snatch a last-16 place if they beat Atletico at
home next week, after the Austrians won 3-1 away to Lokomotiv
Moscow.
Mergim Berisha scored twice in the first half for Salzburg, and
Karim Adeyemi got their third goal after Anton Miranchuk converted
a penalty for the railway-backed side.