Champions League highlights and round-up: Five English clubs into round of 16, Benfica reach knockout phase play-offs

The league phase concluded in thrilling style with 18 simultaneous kick-offs, as Barcelona and Sporting CP secured top-eight positions alongside Bayern and five English teams. Meanwhile goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin's last-gasp header sensationally earned Benfica a place in the knockout phase play-offs.

We round up all the action.

Ajax 1-2 Olympiacos

Olympiacos earned a place in the knockout phase play-offs after winning away following a breathless second period in Amsterdam. 

After an even first half, Gelson Martins clinically fired the visitors ahead on 52 minutes before Kasper Dolberg levelled from the spot.

Both teams pushed for a winner but it was Olympiacos who took their chance, a fine Santiago Hezze header on 79 minutes ensuring the Greek side will play knockout Champions League football for the first time since 2014.

Player of the Match: Gelson Martins (Olympiacos)

Arsenal 3-2 Kairat Almaty

Arsenal recorded their eighth victory to become the first team to finish the league phase with a 100% record.

The Gunners flew out the blocks, Viktor Gyökeres charging through and curling in a low finish within three minutes. The visitors responded quickly, Jorginho stroking in a confident penalty four minutes later, but Arsenal had reasserted themselves by half-time – Kai Havertz cutting in from the right to curl in and Gabriel Martinelli finishing a fine team move. 

The home side continued to dominate in the second half but Kairat concluded their campaign on a positive note when Ricardinho headed in with the final touch of the match.

Player of the Match: Kai Havertz (Arsenal)

Athletic Club 2-3 Sporting CP

Sporting secured a top-eight finish following Alisson Santos' dramatic winner in Bilbao.

The visitors twice pegged back their opponents at San Mamés, where Ousmane Diomande and Francisco Trincão cancelled out efforts from Oihan Sancet and Gorka Guruzeta respectively.

Then, in the fourth minute of stoppage time, Santos drilled a last-gasp winner beyond Unai Simón, who had kept out Luis Suárez's initial attempt. 

Player of the Match: Francisco Trincão (Sporting CP)

Atleti 1-2 Bodø/Glimt

Bodø/Glimt came from behind to claim their second-ever Champions League victory and with it a place in the knockout phase play-offs.

Atleti took a deserved early lead when Alexander Sørloth headed in after 15 minutes. The visitors worked their way back into the game and levelled in the 34th minute through Fredrik Sjøvold.

The hosts pushed after the break but it was Bodø/Glimt who struck, Kasper Høgh poking over the line after a scramble in the box to make it a memorable night for the Norwegian side at Estadio Metropolitano.

Player of the Match: Kasper Høgh (Bodø/Glimt)

B. Dortmund 0-2 Inter

Last season's finalists soaked up pressure from Dortmund but struck with precision to win.

The Italian side grew into the game and broke the deadlock when Federico Dimarco curled a sublime free kick past Gregor Kobel.

Serhou Guirassy had a great chance for the hosts in the first half but Andy Diouf was on hand to wrap it up in added time with a deflected second.

Player of the Match: Federico Dimarco (Inter)

Barcelona 4-1 Copenhagen

Barcelona came from behind to secure a top-eight spot thanks to four second-half goals. Seventeen-year-old Viktor Dadason put Copenhagen ahead in the fourth minute, running onto a pass from Mohamed Elyounoussi to slot in.

Barcelona pushed for an equaliser and broke through early in the second half, when a superb long ball from Dani Olmo found Lamine Yamal to set up Robert Lewandowski to level.

Yamal scored a goal of his own on the hour through a deflected strike that looped in, and Raphinha extended the hosts' advantage from the penalty spot before Marcus Rashford's late free-kick wrapped up the victory.

Player of the Match: Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)

Benfica 4-2 Real Madrid

Goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin's sensational 98th-minute header earned Benfica a place in the knockout phase play-offs.

The Eagles looked set to miss out despite recovering from 1-0 down to open up a 3-1 lead thanks to two goals from Andreas Schjelderup either side of Vangelis Pavlidis' penalty.

Kylian Mbappé's second of the game – his 13th league phase goal setting a new record – pushed them out of the top 24 and there they remained until José Mourinho ordered Trubin forward and, against opponents suddenly down to nine men, the Ukrainian delivered the telling blow.

Player of the Match: Andreas Schjelderup (Benfica)

Club Brugge 3-0 Marseille

Club Brugge advanced to the knockout phase play-offs with an inspired home victory against Marseille.

The hosts' flowing football brought two unanswered goals within 11 minutes, Mamadou Diakhon finishing the first after an ingenious Hans Vanaken dummy before Romeo Vermant applied a striker's finish to Aleksandar Stanković's cutback. 

Marseille ramped up the pressure in the second half and may have found a way back if not for the inspired Simon Mignolet in the Club Brugge goal. But the hosts then rediscovered their rhythm and sealed the win as Stanković shot across goal in the 79th minute.

Player of the Match: Aleksandar Stanković (Club Brugge)

Frankfurt 0-2 Tottenham

Tottenham sealed a place in the top eight by winning in Frankfurt for the second consecutive season.

Both sides hit the woodwork in an even first half, Wilson Odobert striking the post for Spurs before Hugo Larsson clipped the bar for the hosts.

But just moments after half-time Randal Kolo Muani bundled in from close range against his former club to give the visitors the lead, substitute Dominic Solanke racing through to fire emphatically in on 77 minutes to secure the win.

Player of the Match: Cristian Romero (Tottenham)

Leverkusen 3-0 Villarreal

Leverkusen booked their place in the knockout phase play-offs with a commanding win at home to eliminated Villarreal.

Malik Tillman's first-half double set the German side on course for victory – their first at the BayArena in this season's competition. Alejandro Grimaldo added gloss to the scoreline with a back-post volley from Lucas Vázquez's cross to cap an all-round dominant display by Die Werkself.

Player of the Match: Malik Tillman (Leverkusen)

Liverpool 6-0 Qarabağ

Arne Slot's team secured a comfortable win at Anfield to confirm their place in the round of 16. The hosts dominated from the outset and opened the scoring through Alexis Mac Allister's close-range header, doubling their advantage courtesy of Florian Wirtz's low drive into the bottom corner.

Mohamed Salah made it 3-0 with a sweetly-struck free-kick, before Hugo Ekitiké's deft finish added a fourth seven minutes later. Mac Allister bundled in before Federico Chiesa completed the scoring in the final minute to secure Liverpool a top-eight finish for the second season running.

Player of the Match: Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool)

Man City 2-0 Galatasaray

A first-half masterclass from Jeremy Doku secured Man City a comfortable win to finish the league phase and earn a top-eight spot.

Doku set up Erling Haaland, who dinked the ball over keeper Uğurcan Çakır in the 11th minute for his 56th Champions League goal, before assisting Rayan Cherki to rifle in a second.

Galatasaray threatened more after the break, with Victor Osimhen a constant danger, though City's defence held firm.

Player of the Match: Rayan Cherki (Man City)

Monaco 0-0 Juventus

Monaco joined Juventus in the knockout-phase play-offs after a goalless draw.

The home side very nearly took the lead inside the first minute when visiting goalkeeper Mattia Perin presented Maghnes Akliouche with an open goal, but the Monaco midfielder was unable to capitalise. It set the tone for a dominant first-half display from the hosts, however, with Perin called into action several times to keep Juventus in the game.

Monaco enjoyed the better of the chances after the interval too, but could ultimately find no way past an inspired Perin, leaving both sides with a point.

Player of the Match: Vanderson (Monaco)

Napoli 2-3 Chelsea

João Pedro scored a fine double as Chelsea came from behind to progress directly to the last 16 and eliminate Napoli.

Enzo Fernández slotted in an early penalty to put Chelsea ahead but Antonio Conte's side rallied to lead at the break. First Antonio Vergara span inside the penalty area to poke in before Rasmus Højlund fired in off a post.

However, the returning Cole Palmer came on as a Chelsea substitute and found João Pedro for a long-range shot, before the pair linked up again for the winner.

Player of the Match: João Pedro (Chelsea)

Pafos 4-1 Slavia Praha

Pafos ended the league phase on a high with a resounding victory. Vlad Dragomir opened the scoring with a stunning drive from 30 metres but, on the stroke of half-time, Štěpán Chaloupek turned in David Douděra's cross.

Bruno neatly restored Pafos' lead in the 53rd minute and Slavia's hopes dwindled further after Jan Bořil was dismissed just shy of the hour. Anderson and Mislav Oršić struck late on to add gloss for the Cypriot outfit.

Player of the Match: Bruno Felipe (Pafos)

Paris 1-1 Newcastle

Joe Willock's header helped the Magpies claim a draw against the holders. The hosts began brightly and took the lead early on, with Vitinha's precise finish into the bottom corner coming just minutes after Nick Pope had kept out Ousmane Dembélé's spot kick.

Eddie Howe's men levelled on the stroke of half-time when Willock nodded in emphatically, having been teed up by Dan Burn.

The visitors almost sealed a late victory, but substitute Harvey Barnes could only power into the side netting from close range, with the result meaning both teams qualify for the knockout phase play-offs.

Player of the Match: Dan Burn (Newcastle)

PSV 1-2 Bayern München

An 84th-minute winner from Harry Kane, his eighth goal in the Champions League this season, was enough to secure a 2-1 win against a spirited PSV in Eindhoven.

The England captain came off the bench to strike the winner with a trademark clinical finish six minutes from time.

PSV had enjoyed a strong first half and looked very dangerous going forward, before Bayern came to life in the second with Jamel Musiala finishing off a beautiful counterattack. Ismael Saibari scored on his birthday to level with 12 minutes remaining, but Kane had the final word.

Player of the Match: Jonas Urbig (Bayern)

Union SG 1-0 Atalanta

Union SG earned their third victory of the league phase but were denied a place in the knockout phase after missing out on goal difference.

The hosts enjoyed the better of the match but had to wait until the 70th minute to get the game's only goal, Anan Khalaili finishing first time at the back post from a floated free-kick.

The Belgian debutants will look back at their debut Champions League campaign with pride despite not making it through, while Atalanta are in the knockout play-offs after finishing 15th.

Player of the Match: Kevin Mac Allister (Union SG)