• Tweeter
  • republish

Parisian players congratulate themselves after Mauro Icardi's goal. REUTERS / Christian Hartmann

Two days before the end of the group stage, Paris Saint-Germain secured their qualification in the knockout stages of the Champions League by beating Wednesday Club Brugge (1-0). Bayern and Juventus have also validated their ticket.

Five days after his surprise defeat on the turf of Dijon, red lantern of Ligue 1, Paris Saint-Germain was not imperial against Club Brugge on the fourth day of the group phase of the Champions League. The Parisians will certainly retain only the essential; this little goal of Mauro Icardi (22nd) who ensures the qualification in the round of 16 two days from the end. In this meeting, the players in the Ile-de-France have rarely had control against the Belgians without complex who have worried them well. The men of Thomas Tuchel may even consider themselves happy to leave with the three points of victory as those of Philippe Clément missed several opportunities to return to the score, including the penalty missed in the last quarter by the Senegalese Mbaye Diagne who had pushed Thiago Silva to fault.

PSG remain ahead of pool A in front of Real Madrid and only need a draw (or at least a loss by less than three goals difference), against the Spaniards at the next day, for finish first of his group.

Bayern, waiting for Wenger?

72 hours after the dismissal of his coach, Niko Kovac, Bayern Munich secured its qualification also in the round of 16 by winning against Olympiacos (2-0). At the Allianz Arena, the Munich have struggled to overcome the Greeks and had to wait after the hour to see the opening score of the inevitable Robert Lewandowsk (69th) before Perisic confirms the success Munich (89th). While there is talk of a probable arrival of the former coach of Arsenal, the Frenchman Arsene Wenger, on the bench, the Bavarian club gives the air and can now focus on the German championship.

Another "big" held his rank and validated his ticket for the next round: Juventus Turin. The Italians also suffered against Lokomotiv Moscow (2-1), and waited for timeouts and a goal from Douglas Costa (90 + 4) to clinch their qualification.