Only last season’s Champions League winners, Real Madrid will be flying the Spanish flag in the UEFA Champions League from the round of sixteen onwards.
This became clear after last night’s round of games saw the trio of Sevilla, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona failed to win their games.
Barcelona
German Champions, Bayern secured their place at the top of Group C with a 3-0 victory over Barcelona in their Champions League clash at Camp Nou.
Sadio Mane put the visitors ahead before Eric Choupo-Moting added a second to put the German outfit in complete command.
Barca barely threatened the Bayern defence, failing to muster a shot on target all night.Benjamin Pavard rubbed salt in the wound with a late goal to put the icing on the cake for Julian Nagelsmann and his team.
Atletico Madrid
Atletico twice fought back from a goal down to earn a point against a talented Leverkusen side, and thought they had won it right at the death only for Carrasco’s penalty to be saved by Hradecky.
What a dramatic night it was at the Wanda Metropolitano, as the follow up to Carrasco’s penalty ricocheted off him and off the field as the Spaniards were left baffled by their mixed fortunes on the night.The result meant the two sides will battle it out for third place and a spot in the Europa League on the final day of the group phase – they’re both out of the Champions League.
Sevilla
On Tuesday, Sevilla also secured Europa League football in the new year after a 3-0 home win over Copenhagen.
The visitors had the better chances before the deadlock was broken, with Claesson striking the post from distance before the substitute, En-Nesyri glanced a header past Grabara to put Sevilla ahead.
Diks then had a golden opportunity to equalise with his first touch, but smacked the bar with his header. Isco curled in a wonderful effort and Montiel tapped-in a rebound from Lamela’s shot to round it off.
All three Spanish sides were at home, only the fourth side, Madrid went away to RB Leipzig where they ran out surprise losers on the night.Only Sevilla won out of all four Spanish sides but it was not enough to earn them second spot.
