Serie A did not have a good night in the Champions League as their top two clubs were given a harsh reminder of where they stood in the European pecking order.
Serie A leaders AC Milan lost 2-1 at home to Liverpool and were knocked out of European competition this season. Meanwhile, rivals Inter again lost to Real Madrid, who are looking like legitimate title contenders.
Elsewhere, Liverpool and Ajax made history with their perfect group-stage records, and Lionel Messi is looking closer to his old self again.
Read on as SBOTOP shares four key takeaways from the first half of the final round of Champions League group stage matches.
Milan clubs far away from Europe’s elite
AC Milan’s much-awaited return to the Champions League came to an unceremonious end as they lost 2-1 to a second-string Liverpool side at San Siro, sealing their bottom-placed finish in Group B.
But even if Milan had won, they still would have gone out since Atletico Madrid beat Porto in their match.
A couple of Milan mistakes led to both of Liverpool’s goals, proof of this relatively young side’s inexperience on the big European stage after years away.
Meanwhile, Inter Milan fell for the fourth straight time to a Real Madrid side missing Karim Benzema. Star midfielder Nicolo Barella was sent off just after the hour mark, which all but ended the Nerazzurri’s chances of winning Group D.
While the two Milan clubs are again flying high in Serie A – they are currently the top two in Italy – their respective Champions League setbacks show how far they sit in the European pecking order.
There is certainly much promise in the job Stefano Pioli is doing with Milan, while Simone Inzaghi is also doing well in his debut season with Inter.
But with the financial disadvantage they currently face compared to the big Premier League clubs and other top sides, it could be a while before these Italian giants return to conquering Europe again.
Real emerging as serious Champions League contenders
Carlo Ancelotti made Champions League 2021 news when he claimed his Real Madrid side are as good as the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City, and Bayern Munich and can compete with them for the Champions League title.
And based on their impressive group stage campaign (five wins in six) and their outstanding form in La Liga (eight points clear at the top), it appears Ancelotti may be on to something.
Real were able to weather the absence of Benzema in their 2-0 win over Inter, which sealed top spot in Group D. The result should also help silence critics who say Real are over-reliant on the French forward.
When fit, the 33-year-old Benzema is still among the best in the world at his position. The same could be said of their vaunted midfield trio of Toni Kroos – who scored the opener – Casemiro, and Luka Modric.
Meanwhile, the emergence of Vinicius Junior as a legitimate star this season gives them that dynamic playmaker who can make the difference in a tense Champions League knockout tie.
While the Champions League 2021 odds would not make Real favourites if they were to be matched up with Liverpool, City, or Bayern, the Merengues are showing they still have the quality and the experience to make another deep run in the Champions League.
Liverpool, Ajax ruthless en route to perfect group stage
Liverpool and Ajax have joined a very exclusive group of clubs to go through the Champions League group stage with a 100 per cent record.
As noted earlier, Liverpool went into San Siro and beat Milan 2-1 with a significantly rotated squad, although Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane both still started up front. Meanwhile, Ajax thumped Sporting 4-2 at home, with Sebastien Haller joining Cristiano Ronaldo as the only players to score in all six Champions League group games.
It speaks to the ruthless winning mentality of these clubs – instilled by their managers, Jurgen Klopp and Erik ten Hag – that they still came out and delivered impressive performances despite having very little left to play for in their final group games. They want to go out and win every single match with their attacking style of play, and they did just that in the Champions League group stage.
It remains to be seen whether these clubs can continue to play at this incredibly high level deep into the knockout stage. But if they do, it will be hard to stop either of them.
Messi rounding into Ballon d’Or form
Lionel Messi has not had the best of times for Paris Saint-Germain this season. But the newly crowned Ballon d’Or winner is showing signs of the form that saw him claim the prestigious award for a record seventh time.
Messi bagged a brace in PSG’s 4-1 win over Club Brugge in their Champions League group finale. Kylian Mbappe also had a brace – Inside the first seven minutes – and also set up Messi’s first goal. The Argentine has now scored five goals in five Champions League games.
Granted, Messi needs to do more than get two goals against minnows Brugge and a hat-trick of assists against Ligue 1 cellar dwellers Saint-Etienne. But these are at least promising signs that he can be back to his best by the time the Champions League knockout round rolls around.
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
