UEFA CHampions League - December 8, 2020

Another four groups have action today, a day of European top level football. And this round is the defining round we are going to know who goes to the next round and we also get to know the third places who will go to the Europa League competition.

I started out watching Lazio - Brugge, a surprisingly good game, Brugge had to win to go through and they were behind twice, Lazio scored an early twelve minute goal only to see Brugge score the draw three minutes later, Lazio went back up via a Ciro Immobile penalty shot, a few minutes later Brugge had a player sent off, so I figured that was that. In reality the second half showed the Belgian team all out looking for a goal and Lazio quite complacent, until finally Brugge did score at the 76 minute. After this goal Brugge went all attack and nearly scored the winner but the ball hit the post. I always root for Lazio but today Brugge deserved the win, unfortunately the draw allows Lazio to go through so all Brugge's effort was for nothing.

The other games started at 2:00 pm here, I decided to watch PSG-Istanbul as Leipzig-MU was not televised and in this group three teams are tied with nine points, unfortunately this game was suspended because of a racial slur an insult hurled by the fourth official at a person in the Istanbul bench. Both teams decided to stop playing until this official was replaced. A most unfortunate happening for European football I believe there will be repercussions from this.

So I then started to watch Barcelona-Juventus, Juventus were already winning 2-0 by this time one of these goals a penalty scored by Cristiano Ronaldo. Man Barcelona is playing real bad, Juventus scored 3 goals and they weren't even able to score 1. Guess they do need a complete overhaul, get rid of all the older players.

So the teams that go through are: Chelsea and Sevilla, Dortmund and Lazio, Paris Saint Germain and Leipzig and Juventus and Barcelona. Yes PSG are through, I am not sure if in first or second place but probably UEFA will give them the three points as it was Istanbul that walked off. In any case this was a most unfortunate incident, you know I can see a drunk fan in the heat of the moment using a racial slur, not that I am OK with it, but having an appointed UEFA referee do this is inconceivable.