Arsenal 2-2 Paris Saint-Germain, Celtic 0-2 Barcelona: Champions League as it happened
The Gunners can top Group A with a victory tonight.
- PSG top Group A thanks to their superior goal difference in their head-to-head with Arsenal with one group match remaining.
- Manchester City reach the knock-out stages of the Champions League for the fourth consecutive season.
- Barcelona qualify as group winners with Celtic's hopes of clinching a Europa League spot now over.
Wednesday's scores
Arsenal 2-2 PSG
Ludogorets 0-0 Basel
Napoli 0-0 Dynamo Kiev
Gladbach 1-1 Man City
Celtic 0-2 Barcelona
Atletico Madrid 2-0 PSV
What a chance for PSG to score again! It's brilliant work from Lucas who races past two Arsenal players to prod a ball through for the striker, nearly getting clattered himself in the process. It leaves Cavani one-on-one but he tries to chip the onrushing Ospina, who plucks it out of the sky with ease. Woeful effort, that chip looked to be going wide anyway.
Verratti takes too long on the ball and Giroud impressively wins it off him about 30 yards out from goal. The Italy international is too busy appealing for a foul as Giroud spreads the ball wide to Sanchez, who whips it into the far post for the onrushing Ramsey but the Welshman can't quite stretch far enough to claim it.
Barcelona have doubled their lead from the penalty spot with Lionel Messi making no mistake from 12 yards out. It came after Izaguirre wrestled Suarez to the ground inside the box; the referee had little choice but to award the spot kick.
Elsewhere tonight, Atletico Madrid have finally broken the deadlock against PSV Eindhoven with Kevin Gameiro lashing home after a neat one two with Antoine Griezmann.
Arsenal get a huge break late on in the first-half. Having trailed thanks to Edinson Cavani's opener and playing rather miserably, a very contentious penalty has levelled the score with Olivier Giroud scoring his second in five days.
There was also an incident in the aftermath of that goal with Aaron Ramsey hitting the deck in spectacular fashion, although Cavani did appear to catch the Welshman on the chin as he swung an arm out, even if the reaction was over the top.
PSG take the lead! Cavani does it against Arsenal again. It's pretty simple as far as PSG are concerned with Motta threading a fine ball through for Matuidi who has made a clever run outside Mustafi. Having left the Arsenal defender behind, he slides an inviting ball across goal, knowing Cavani will be coming in at the far post to tap home.
You will recall PSG took an early lead in the game in Paris back in September when Cavani pounced on a superb cross in from the right from Aurier. Given the full-back isn't allowed in the UK tonight, Thomas Meunier is filling that void tonight and has almost recreated that goal himself, swinging a terrific ball in that Cavani was inches away from reaching.
Elsewhere tonight, Bayern Munich have been rocked in Russia, losing 3-2 to FC Rostov. Carlo Ancelotti's side lost top spot in the Bundesliga on Saturday after defeat to Borussia Dortmund and tonight's defeat now means Atletico Madrid only need a point at home to PSV Eindhoven to guarantee top spot in Group D.
After rescuing that late win for his side against Manchester United, Olivier Giroud starts his first game of the season tonight for Arsenal.
His inclusion shifts Alexis Sanchez wide on the right with Theo Walcott dropping to the bench, while Carl Jenkinson continues at right-back in the absence of the injured Hector Bellerin.
For the visiting side, Angel di Maria and Javier Pastore miss out as expected. Thomas Meunier starts at right-back with Serge Aurier barred from entering the country.
Andreas Christensen, on loan from Chelsea, has the job of keeping Sergio Aguero quiet this evening for Borussia Monchengladbach. Thorgan Hazard meanwhile misses out completely with his club explaining on Twitter he has been excused for "private reasons."
Pep Guardiola has made four changes to the side that beat Crystal Palace on Saturday. Yaya Toure scored twice in south east London but having been omitted from City's Champions League squad at the start of the season, he is left out.
Vincent Kompany is unavailable and having only made his return on Saturday after a lengthy layoff of his own, Bacary Sagna also drops out. Noilto also drops to the bench, with John Stones, Ilkay Gundogan, David Silva and Jesus Navas all coming in to a very adventurous starting XI.
Also missing from the PSG squad tonight are full-back Layvin Kurzawa and 21-year-old striker Hervin Ongenda. They were named among the list of five players left out of the squad travelling to London.
Here's the full PSG squad for tonight.
Team news: PSG
Unai Emery suggested both Angel Di Maria and Javier Pastore were doubts for this evening's game when he addressed the media earlier this week. . Emery will also be without Adrien Rabiot for the game, who suffered a hamstring injury in France's friendly against Ivory Coast during the international break.
There is also the notable absence of Serge Aurier, who was banned from entering the UK this week after he was given a two-month prison sentence for elbowing a policeman outside a nightclub in Paris.
Team news: Arsenal
Santi Cazorla remains absent this evening. The Spain international has missed the club's last six games with an Achilles injury, but otherwise Arsene Wenger has no fresh injury concerns to contend with following Saturday's draw with Manchester United. Alexis Sanchez has "recovered completely" from the hamstring injury suffered while on international duty, according to his manager, but after Olivier Giroud's late equaliser at Old Trafford, the Frenchman could be pushing for a start.
Wherever you look, Wednesday night is firmly stacked as far as Champions League coverage is concerned. Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain meet at the Emirates with both sides locked on 10 points and both having confirmed their places in the next round. A win for Arsene Wenger's side however will confirm they top Group A by virtue of a superior head-to-head record, keeping them clear of the rest of the group winners when the last 16 draw is made in December.
Manchester City's place in the next round is still not certain, even after that superb win over Barcelona last time out. They are three points ahead of tonight's opponents Borussia Monchengladbach however, meaning a win tonight in Germany will secure qualification, and even give them a fighting chance of wrestling top spot from Luis Enrique's side.
Celtic's hopes of reaching the knock-out stages were all but ended after they failed to pick up a win in either of their clashes with Gladbach, but their Europa League hopes remain alive. While they were dismantled at the Nou Camp back in September, a night in front of a rocking Celtic Park is an entirely different prospect for Barcelona.
There are five more games taking place tonight, including the early kick off in Russia where FC Rostov are hosting Bayern Munich. We will have team news and goal updates for you throughout the evening so stick around.
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