Liam Scales admits Celtic need to be more streetwise in Europe.

Brendan Rodgers’ side have been very competitive with a full quota of players in the Champions League but three red cards in four games have proved costly.

Daizen Maeda’s dismissal in Spain on Tuesday led to a 6-0 defeat by Atletico Madrid, which leaves Celtic bottom of Group E with one point and in need of wins over Lazio and Feyenoord and favours from Diego Simeone’s team.

Centre-back Scales, who has not been booked in the Champions League, said of the red cards: “It’s probably that we are a young team and maybe a bit naive at times.

“You come and play in Europe and the referees, you get nothing out of them. They are a lot stricter and tackles that you might get away with domestically, they give.

“With VAR, you are going to pick up red cards in the way we’ve been doing.

“It’s frustrating, because I think with 11 players on the pitch we had started the game quite well.

“I know we had conceded earlier before the red card, but I thought we had quite a bit of the ball, and it definitely would have been a more even game with 11 men.”

Scales also believes they need to learn from the animated reaction of the Atletico bench when Maeda made his tackle and was initially booked, before VAR intervened.

Scales said: “To be honest, you see the way they react and all of their staff are up off the bench. It definitely doesn’t help.

“The VAR screen is right beside their bench as well, and he (the referee) was probably feeling the pressure.

“They are definitely more street-smart than us, that’s for sure, the way they influence the referee.

“It’s not the nicest part of the game, but it helps them win games and we could definitely learn from it.”

The manner of defeat has led to some soul-searching among the Celtic support about their level in European football but Scales pointed out they had drawn with Atletico two weeks earlier.

“I think we’re at the level, it’s just naivety and poor decisions at times have let us down,” the Republic of Ireland international said.

“Some of the goals, we could have defended better, we need to look back on that and see what we could have done better defensively.

“But it’s still difficult with 10 men away from home to get results at any level, and especially there.”

Celtic now travel to Rome needing a win on November 28.

“There’s a few games left in the group and now it’s just about bouncing back and doing as well as we can, because the Lazio game was so tight and it could have gone either way, and we feel that we can go there and get a result,” Scales said.

“It’s the same with Feyenoord at home. We were doing well in Feyenoord up until the couple of red cards, and the same happened here.

“I think we just have to bounce back, that’s it.”

Leandro Trossard insists he will not “back down” from the challenge of playing in a number of different roles in Arsenal’s forward line.

The Belgium international started as Mikel Arteta’s central striker against Sevilla on Wednesday night and opened the scoring in a 2-0 victory that all-but assures the Gunners a place in the Champions League last 16.

Trossard, who now has five Arsenal goals across all competitions this season, finished a sweeping move which saw Bukayo Saka square for him to tuck home before the England forward made sure of the win in the second half – although Saka then limped off late on to give Arteta another fitness worry.

While he has mainly been deployed off the flanks since signing from Brighton in January, Trossard stepped up to play through the middle with Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah ruled out with hamstring and ankle injuries respectively.

“I always need to be switched on to be honest,” he replied when asked how demanding it can be to play in different positions.

“I always need to know my role. But I like it, I will never back down from anything. If you put me as a striker, or a winger or a number 10, I will always play my game I think.

“He (Arteta) knows I like to swap positions as well during the game. We have those type of players as well and it creates a bit of chaos for the opposition team. I like it. I am really happy.

“It is always a nice feeling when you score, but when you do it in a Champions League game it’s always a nicer feeling. It gave us a lead and I think we played brilliantly.”

Arsenal went into the game having lost two matches in a row, suffering a Carabao Cup fourth-round exit at West Ham before their first Premier League defeat of the season came at Newcastle on Saturday.

Trossard, though, insists the players were never concerned about the prospect of it becoming a hat-trick of losses as they took control of Group B.

“We are never worried because we know our quality and we knew we had to bounce back,” he added.

“I think that made us start the game so well with a lot of aggressiveness and when the goal came it was a relief for us. Then from that moment we controlled the game.

“We are always confident. We want to win every game and that’s how we approach them. We will try and win the next two games as well.

“The manager just wanted us to attack when we had the ball, to get the ball to the wingers. Bukayo and Gabi (Martinelli) are so good one-v-one – then you see you can create a lot of chances. We did it so well.”

Manchester United’s wild defeat to FC Copenhagen put their Champions League progress in doubt and increased the scrutiny on manager Erik ten Hag.

Here, the PA news agency looks at the records of United’s managers since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.

David Moyes

Played 51: Won 27, Drew 9, Lost 15. Win rate: 53 per cent

Trophies: Community Shield 2013

The Scot took just one game to win a trophy, the Community Shield against Wigan, as Ferguson’s hand-picked successor. There was little else to celebrate, though, as he failed to even see out the first of the six seasons on his contract. He was sacked after 10 months, with Ryan Giggs finishing the campaign as caretaker manager. Moyes struggled subsequently at Real Sociedad and Sunderland but has rebuilt his reputation with West Ham, winning last season’s Europa Conference League.

Louis Van Gaal

P103: W54, D25, L24. Win rate: 52 per cent

Trophies: FA Cup 2016

United’s previous Dutch boss never truly convinced the Old Trafford faithful after a dreadful winless start against Swansea, Sunderland, third-tier MK Dons and Burnley. His side did improve and Van Gaal signed off with an FA Cup win, beating Crystal Palace in extra-time, but his win percentage was the lowest of the post-Ferguson era until Ralf Rangnick’s spell in interim charge.

Jose Mourinho

P144: W84, D32, L28. Win rate: 58 per cent

Trophies: Europa League 2017, League Cup 2017, Community Shield 2016

Mourinho is probably United’s most successful manager since Ferguson – winning 58 per cent of his games, with a runner-up finish in the Premier League and adding a League Cup and Europa League double in 2016-17. His, though, was an erratic and ill-tempered spell, with a defensive style of play and fallings-out with players, leaving the fans cold.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

P167: W91, D37, L39. Win rate: 54 per cent

Trophies: None

The much-loved former United striker proved almost the inverse of his predecessor, with a fluid and attacking style but inconsistent results. A stunning spell as caretaker – winning 14 games out of 19 – deservedly earned him the job on a permanent basis but he came nowhere near emulating that 74 per cent win rate from then on. He left in November 2021 after United won just three of his last 10 games and conceded 15 goals in the last six, the first United manager since Frank O’Farrell in the early 1970s not to add to the club’s trophy cabinet.

Ralf Rangnick

P29: W11, D10, L8. Win rate: 38 per cent

Trophies: None

After Michael Carrick’s three games as caretaker, in November 2021, Rangnick was tasked with seeing out the season as interim boss before moving into a consultancy role with the club – which was ultimately cancelled as he took charge of the Austria national team. He began with five games unbeaten but drew far too many – losing on penalties to Middlesbrough in the FA Cup – as he became the first United boss since Dave Sexton’s 1981 departure to win fewer than half of his games in charge.

Erik ten Hag

P79: W49, D9, L21. Win rate: 62 per cent

Trophies: League Cup 2023

Ten Hag’s win percentage exceeds even Ferguson’s 60 per cent, though a run in the second-tier Europa League arguably helped to inflate that figure. There have been embarrassing losses from his second game in charge – 4-0 against Brentford – via conceding six to Manchester City and seven to Liverpool, to the 4-3 shock against Copenhagen, with his side conceding more goals per game than under any post-Ferguson manager other than Rangnick.

With Luton and Everton next up before a key European clash with Galatasaray, Ten Hag will know the tide must turn.

Bruno Fernandes knows Manchester United have a “mountain to climb” if they are to keep their Champions League campaign alive following Wednesday’s chaotic late defeat at Copenhagen.

A night that began with talented Rasmus Hojlund’s brace against his former club ended in a crushing 4-3 loss sparked by Marcus Rashford’s contentious red card late in the first half.

United boss Erik ten Hag was unhappy with that decision and disputed the Copenhagen goals that quickly followed from Mohamed Elyounoussi and Diogo Goncalves.

Fernandes put Ten Hag’s 10 men back ahead from the penalty spot in the second half, only for Lukas Lerager and substitute Roony Bardghji to inflict United’s third defeat in four Group A games.

It leaves the Red Devils bottom and facing an early Champions League exit, with defeat at Galatasaray sealing that before hosting already-qualified leaders Bayern Munich in their final match.

“We have a mountain to climb, so we must climb,” captain Fernandes told UEFA after the defeat at Parken.

“We have two games and we have to win those two games.

“Before tonight, our aim already was to win our remaining three games. We couldn’t win today. We have to win the next two.”

Fernandes continued that theme when speaking to MUTV, saying: “You have to win them if you want to keep in the Champions League and stay in the best competition.

“We have to win against the best, so we have a really tough game away against Galatasaray and after, we play against the top of the group.

“We want to win both but now we have to focus on Luton (in the Premier League on Saturday) because it’s going to be a tough game again.

“We need three points in the league, we need to get back to the winning track after this defeat and keeping on the winning track in the Premier League.”

United’s clash with promoted Luton will be key to the mood around Old Trafford heading into the international break.

Defeat in Saturday’s Premier League match would send the club into a tailspin on the back of some poor performances and a galling loss in Denmark.

“I think for everything we did in the game, we could – and we should – have got something from the game,” disappointed skipper Fernandes said.

“It’s difficult at the moment. Obviously the mood is not the best because I think we’ve fought so hard with 10 men.

“Even from then, it was playing against a team that plays really good on the ball and apart from that, many decisions that were against us.

“Today was a tough day but I think the team effort was good, we tried.

“We could have done some things better, but it was difficult for us from the 30 minutes on, playing with one player less.”

Rashford’s red card is sure to be pored over in the aftermath but United dealt well with being a man down after half-time.

“Yeah, of course, we understood that we could get something from the game, we could win the game there,” Fernandes added.

“But obviously, as we said, it’s difficult to play so long with 10 men.

“In some moments they will get spaces because you’re running behind the ball, you’re trying to get into everywhere with every player.

“It’s difficult to cover so much space and they got their two goals to win the game.”

Erik ten Hag was angered by “three tough decisions” that went against Manchester United in a chaotic late loss at Copenhagen that damages their chances of reaching the Champions League knockout phase.

Wednesday’s helter-skelter Group A encounter started with a Rasmus Hojlund brace against his former club but ended in a crushing 4-3 defeat sparked by Marcus Rashford’s red card.

The United forward was sent off after a VAR review late in the first half for catching Elias Jelert, with Mohamed Elyounoussi quickly scoring before Diogo Goncalves levelled from the spot.

Bruno Fernandes’ penalty put the visitors back ahead in the second half, only for Lukas Lerager and substitute Roony Bardghji to score in a blockbuster conclusion to a bonkers match.

“It’s clear we’re very disappointed and because you play very good,” Ten Hag said. “I think we started the game so well. The best minutes of this season.

“We are winning the game and I think the red card changes everything.

“Then we concede two goals before half-time, which should never have counted.

“First is offside, second a penalty and that is – in four games – four penalties against. I say three are very debatable.

“(Rashford’s red) is also harsh. I think he went for the ball and the referee needs such a long time to make it a red card.”

Ten Hag says an offside player was in Andre Onana’s vision when Elyounoussi scored and was aggrieved by the decision to award handball against Harry Maguire for Goncalves’ penalty.

The United boss was also annoyed by the slow motion and freeze frame shown to referee Donatas Rumsas by the VAR as he decided on Rashford’s red.

“I think when you freeze it, it always looks worse,” Ten Hag said. “As I say, it takes them so long and they make a red card of it.

“I’m very disappointed about such decisions. I think the game is never meant to be like this.

“It has nothing to do with football. Decisions have to be made and I accept that also wrong decisions are made by some at this level.

“Three such tough decisions, you control the game and I think the game is never meant to be for that.”

The defeat leaves United bottom of Group A and knowing they will be unable to reach Champions League knockout phase if they lose their penultimate match at Galatasaray at the end of November.

“This squad is resilient,” Ten Hag said. “The whole season, so many decisions are against us, so many setbacks for injuries.

“Every time there is a spirit, there is a fight and we will keep going because I am sure and I said to the lads it will turn – on one moment in the season it will turn in our favour.”

Copenhagen counterpart Jacob Neestrup admitted Rashford’s red card changed the dynamics of a win he felt his side deserved after their promising start to the group.

“I have never said in the first three rounds we have been unlucky,” the head coach said. “I’ve said it’s been a lack of quality.

“If there was something that was called luck in football, then we’ve got it today. But we also hunted.

“The early goal made us very, very shaky. We are the second best team on the pitch in the whole first half until the red card.

“That of course changed momentum for the next 15 minutes in the first half where we scored two goals.

“Of course the red card changed the opportunities in the game and for me as Copenhagen coach it was by far the weakest performance we have had in this group stage so far.

“If you take the picture today, then we maybe didn’t deserve three or maybe even one point.

“But if you take it over four rounds, then it’s very, very well deserved that Copenhagen is in second place because I believe truly that we have been the second best team over four games. Not today, but over four games.”

Mikel Arteta played down concerns over Bukayo Saka’s fitness after he was forced off during Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Sevilla in the Champions League.

Saka scored in front of England manager Gareth Southgate to help the Gunners record a third victory in Group B and move within touching distance of the last-16.

Arteta substituted goalscorer Leandro Trossard and the excellent Gabriel Martinelli in the 81st minute but left Saka on and seconds later he went down holding his ankle after landing awkwardly before he limped off.

Arsenal host Burnley in the Premier League on Saturday while Southgate names his England squad for this month’s European Championship qualifiers with North Macedonia and Malta on Thursday, but Arteta suggested his six-goal attacker would be fine despite this latest bruising encounter.

He said: “At the end he wasn’t comfortable to carry on. Hopefully it’s not too much but I’m really pleased with his performance.

“I think he’s getting used to it (being kicked). I don’t think that’s going to change, especially with the way he plays and the way he attracts players, so he better get used to it because I don’t think it’s going to change.

“It was just a kick and I was told by the physios on the radio he wasn’t happy to continue. So he will have some discomfort but hopefully I am going to assume he will be OK.”

After the controversy of last weekend’s loss at Newcastle, where Arteta labelled the decision by VAR to award Anthony Gordon’s winner as “embarrassing”, this was a much-needed routine night for his injury-hit team.

With Eddie Nketiah ruled out with an ankle knock to join Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus on the sidelines, Trossard led the line and broke the deadlock when he finished off a slick move in the 29th minute.

Jorginho unlocked the Sevilla defence with a wonderful through ball to Saka, who squared for Trossard to stroke home his fifth goal of the campaign.

Saka, who was fouled four times inside the opening 17 minutes, made the points safe with a smart finish after 64 minutes.

Martinelli released the England international away on the right and Saka cut inside Adria Pedrosa before he curled into the bottom corner.

Arsenal would have qualified for the knockout stages had Lens been victorious at PSV. But with a four-point gap at the top of Group B, the north London club will almost certainly continue their Champions League adventure in 2024.

Arteta added: “I think it was more of the really good things that we did against Newcastle. We didn’t need a response because the team performed extraordinarily well against a team that are really difficult to play against.

“Today it needed other requirements, tactically we needed something else and we implemented what we wanted really, really well, so I’m really happy with the last two performances.”

On top of worries over Saka, Takehiro Tomiyasu was also taken off during the interval.

“He had some discomfort in the first half,” Arteta said of the defender.

“We didn’t want to take any risks because he’s played a lot of minutes. With Alex (Oleksandr Zinchenko) on the bench ready to come in, I think it was the right decision.”

On Odegaard (hip) and Nketiah (ankle), Arteta added: “They are racing against the clock to be fit.

“They tried their best to be here today with us, it wasn’t possible and we have another 48 hours before we play Burnley. We’ll try again and see because we need players at the moment.”

Sevilla only managed their first shot on target in the seventh minute of stoppage time and suffered a second group defeat.

Boss Diego Alonso admitted: “We weren’t able to put in the performance we wanted to.

“Our opponents were better than us and did well. Our aim was to win the ball high up the pitch, but we were very far away from their area. That is my assessment.”

Harry Kane’s late brace earned Bayern Munich a spot in the last 16 of the Champions League after beating Galatasaray 2-1.

A frustrating first half saw Bayern have the better chances, with Kane and Leroy Sane testing Fernando Muslera, but Galatasaray began to grow into the game after the break and had a goal ruled out for offside.

The hosts earned their reward with Kane scoring twice in the final 10 minutes and they saw out the victory despite Cedric Bakambu’s stoppage-time strike.

Bayern progress to the knock-out stages having won all four of their matches in Group A so far, while defeat leaves Galatasaray third in the table.

Bayern had chances early on when Sane cut inside and had his attempted cross deflected out for a corner before Kane fired from outside of the box, but Muslera did well to tip the powerful strike over the crossbar.

The goalkeeper was called into action again, smothering Sane’s effort in a one-on-one and another Bayern attack saw the winger slice the ball wide.

A good move on the right flank saw Kingsley Coman cut inside to find Jamal Musiala, but his shot just whistled past the bottom left corner. Sane came close again, but was denied following pressure from Sacha Boey.

Bayern were forced into an early change when Musiala was taken off in the 40th minute through injury, with Thomas Muller coming on to replace him, before a rare break forward just before half-time resulted in Mauro Icardi being denied by Manuel Neuer.

The hosts had a great chance to take the lead seven minutes into the second half when a great cross from Coman was deflected by Leon Goretzka and Kane came flying in at the far post, but smashed the ball off the woodwork.

Substitute Baris Alper Yilmaz came close with his header going over the bar and the visitors had the ball in the net after Lucas Torreira poked home, but the goal was ruled offside.

Kane eventually broke the deadlock in the 80th minute after a great free-kick from Kimmich picked out the England captain, who rose highest to nod the ball home and despite initially being ruled out for offside, the goal stood following a VAR check.

He earned his second six minutes later after a brilliant move saw Muller thread the ball to Mathys Tel on the left and his low pass across goal allowed Kane to slot home his 19th Bayern goal on just his 15th club appearance.

Bayern nearly added a third when a neat ball from Serge Gnabry found Muller, but his shot trickled past a post.

The visitors pulled one back three minutes into stoppage time after an excellent pass from Sergio Oliveira picked out Bakambu, who made a great run cutting into the right and fired the ball into the bottom corner.

Inter Milan booked their place in the Champions League knockout stages with a dramatic 1-0 win away at RB Salzburg.

The in-form Lautaro Martinez came off the bench to secure the victory, netting from the penalty spot in the 85th minute to put the Italian side on 10 points in Group D, seven above their opponents.

Salzburg relied on the heroics of goalkeeper Alexander Schlager but they finally succumbed to Serie A leading scorer Martinez.

The hosts started strong and enjoyed touches in dangerous areas where they produced half chances through Roko Simic and Mads Bidstrup, whose 12th-minute shot failed to hit the target.

Inter were fortunate not to concede a penalty when Carlos Augusto appeared to bundle Simic to the ground from a corner but the referee did not award the hosts the spot-kick they searched for.

Inter went close after 35 minutes.

Set-piece specialist Hakan Calhanoglu stood over a free-kick and his whipped pass found the head of Alessandro Bastoni whose effort narrowly went wide.

Inter should have taken the lead on the stroke of half-time.

Marcus Thuram went forward and played a testing ball to Alexis Sanchez who acted quick and opted to pick out Davide Frattesi, but he blazed his effort over the bar.

Manager Simone Inzaghi cut a frustrated figure and must have motivated his men at half-time because they came out looking stronger in the second half.

In the 73rd minute they threatened again from a set-piece.

Federico Dimarco lined up the ball from a corner and delivered a perfect cross to Thuram who somehow failed to throw his head onto the ball inside the six-yard box.

Moments later Schlager saved Kristjan Asllani’s dipping long-range effort.

Inter’s players were up in arms when Thuram was denied a penalty in the 80th minute.

Substitute Martinez, who has 12 league goals to his name this term, glided with the ball and played in Thuram who took it around his marker before being brought down.

Inter’s appeals were waved off before Martinez’s header was sensationally tipped onto the bar by Schlager.

But Salzburg’s defence was finally breached when they conceded a penalty with five minutes remaining.

Nicolo Barella’s shot struck the arm of Bidstrup and Martinez stepped up to send Schlager the wrong way.

Manchester United’s Champions League hopes received a huge blow as Erik ten Hag’s side twice blew a lead following Marcus Rashford’s red card before super sub Roony Bardghji sealed a bonkers 4-3 win for Copenhagen.

A fortnight on from injecting hope into a faltering continent campaign by narrowly beating the Danish champions, Parken witnessed a scarcely believable comeback that leaves the Red Devils bottom of Group A.

Rasmus Hojlund’s brace had put United in control against his former club, but Rashford’s red card sparked an incredible turnaround as Copenhagen’s pre-match tifo reading “your theatre of nightmares” proved prescient.

This first half was as dramatic as it was action-packed. Hojlund’s third minute opener at the end of a fine team move was followed by several breaks in play, before the Copenhagen native scored his second and was denied a hat-trick.

Things soon spectacularly unravelled for United. Rashford was sent off for catching Elias Jelert after a VAR review, with Mohamed Elyounoussi scoring before Diogo Goncalves levelled from the spot after a Harry Maguire handball.

A wild first half was followed by a pulsating second period. Skipper Bruno Fernandes’ penalty put United back ahead, only for Lukas Lerager to level again and substitute Bardghji to seal an incredible Copenhagen victory.

Arsenal took a huge step towards qualifying for the knock-out stages of the Champions League as Bukayo Saka starred in victory over Sevilla before limping off late on.

Saka set up the opening goal for Leandro Trossard before scoring the second himself as the Gunners secured a straightforward 2-0 win at the Emirates Stadium that leaves them on the cusp of the last 16.

Mikel Arteta opted to play Trossard through the middle as his central striker with Eddie Nketiah joining Gabriel Jesus in the treatment room, with the Belgium forward the only change from Saturday’s contentious defeat at Newcastle.

There was not such drama here although four early fouls on Saka went unpunished as both Nemanja Gudelj and Kike Salas left their mark on the England international.

Kai Havertz, without a goal from open play since his £65million summer move from Chelsea, fluffed his lines with an early headed chance, but Arsenal set out their intent from the off.

Saka went down again under close contact from Salas, but this time Romanian referee Istvan Kovacs was unmoved as the hosts wanted a penalty.

Just moments later, however, and the deadlock was broken. The lively Saka unsurprisingly laying on the assist for Trossard to tap home – but Jorginho was the architect with a slide-rule pass to start the move.

It proved to be the only shot on target of a forgettable first half as Sevilla, without a LaLiga or Champions League win under head coach Diego Alonso since his appointment last month.

Havertz bent an effort inches wide as Arsenal went in search of a second after the break and Trossard should have done better soon after, but curled his strike the wrong side of the post.

It was Saka, though, who made the difference once again, beating the offside trap to race onto a Gabriel Martinelli pass before cutting inside Adria Pedrosa and tucking home with aplomb.

Gabriel Jesus had provided the goal and assist that ultimately saw off Sevilla in Spain a fortnight ago, but he was injured during the game and has not played since.

The same went for Saka here, who fell awkwardly and limped off with five minutes to go, with England manager Gareth Southgate – who announces his next squad on Thursday – watching from the stands.

Arteta had said on the eve of the game that Arsenal should “put to bed” qualification for the last 16 with two games to spare and his players did their bit.

But PSV Eindhoven’s win over Lens leaves Group B open, although a draw against the Ligue 1 side at the Emirates Stadium in three weeks time would be enough for Arteta’s side to advance.

Real Madrid cruised into the knockout stages of the Champions League with a 3-0 win over Braga.

After overcoming an early scare when Alvaro Djalo missed a penalty for the visitors, the 14-time European champions took the lead through Brahim Diaz in the 27th minute and then seized control early in the second half as Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo added to the score line.

A fourth win out of four in Group C, and ninth straight game at home without defeat in the Champions League, saw Real book their place in the last-16 with two games to spare.

With the hosts needing only a point to be sure of progression, Carlo Ancelotti took the opportunity to rest a number of regulars.

Jude Bellingham was on the bench after suffering a blow to the shoulder at the weekend, while David Alaba and Dani Carvajal were also among the substitutes.

It was a dramatic start to the match as Braga were awarded a penalty just four minutes in, with Lucas Vazquez pulling Cristian Borja back by the shirt and earning a yellow card for his troubles.

But Real avoided further punishment with goalkeeper Andriy Lunin equal to a weak spot-kick from Djalo.

The home side wanted a penalty of their own moments later when Rodrygo went down under a challenge from Sikou Niakate but the referee waved play on.

Diaz, who replaced Bellingham in the side, thought he had scored in the 12th minute following a mistake from Niakate, sweeping home Rodrygo’s pass, but the Brazilian was deemed guilty of a foul in the build-up.

Braga were appealing for another penalty in the 20th minute when Vazquez barged into Bruma, but the winger had already lost control of the ball as he tried to punish a wayward header from the defender.

The hosts went straight to the other end where Federico Valverde blazed over but the goal was coming and arrived in the 27th minute when Rodrygo pulled the ball back for Diaz to lift into the roof of the net.

Rodrygo had a chance to double the lead before half-time but shot straight at Matheus from the left.

Diaz was close to a second 10 minutes into the second half after Vinicius cut the ball back, but his first effort was stopped by the goalkeeper and his follow-up shot blocked by Jose Fonte.

Real were turning up the heat, and the second goal came in the 58th minute as Vinicius finished off a neat move, cutting past Fonte and finding the bottom corner.

And they killed the game off three minutes later, hitting Braga on the break as Rodrygo exchanged passes with Vinicius before lifting the ball over the goalkeeper.

Braga dropped back in numbers to ensure there was no fourth on the night and almost got a goal of their own in stoppage time through Abel Ruiz’s header, which was well saved by Lunin.

Napoli still have work to do to qualify for the Champions League knockout stages after Union Berlin ended 12 consecutive defeats by securing a 1-1 draw at Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.

Chelsea loanee David Datro Fofana cancelled out Matteo Politano’s earlier strike as Union, bottom of Group C, picked up their first Champions League point.

Serie A champions Napoli, who knew a win would leave them needing one point from their final two games to guarantee a last-16 spot, had two chances to go in front after 15 minutes.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia did well to beat his marker before playing in Piotr Zielinski who was denied from close range by Union keeper Frederik Ronnow.

Ronnow kept his side in it again when he saved Giacomo Raspadori’s chance moments later.

Napoli, still without injured star striker Victor Osimhen, also came agonisingly close after 23 minutes.

The creative Zielinski produced a wonderful whipped cross with his left foot which found the head of Natan whose header cannoned off the post.

Napoli also had a goal ruled out when VAR deemed Giovanni Di Lorenzo to have put two hands on Jerome Roussillon’s back before his header found Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa at the back post.

However, Napoli did go ahead in the 39th minute.

Full-back Mario Rui’s powered cross took a heavy deflection off team-mate Politano’s chest.

The goal, Politano’s second Champions League strike, was his sixth in all competitions this season.

The visitors, third bottom in the Bundesliga, came out fast and they snatched an unexpected equaliser in the 52nd minute.

Sheraldo Becker glided past his marker before goalkeeper Alex Meret parried into the path of Fofana who drew the visitors level.

Napoli were made to pay for their lethargic start to the second half and Union threw men forward in numbers to grab a second.

Kvaratskhelia had two chances to score a winner, but he could not beat Ronnow.

Napoli travel to Real Madrid next with Union heading to Braga.

Pep Guardiola has claimed Manchester City could be “in trouble” following John Stones’ latest injury setback.

The treble winners are awaiting assessments of the England defender after he was forced off with a knock in Tuesday’s 3-0 Champions League stroll against Young Boys.

Stones only returned to action in October after a two-month lay-off with hamstring and hip problems.

Manager Guardiola said he feared the 29-year-old could be out “for a while” with the muscular problem and described the blow as “deep bad news”.

Stones has been revelatory for City playing in a hybrid defence-midfield role and Guardiola feels he complements central anchor Rodri perfectly.

Much was made of the fact Rodri was suspended when City lost three successive games earlier in the campaign, but Guardiola believes the absence of Stones was equally crucial.

He said: “The problem is we play John and Rodri at the same time – now we are in trouble, because we have to play a bit differently, like happened in Arsenal.

“We do not feel comfortable still, we are not prepared to change many variations.”

City hardly broke sweat as they brushed past the Swiss champions to secure their place in the last 16 for an 11th consecutive year.

The holders have won all four of their matches in Group G and are through with two matches to spare.

Erling Haaland made light of the ankle problem that curtailed him against Bournemouth last weekend to open the scoring with a penalty and added the third goal with a powerful long-range strike.

It was yet another dominant performance from the Norway striker, who has now scored 39 goals in 34 career Champions League appearances and 15 in all competitions this season.

Opposition captain Mohamed Ali Camara even asked to swap shirts with the 23-year-old at half-time, something which drew criticism in some quarters.

“I’m a little bit surprised about that right now,” admitted Young Boys coach Raphael Wicky, whose side failed to muster a single shot and had midfielder Sandro Lauper sent off in the second half. “I’ll probably have a word with him.”

None of this worried Guardiola, whose side looked comfortable with Phil Foden also on the scoresheet.

“It’s not normal, but I don’t know the reason why it happened,” he said. “It’s not a big subject for me right now.”

City’s remaining task in the group will be to secure top spot, and a theoretically favourable draw, in the first knockout round. They face second-placed RB Leipzig at home later this month before wrapping up the stage at Red Star Belgrade.

Midfielder Matheus Nunes said: “We cannot look at those two games as spare because we want to get through as first place, and that’s what we will try to do now.

“We will focus on Chelsea now, but when those games come we will be ready because we want to win both of them.”

Kieran Trippier is refusing to give up on Newcastle’s Champions League dream after a bruising night in Dortmund left them with a mountain to climb.

The Magpies, playing in the competition for the first time in 20 years, sat proudly at the top of Group F on October 4 after a thumping 4-1 victory over Paris St Germain.

A little more than a month on, back-to-back defeats a the hands of Borussia Dortmund – the second of them a 2-0 reverse at the Signal Iduna Stadium on Tuesday evening – left them at the bottom of the pile with just two games to play, although former Tottenham full-back Trippier knows from personal experience how quickly things can change.

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The 33-year-old, who swiftly turned his attention to Saturday’s Premier League trip to Bournemouth, said: “When I was at Tottenham, we had Barcelona and Inter Milan in our group and everyone said it was done, but never say never.

“We got to the final that year, so it is a never-say-die attitude from us. We can’t control what happens, we just have to focus on Bournemouth and forget this.”

Newcastle’s current haul of four points from four games is equal to what Trippier’s Spurs had managed by the same point in 2018-19, when defeats by Inter and Barcelona were followed by a draw at PSV Eindhoven and then a 2-1 home win over the Dutch outfit.

They eventually secured second place in Group B by beating the Italians in north London and then drawing at the Nou Camp, where substitute Lucas Moura’s late equaliser ensured they edged out the Serie A giants before going on to reach the final in Madrid, where they lost 2-0 to Liverpool.

Five years on, Trippier and his current team-mates will travel to Paris later this month ahead of AC Milan’s December visit to St James’ Park, knowing they may need to win both games to make it out of the group and their chances of doing so could depend largely on how far their injury problems have abated.

Head coach Eddie Howe was without Dan Burn, Sven Botman, Alexander Isak, Harvey Barnes, Jacob Murphy, Matt Targett, Elliot Anderson and Javier Manquillo, as well as the suspended Sandro Tonali, in Germany and returned with Callum Wilson nursing a tight hamstring.

He will hope key defender Botman and striker Isak at least can play a part in the remaining group games, although Trippier was in no mood to use the selection crisis as an excuse.

He said: “Everybody has to stand up. There are always going to be injuries in football.

“The good thing about us is that as a team and a manager, we don’t make excuses. Everybody feels valued in this team and we have a strong bond as a team.

“The reality is we are missing a lot of key players. But you look at Manchester United away and Arsenal at home and we’ve got good results, so there are no excuses from us. Whatever team the manager picks, we give everything.”

Newcastle headed back to Tyneside wondering what might have been after passing up opportunities to cancel out Niclas Fullkrug’s opener when Lewis Hall’s driven cross from a short corner move evaded all his team-mates and Joelinton sent a close-range header wide, and they were made to pay when Julian Brandt cemented the win late on.

Trippier said: “These are the fine margins. We had a great chance from the set-piece routine – on another day it is a tap in, Joelinton’s header.

“There was nothing in the game, but at this level, it is about being clinical.”

Manchester City defender John Stones is facing a lay-off after suffering an injury in the holders’ Champions League stroll against Young Boys on Tuesday.

The England international was withdrawn at half-time at the Etihad Stadium.

Manager Pep Guardiola described the loss of Stones as the “deep bad news” from a night when City secured their place in the last 16 for an 11th successive year with an otherwise straightforward 3-0 win.

Guardiola said: “It’s muscular, he is injured, so he’ll be a while out. It is a pity for him because he’s an incredible professional.

“He tried to do it but it’s bad news for us. It’s the deep bad news for tonight.”

The news is a further blow for Stones, who has already missed two months of the season with a hamstring problem.

Fellow defender Manuel Akanji also missed the game after a blow to the back in training but, despite looking “75 years old” in Guardiola’s words, the manager added “hopefully it will not be a big issue and he could be ready for Sunday”.

One player apparently untroubled was Erling Haaland, who made light of the ankle problem that curtailed him on Saturday to score two of City’s goals in a one-sided encounter with the Swiss champions.

Phil Foden also got on the scoresheet as City won their fourth Group G game in succession to secure progress with two games to spare.

Guardiola said of Haaland, who was substituted on the hour: “Yesterday we saw how he moved and how happy he was and he felt good. I said, OK and for us he’s so important.

“After the job was almost done, he took a rest for (the game against Chelsea on) Sunday.”

Guardiola was pleased with his side’s achievement but, with RB Leipzig three points behind, maintained he would not ease up until top spot in the group was secured.

He said: “We’ve already qualified but still the job is not done because we have to finish first. It’s better to have the second leg in the last 16 at home than away because at home we feel confident.

“Still you have a job to do but the first step is done and I’m really impressed.”

It was a miserable night for Young Boys, who ended the game with 10 men after Sandro Lauper was sent off for a second bookable offence.

Coach Raphael Wicky said: “We’re obviously not happy. We’re not happy with the performance we’ve made but we know it’s very difficult to get something here.

“We knew if we want to get a point or a win, we needed to have the perfect game.

“I saw some good stuff in the first half but it’s very difficult to defend against Man City. They always have chances.”