Napoli secured a 2-0 victory against Sporting Braga in the Champions League, finishing in 2nd place in Group C. The Italians were favorites to advance to the tournament’s round of 16, as even a narrow loss would have been enough to see them through the group stage.
Walter Mazzari’s players were highly effective in the opening period, scoring two goals with their only two shots. The first came in the 9th minute courtesy of an own goal by Serdar Saatci. Victor Osimhen, who had just won the African Footballer of the Year on Monday, added the second goal in the 33rd minute after being left unmarked in front of an empty goal by Natan. Not much occurred after the break, and now Napoli can await to learn their opponent in the direct eliminations.
Copenhagen was the other team to secure their place among the Champions League last 16 on Tuesday night. The Danes won 1-0 against Galatasaray in Group A. Lukas Legerer scored the crucial goal in the 58th minute of the match and was sent off in the 90th minute. This result meant that Manchester United crashed out of Europe after finishing in the 4th spot. The Red Devils recorded a 0-1 loss to Bayern Munich and can now focus primarily on the Premier League.
The draw for the 2023/24 UEFA Champions League round of 16 will take place at 12:00 CET on Monday, December 18, at the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland. The group winners will be seeded and drawn against the runner-ups, with teams from the same nation or those qualified from the same group not allowed to face each other