Chaotic Climate in Champions League Preliminary Round
Newcastle United's Disappointing Exit
The final group matchday of the Champions League preliminary round brought about several changes. Newcastle United, with ownership linked to the Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund, were knocked out completely, while Porto advanced Shakhtar Donetsk to the Europa League. Barcelona surprisingly lost in Antwerp, but Celtic managed to emerge victorious.
Milan saved themselves in third place in Dortmund's Champions League group, thanks to a hard-fought 2:1 win over Newcastle. Their poor performance on the final matchday landed them in fourth place, which meant no more international representation for the English club.
Shakhtar Donetsk's Europa League Journey Begins
While Newcastle United squandered their chances, Shakhtar Donetsk were forced out of the UEFA Champions League round of 16. The Ukrainian champions lost 3:5 to FC Porto on their final group stage matchday, and their unfortunate fate aligned with a journey to the Europa League after the winter break.
Barcelona's Unexpected Loss
FC Barcelona, who were in top form, were surprisingly defeated 2:3 by FC Antwerp on the final matchday. Despite the loss, they managed to finish first in the group, owing to Shakhtar Donetsk's defeat at FC Porto.
Atletico Madrid's Victory Over Lazio Roma
Atlético Madrid secured victory against Lazio Roma, finishing the match 2-0 in their favor. Antoine Griezman and Samuel Lino scored the winning goals for Atletico, significantly impacting their position in the Champions League group.
Celtic Glasgow's Solitary Victory
Despite an overall poor performance in the group stage, Celtic Glasgow managed to celebrate their only victory against Feyenoord Rotterdam with a 2-1 score. Luis Palma scored the penalty kick in the 33rd minute, but Yankuba Minteh equalized just before the end. However, Gustaf Lagerbielke scored the final goal in stoppage time, ensuring a memorable end to their Champions League group stage journey.
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During the 1994-95 UEFA Cup (now known as the Europa League), Athletic Bilbao and Newcastle United had a notable encounter. Athletic Bilbao managed to eliminate Newcastle United after overcoming a two-goal deficit in the first leg and winning the second. However, they later lost to Parma in the next round.
Regarding Shakhtar Donetsk, Athletic Bilbao faced them in the 2017-18 Europa League group stage. While Athletic Bilbao emerged victorious 1-0 in their home match, they lost 2-1 in Ukraine.
If additional sources are required for a more detailed analysis of Newcastle United and Shakhtar Donetsk's performances in the Champions League preliminary rounds, further research would be necessary.
