Champions League: Italian clubs without defeat

InternationalMilan (Inter) qualified for the UEFA Champions League (UCL) 1/8 finals two rounds before the end of the group stage as all four Italian clubs remained unbeaten after the fourth leg. Lautaro Martinez's late penalty secured Inter's place in the play-offs with a 0-1 result away to Salzburg and the Nerazzurri progressed with Real Madrid, Bayern and Real Sociedad in Group D.

Inter head coach Simone Inzaghi replaced Martinez in the 68th minute, the Argentine converted a penalty in the fifth minute to end the game when the Beneamata were awarded a penalty for hand play.

"Qualifying for the 1/8 finals with two matches to go makes us very proud," Inzaghi told reporters at Amazon Italia. "It hasn't happened in a long time. We are satisfied but we also know there are two more games to come and we will not underestimate them. "

Martinez has scored 12 goals in 11 Serie A games this season and gave Inter the lead minutes later after smashing the crossbar from an earlier chance.

The second win over Salzburg in two weeks for Inter, who reached the final last season and achieved their most successful Champions League campaign since winning the trophy in 2010.

Inzaghi's side have gone nine games without conceding a goal in the 2023-24 season and have lost just once in 15 competitive matches. Inter are ahead of Juventus, Milan and Napoli in the Serie A standings.

The decisive game could take place in Naples, Serie A champions Napoli drew 1-1 with Union Berlin, the Germans were able to win after a series of 12 defeats at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.

Matteo Politano gave Napoli the lead in the 39th minute, scoring after a cut back header, and Davide Datro Fofana equalized in the second half, preventing the team from being awarded second place in Group C.

Napoli showed a 72% possession advantage with 27 shots, but were never able to secure the win, forcing Union's Frederic Ronnov to make just five saves.

Napoli are still without their top scorer Victor Osimhen, but the Nigerian should return in December and could be available for the last group game against Braga.

With criticism directed at coach Rudi Garcia after a poor start to the season, his side scored in a few good moments when Mario Rui made a pass that came across a Union defender and hit Politano in the face to rebound the ball from close range.

Hvic Kvaratskhelia, a Ballon d'Or nominee, could have given his team the win at the end as well, but Frederic Ronnov thwarted him, leaving Napoli five points behind Real Madrid in second position.

Garcia may need more goals from Politano, who scored his sixth goal of the season in all competitionsGiacomo Raspaduri, who scored the winning goal in the first game against Berlin, has also taken over the scoring responsibility, scoring three goals in the last four games.

Union remain in last place but have taken a significant step towards earning their first Champions League point. A win over third-placed Braga could help them earn a Europa League spot by helping Napoli progress.

Either way, the Azzurri's fate remains in their hands. Giovanni Di Lorenzo's team will travel to visit already-qualified Madrid in the fifth round before taking on Braga in Naples.

Kira Il Grande reaches a milestone

Lazio gained revenge over Dutch side Feyenoord with a 1-0 win at the Stadio Olimpico inRome. Ciro Immobile scored his 200th club goal, keeping coach Maurizio Sarri's hopes alive as the Biancocelesti climbed to second place in Group E.

"We played a match in which we were our best representatives, even in moments of difficulty," Sarri told Sky Sport reporters, referring to heavy criticism from the Italian press in recent weeks.

Despite losing to Bologna in the Italian league on Friday, Lazio impressed with the play of their team captain at the end of the first half. Immobile overcame goalkeeper Justin Baylow after Marquinhos' flick-on, finishing off a great attack from a difficult angle.

The win gives the Lasalli the momentum they need ahead of the Derby della Capitale.

Sarri can secure a play-off spot with a win over the winless Scots on home soil if Atletico beat Feyenoord in the fifth round at the same time. If several teams are on the same number of points after the group stage, the first criterion for determining the leader will be a head-to-head encounter, followed by goal difference in head-to-head meetings.

Leao and Giroud beat PSG with Kylian Mbappe

Milan boosted their chances of qualifying for the second year in a row with an emphatic 2-1 victory over PSG's Paris Saint-Germain in Group F. Olivier Giroud's powerful header gave the Rossoneri their first Champions League win of the season, the Frenchman scoring his third header in a week and the 275th of his club career.

37-year-old scored the winning goal for the 92nd time in his career after a Theo Hernandez pass in the fifth minute of the second half. Former Inter defenderMilan Skriniar opened the scoring against PSG after Marquinhos' shot from a sprawling Rossoneri defense. Raphael Leao immediately equalized with a header from close range after Giroud's shot was deflected by the goalkeeper.

With this win, Milan moved up to third place with five points, ahead of Newcastle United. The English team lost to Borussia Dortmund, who beat PSG at the top of the group. "The Devils can get ahead of the Germans with another win at the San Siro at the end of November, but everything could depend on their last away game against Newcastle United at St. James' Park.