Chelsea reached the Europa League knockout stage on Thursday thanks to a strike by Olivier Giroud, while last year’s runners-up Olympique de Marseille were eliminated at the group stage.
Striker Giroud got his first goal this season in the second half to secure a 1-0 win at Bate Borisov, meaning Maurizio Sarri’s side qualify from Group L with two games to spare.
However, Marseille were dumped out after they lost 2-1 at Lazio in Group H. Goals from Marco Parolo and Joaquin Correa were enough to extend a miserable run for the French side, who have now lost four games in a row in all competitions.
Lazio, meanwhile, went through to the last 32 along with Eintracht Frankfurt who eliminated Apollon Limassol after a 3-2 victory in the other game in the section.
Sevilla, the most successful team in the history of the competition with five titles, went down to 10-men at Akhisarspor but came away with a 3-2 win in Group J thanks to a late Ever Banega penalty that ended the Turkish side’s qualifying hopes.
Anderlecht, UEFA Cup winners in 1983, were also eliminated after their 2-0 Group D defeat by Fenerbahce.
There was a goalfest in Russia as Spartak Moscow came from 3-2 down to lead Rangers 4-3 in two minutes just before the hour mark with the home side’s eventual win taking them to second place and level with their opponents on five points in Group G.
