Published>Thu, Nov 25 10 07:06 AM
Holders Inter Milan earned their coach a reprieve to lead a group of seven teams through to the Champions League last 16 on Wednesday, a night lit up by Lionel Messi's customary finesse and Wayne Rooney's goalscoring return.
While Inter secured a nervous 1-0 win at home to Twente Enschede, a result that will come as a huge relief to Rafa Benitez, and Manchester United were grateful for Rooney's late penalty for a 1-0 victory at Rangers, Barcelona showed effortless command in beating Panathinaikos 3-0.
The last three Champions League winners were joined by Valencia, Tottenham Hotspur, Olympique Lyon and Schalke 04 in securing their places in the next round, meaning there is just one remaining place up for grabs in groups A-D.
Valencia tore Bursaspor apart 6-1 to go through along with United, Tottenham made light work of Werder Bremen in a 3-0 win at White Hart Lane in Inter's group and Schalke beat Olympique Lyon by the same scoreline, sending both sides through.
AC Milan and Olympique Marseille secured their qualification on Tuesday to join Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Real Madrid, who had already made certain of their places.
With one round of matches to go, 12 of the 16 teams for the next round are now known, with most of the tournament heavyweights already having done enough.
Messi's Barcelona were easily the most impressive of that elite group on Wednesday, although coach Pep Guardiola was at pains to play down the performance.
"I do not think my team is unstoppable," he told reporters. "We are happy to have won the group. We will see how we are organised come February."
Pedro put the 2009 winners ahead with a fine finish across the goalkeeper from a Dani Alves through ball before Messi's close-range strike completed a beautifully worked passing move that would have undone far better defences.
Pedro completed the scoring with another excellent finish to give Barcelona the sort of smooth qualification they wanted ahead of Monday's league clash with arch-rivals Real Madrid.
Neither 2008 winners Manchester United nor holders Inter Milan could match them for fluency.
ANKLE PROBLEM
United struggled to create clear chances before Rooney, making his first start since suffering an ankle problem in September, converted the late spot kick, meaning they keep a three-point lead over Valencia at the top of Group C with a match at home to the Spanish side to come.
Inter looked nervous against modest Twente in Group A before Wesley Sneijder's free kick was deflected into the path of Esteban Cambiasso, who calmly fired home from inside the box on 55 minutes to thrill a half-empty stadium.
Reports had said the Spaniard could be sacked if they lost against the Dutch champions but Benitez can now rest a little easier.
"When we are in difficulty like we have been this week, I don't read the papers or watch the TV, we've just concentrated on the job in hand," Benitez told a news conference before being asked if he had seen club president Massimo Moratti.
"He came into the dressing room. Everything is fine."
Tottenham showed no such nerves in the other Group A match as they qualified in their debut season with first-half goals from Younes Kaboul and Luka Modric and a third from Peter Crouch in an easy win over Werder.
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar struck twice to steer Schalke to their equally emphatic victory over Lyon, with both sides going through from Group B after Portugal's Benfica slumped to a 3-0 defeat at Hapoel Tel Aviv.
In the other match in Barcelona's group, Rubin Kazan kept their qualification hopes alive by winning 1-0 at home to FC Copenhagen with a penalty from Christian Noboa.
It was only the second goal scored by the Russians in the competition but it was enough to keep them in third place, a point behind Copenhagen with a game to play against Barcelona at the Nou Camp.
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