Nuno Mendes scored the winning goal within moments of coming on as a second-half substitute as Paris Saint-Germain beat Juventus 2-1 in Turin on Wednesday but the French side missed out on top spot in Champions League Group H in dramatic fashion to a rampant Benfica.
Benfica thrashed Maccabi 6-1 in the other group game to ensure the Portuguese and French teams ended level on 14 points, having drawn their two head-to-heads 1-1 and both with a goal difference of nine.
But Benfica finished top courtesy of more away goals scored in all games, with a tally of nine compared to PSG’s six after Joao Mario’s strike deep into stoppage time sent them into the last 16 as group winners.
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PSG and Benfica were both through to the last 16 before their final group games and sat level on points having drawn both of their meetings 1-1.
However, the Parisians’ goal difference was superior by four, meaning victory in Italy against an already-eliminated Juventus looked set to be enough to secure a theoretically easier tie in next Monday’s last-16 draw.
“Congratulations to Benfica for scoring more goals away from home than us,” said PSG coach Christophe Galtier.
“We often say that there is nothing rational about the Champions League and we have seen that tonight.
“There is still a draw to come. To go all the way you need to beat the biggest teams so we will see what it throws up.”
