Robert Lewandowski admits Barcelona forgot how to defend in their 3-3 Champions League draw with Inter on Wednesday as they were so focused on scoring.

Barcelona realistically required victory in their Group C encounter with Inter at Camp Nou to remain in with a shot of avoiding an early elimination for the second season running.

However, Nicola Barella and Lautaro Martinez struck after Ousmane Dembele had given Barca a half-time lead, before Lewandowski levelled up with a deflected shot.

Xavi's men went all out for a winner and were caught out by Robin Gosens late on, though Lewandowski's second goal did at least keep them in the competition for now.

Inter are three points better off than Barcelona and can eliminate the Catalan giants from the competition with a home win against pointless Viktoria Plzen in two weeks' time.

Lewandowski took his tally to 14 goals in all competitions this term – only Erling Haaland has scored more in Europe's top five leagues – but it was a day of disappointment. 

"We wanted to score so much that we forgot about the defence," the Poland international told Movistar+. "Inter got through on goal too easily and often had a man over in attack.

"We've had a lot of injuries in recent weeks and it's not easy to change the line-up all the time. We've lacked stability and that maybe explains the situation.

"Inter are tough opponents for any striker. They defend with five players and also have a defensive midfielder. 

"We tried to attack with many players but it meant we lost coverage. We scored three goals but conceded the same amount. We were disappointed not to get the win."

The high-scoring draw with Inter was only the fourth time in their Champions League history Barca have conceded three goals in the second half of a game.

It also marked the first time in six visits to Camp Nou in the competition Inter have avoided defeat, paving the way for the Nerazzurri to wrap up qualification at Barca's expense.

Gosens, the scorer of the visitors' third goal, told Inter TV: "This was a match between two sides that wanted to win. We showed we have the right spirit to do well at Camp Nou.

"This is one of the most important stadiums in the world and not everybody comes away from here with a point. We stayed in the game and played like a real Inter side.

"This result must now stimulate the team to give even more. We know we've hurt a team like Barca and this must encourage us to do even more."

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag hailed Cristiano Ronaldo's "phenomenal" record of scoring 700 club goals and joked "not many players even achieve 700 games".

Ronaldo hit the latest milestone in his remarkable career with the winning strike in last Sunday's 2-1 win at Everton after being introduced from the substitutes' bench.

The Portugal forward has endured a frustrating time of things under Ten Hag, having so far started just one of United's eight Premier League matches under the Dutchman.

But ahead of facing Omonia Nicosia in the Europa League on Thursday – a match Ronaldo looks set to start – Ten Hag lauded the superstar forward's goalscoring longevity.

"It's phenomenal. Football is [about the] team and we express this in a way," Ten Hag told United's official website. 

"I think Cristiano, he knows we can't do it without the team but I must say it's a huge individual performance. If you achieve this, it's incredible. 

"Seven hundred club goals. Not many players even achieve 700 games, and he scored 700 goals. I'm really happy for him. I really want to tell you that and I congratulate him."

Of those 700 goals scored by Ronaldo, five came for Sporting CP, 118 in his first spell at United, 450 with Real Madrid, 101 at Juventus and 26 in his second stint at Old Trafford.

The 37-year-old will be looking to add to that tally against Cypriot side Omonia as United aim to avoid an unwanted first.

They have lost their past two home European matches, against Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad – never before have they lost three in a row, with this their 198th game.

United recovered to beat Omonia 3-2 last week and are second in Group E at the midway stage, three points ahead of Sheriff and three behind leaders Real Sociedad.

"It's another important game for us," Ten Hag said. "We want to be first in the group. We are three points behind Sociedad and so we have to win. 

"That is the first [target], and we have to score goals, that is the second [target]. So we have to prepare for the game properly because we are playing against a tough opponent. 

"They will be ambitious and they will be fighting so they are well organised. It's not easy to score goals. We had that experience last week, so we have to be good."

The San Diego Padres tied up the NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers with a nail-biting 5-3 victory in a game that included five solo home runs on Wednesday.

Manny Machado played a key role going two-for-five, including a first-inning solo homer along with a third-inning RBI, while Jurickson Profar got his fifth RBI this postseason to put the Padres up 4-3 in the sixth inning.

Jake Cronenworth added another with a solo blast over right-field in the eighth inning before Josh Hader closed it out.

Yu Darvish pitched five innings with seven strikeouts but allowed seven hits and three runs.

The Dodgers had their chances, with nine batters left on base, while they did not have a hit with a runner in scoring position all night.

Freddie Freeman, Max Muncy and Trea Turner all scored solo home runs for the Dodgers. Freeman, who went two-for-four, got on base with a ninth-inning double but Will Smith was caught short of the wall in right-field by Juan Soto to end it.

Clayton Kershaw had six K's across five innings for the Dodgers, restoring his position as the MLB's all-time leading postseason strikeout leader with 213.

Pitcher Brusdar Graterol made a key play down 4-3 in the sixth inning, throwing out Wil Myers at home from a Trent Grisham bunt, but the Dodgers could not capitalise with the Padres' bullpen again exceptional, led by Robert Suarez.

The next two games of the NLDS are at Petco Park where the Padres will be playing in front of their fans in a postseason game for the first time since 2006.

Wright leads Braves to level up with Phillies

Kyle Wright threw six stellar innings as the Atlanta Braves squared the NLDS as they blanked the Philadelphia Phillies 3-0.

After a lengthy rain delay, Wright allowed only two hits with one walk, whilst striking out six Phillies, before reliever A.J. Minter pitched a perfect seventh inning.

The Braves piled on all three runs in the sixth inning with three consecutive two-out singles, as Ronald Acuna Jr overcame a 96mph fastball from Zack Wheeler to his elbow to break the tie, driven in by Matt Olson whose line hit got by first baseman Rhys Hoskins on an in-between hop.

Austin Riley's gentle dribble got Dansby Swanson to home plate, before Travis d'Arnaud grounded to center-field to drive in Olson.

Julian Nagelsmann wants his Bayern Munich players to ensure they top Group C after a 4-2 win over Viktoria Plzen sealed their Champions League progress.

Sadio Mane, Thomas Muller and Leon Goretzka had Bayern 4-0 up by the 35th minute on Wednesday. It is the second-quickest time in Champions League history a side has taken to register four goals away from home, beaten only by their own 7-1 victory over Roma in 2014.

Though Adam Vlkanova and Jan Kliment reduced the arrears in the second half, Bayern held on to record their 11th straight group stage victory, a new competition record.

The win means Bayern are now on 12 points, five above Inter in second and out of reach of third-placed Barcelona, as they qualified for the knockout stages for the 15th consecutive season.

Now, the target is securing top spot, with Nagelsmann telling DAZN: "It's always nice to win away from home.

"We've got 12 points from four games in the toughest group and we're into the round of 16. Now we want to top the group.

"This win gives us the necessary calm ahead of Freiburg [in the Bundesliga] on Sunday. That was our goal and we achieved it."

Muller's cool 14th-minute finish for Bayern's second means he has now scored more than twice as many goals as any other German player in Champions League history, with Mario Gomez scoring the second most with 26.

However, he made way soon after his strike and headed straight down the tunnel, though Nagelsmann explained there was nothing to worry about, adding: "Things tightened up a little in his back, a nerve.

"It's nothing major or serious, but we didn't want to take risks for the weekend."

Xabi Alonso refused to be downbeat after losing his first Champions League game as Bayer Leverkusen head coach, describing Wednesday's 3-0 reverse to Porto as a "lesson".

Alonso led Leverkusen to a 4-0 Bundesliga win over Schalke in his first match in charge on Saturday, but endured a more chastening experience against the Portuguese outfit.

It was a tale of three penalties at the BayArena, as Porto's Mehdi Taremi added to Galeno's opener with two second-half spot-kicks after visiting goalkeeper Diogo Costa denied Karem Demirbay from 12 yards.

Leverkusen have now failed to score any of their last three Champions League penalties, two of which have come against Porto this season (also Patrik Schick on October 4).

Despite the result, the Bundesliga outfit managed 64 per cent possession and 17 attempts in a front-foot display, leaving Alonso to describe the defeat as unjust. 

"We have to analyse the game, come back tomorrow and move on. Today there is pain, but that's football. Today is a lesson for us," he told UEFA.com.

"We could see today that the small mistakes can be fatal in the Champions League. It's hard for me to talk about the result because I think we didn't deserve it."

The former Spain midfielder became the seventh different Leverkusen coach to lose his first Champions League match in charge, but the first to do so by a three-goal margin.

Goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky also thought Leverkusen were hard done by, adding: "It was an unlucky game. It started in a bad way for us and ended in a bad way. 

"Shortly after the break we lost the second goal. Small details were decisive. At this point we have to work hard for success. It's a hard time for our club, but we will work on it."

Leverkusen remain bottom of Group B following their third defeat in four Champions League games this campaign, three points adrift of second-placed Porto.

Simone Inzaghi admitted he left Camp Nou feeling regretful but hailed Inter's performance at Barcelona as the Nerazzurri took a significant step to the Champions League knockout stages.

Robin Gosens seemed to have secured qualification for Inzaghi's visitors on Wednesday, scoring to make it 3-2 in the 89th minute, only for Robert Lewandowski to equalise three minutes later.

It was not the first time Inter had squandered the lead, though, having been pegged back earlier by Lewandowski after second-half goals from Nicolo Barella and Lautaro Martinez followed Ousmane Dembele's 40th-minute opener.

Despite twice relinquishing the advantage, Inter need just one win from their last two games to progress from Group C, though Inzaghi wishes his side could have sealed qualification with victory in Spain.

"There is regret, for what we have created and for the last chance, with a victory we would have qualified with two games to spare," the Inter head coach said. 

"But we have played two games of great application against Barcelona. In my opinion, they are a very, very strong team."

While Inter ultimately settled for sharing the spoils in a thrilling 3-3 draw, the stalemate proved a marked improvement as it ended a five-game losing streak at Barcelona in the Champions League.

With just one win needed against either Viktoria Plzen or Bayern Munich, who have already progressed, Inzaghi aims to deliver qualification for the second season in a row to appease the Nerazzurri faithful.

Asked whether the result at Barca could prove a turning point for Inter's somewhat underwhelming season thus far, Inzaghi responded: "Maybe, but as I said before we miss the last step.

"We have to give the qualification to our fans as we did last year after eleven years, it would be the second year in a row. We missed the last step."

Inter caught Barca cold with three second-half goals, the Blaugrana conceding three or more times in a single half of Champions League football for just the fourth time in their history.

Inzaghi acknowledged his plan was to attack by starting with Edin Dzeko and Martinez, while he suggested another strong performance against a European heavyweight will help his side to improve.

"Yes, we played it openly, I thought about whether to play the two forwards because they have been playing for the last three games," Inzaghi added.

"Instead, Dzeko and Lautaro were very good together and played a very good match against an opponent that we have managed to limit.

"We have faced Real Madrid and Liverpool. Now we have faced Barcelona twice in two very good matches, which have put us in a very good position. Now it is up to us to grow."

Son Heung-min's link-up with fellow Tottenham star Harry Kane is purely a "pay-off for hard work".

Son scored twice on Wednesday, either side of a Kane penalty, as Spurs ran out 3-2 winners over Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League.

Antonio Conte's side moved to the Group D summit after coming from behind to defeat the Europa League holders at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Kane set up Son for the equaliser after the hosts fell behind to Daichi Kamada's early strike, meaning the pair have now combined to score on 50 occasions for Spurs across all competitions.

Kane has teed up 24 goals for Son, who has supplied 26 assists for the England captain. Since the start of last season, Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, the scorer of a record-setting hat-trick in Liverpool's win over Rangers elsewhere on Wednesday, is the only Premier League player with more strikes in all competitions (39) than the Spurs pair (Kane has netted 36, with Son scoring 29).

The South Korea captain paid tribute to his fearsome partnership with Kane, telling BT Sport: "We just understand each other really well. I know what he likes to do, and he's the same.

"The relationship, it's always hard work and good effort. It's always been a pay-off for hard work. [There will be] many more [combinations] to come, I hope."

Son's second goal was the pick of the bunch as he put Tottenham 3-1 up before the break.

Connecting with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's pinpoint cross, the forward unleashed a thumping volley that would eventually prove decisive after Faride Alidou's late header ensured a nervy finish for Spurs.

"The ball was just really clear to me and there was only one option; to take the volley," Son added. "I hit it really clean, I was very happy.

"The last five minutes were really tough. In the Champions League, you never know what will happen. It was uncomfortable sitting on the bench and watching. The most important thing was the three points."

Meanwhile, head coach Conte said "it would have been a disaster" had Spurs surrendered their lead in the closing stages, with Kane missing a stoppage-time penalty to put them home and dry. The 29-year-old has missed two of his last four penalties in all competitions for Tottenham, having previously scored 21 successive spot-kicks for the club.

"We started in a very difficult way, conceding the first goal," Conte said. "We scored three goals and had big chances. In the end, we are leading our group.

"Until the end, we had to stay focused. It would have been a disaster if we drew a game like this."

Xavi declared Barcelona "do not deserve" to progress in the Champions League after failing to beat Inter at home on Wednesday.

Robert Lewandowski took his tally to 14 goals in all competitions this season – only Erling Haaland has scored more in Europe's top five leagues – with two late equalisers in a thrilling 3-3 draw against Inter.

The Poland striker first levelled after Nicolo Barella and Lautaro Martinez put Inter in front following Ousmane Dembele's opener, before cancelling out Robin Gosens' 89th-minute strike three minutes later.

Lewandowski now has five goals in his first two Champions League games for Barca at Camp Nou, though that meant little to Xavi after Barca were left trailing Inter by three points with just two games to go.

"If you don't beat Inter at home you don't deserve to go on," the Blaugrana head coach told reporters, with Inter needing just one win from their final two games to progress and eliminate Barca.

"Now it doesn't depend on us anymore, we don't deserve to continue in the Champions League. It is a hard blow, very hard. The word would be cruel.

"If one player or the other makes a mistake as a manager, it's my responsibility. I take full responsibility when my players make mistakes.

"We had to stay focused and instead we went on the pitch badly in the second half, but it remains a mistake of the coach.

"In front of such extraordinary supporters, you had to do more. I'm disappointed and this competition is cruel to us."

The stalemate not only signalled the likely end of Barca's Champions League campaign this season, it also marked the first time in six games that Inter have avoided defeat at the Blaugrana in the competition.

Barca veteran Sergio Busquets echoed Xavi's sentiments, bemoaning the Blaugrana for failing to deliver after investing heavily in the last transfer window to bring in the likes of Lewandowski and Raphinha.

"A disappointment. It was a difficult group but we had to aspire to more after all the signings that have been made," Busquets said. "It is not mathematically [impossible] but it is very difficult.

"We have not been as forceful in the areas and that is paid for in the Champions League. It was heads or tails and it went wrong for us in that second half."

While Barca's hopes hang on the unlikely scenario of Inter losing against both Viktoria Plzen and Bayern Munich, who have already progressed, Xavi must now turn his attentions to Sunday's clash with Real Madrid.

"We think of [Real] Madrid [in Sunday's] Clasico tomorrow, it will not be easy to win, but we must think of the championship where we want to continue to be first in the standings.

"The season is long, we have not given the best for our mistakes and this is cruel. We must continue."

Mohamed Salah made a piece of Champions League history with his quickfire hat-trick in Liverpool's 7-1 thrashing of Rangers on Wednesday, scoring the fastest ever treble in the competition.

Just six minutes and 12 seconds separated Salah's first and third goals in Liverpool's comeback win, the shortest timeframe ever recorded in the Champions League.

Salah's hat-trick saw him eclipse the efforts of former Bayern Munich hero Robert Lewandowski, who has scored two of the five fastest trebles in Champions League history.

Lewandowski required 11 minutes and seven seconds to hit a treble against Red Star Belgrade in November 2019, an achievement he bettered against Salzburg in March this year, when he scored three times in 10 minutes and 22 seconds.

Other than Salah, only Bafetimbi Gomis and Mike Newell have scored a hat-trick in quicker time than Lewandowski, while Cristiano Ronaldo sits just outside the top five after managing an 11-minute treble against Malmo for Real Madrid in 2015.

Salah scored his hat-trick over two minutes faster than previous record holder Gomis, who took eight minutes and 45 seconds to do so against Dinamo Zagreb in 2011.

Salah brought up his treble with a trademark strike, latching onto Diogo Jota's pass before cutting in from the right wing and bending a fine finish into the top-left corner.

Jota assisted all three of Salah's goals as Liverpool returned to form in emphatic fashion, which represents the first time a player has assisted a team-mate's Champions League treble since March 2012, when Franck Ribery teed up Mario Gomez's strikes for Bayern against Basel

Meanwhile, Salah has now scored 38 Champions League goals for Liverpool, the most managed by any player for an English club in the competition.

The Egypt talisman had previously trailed former Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero and Chelsea legend Didier Drogba, who each hit 36 goals for their respective clubs in the competition.

Jurgen Klopp hailed a "special" performance from record-breaking Mohamed Salah as Liverpool roared to a sensational 7-1 Champions League win over Rangers on Wednesday.

Salah came off the substitutes' bench to fire home a hat-trick in just six minutes and 12 seconds – the fastest ever in Champions League history.

A Roberto Firmino brace and a fine strike from Darwin Nunez had earlier overturned Scott Arfield's opener for Rangers, while Harvey Elliott added a seventh after Salah's quick-fire treble.

The win means Liverpool need just a point from their final two Group A games against Ajax and Napoli to qualify for the knockout stages, and Klopp was delighted with his side's display.

"We had a really positive half-time talk. We wanted more in the second half. Clearly, it worked out," he told BT Sport.

"It was special, particularly Mo. It was very important how we adapted to the positions, to the line-up. Everyone who started tonight played really well. Fabio [Carvalho] and Harvey, really good.

"It's the best we could have asked for. I'm really pleased.

"I really think the first half prepared the second half. When we are on it, we can be a really good football team. We built on the good things from the first half, we kept them moving and obviously they had to change the centre-half.

"The goals we scored were exceptional. It's a night where things worked out for us. It changes the mood definitely, and that's good.

"We all know who is coming on Sunday [Manchester City]. That will be different, but it's better to go in with the feeling from tonight."

Rangers, meanwhile, were left to a rue a fourth consecutive defeat in this season's competition.

They sit rock bottom of Group A, three points adrift of Ajax, with boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst left to lament his side's inability to stem the Liverpool tide in the second half. 

"It was a very disappointing result. We played well first half and were in the game," he said.

"The second goal, we know their strength. When you lose the ball in the middle of the pitch they are so fast on transition. We got caught a couple of times.

"We conceded too many easy goals. It went pretty quickly after that. We tried to push, but after the 3-1 you could see we were struggling. They upped the tempo and we weren't accurate in our passing."

Eric Garcia conceded Barcelona "made mistakes that cannot be made" in their thrilling Champions League draw with Inter.

Xavi's side are hanging on by a thread in UEFA's flagship club competition, needing Inter to fail to win either of their final two games if they are to snatch progression from Group C.

Barca were indebted to two late equalisers from Robert Lewandowski, who cancelled out Robin Gosens' 89th-minute strike after already making it 2-2.

Garcia acknowledged Barca were far from good enough in a second half that also saw Nicolo Barella and Lautaro Martinez score after Ousmane Dembele's earlier opener.

"We have made mistakes that cannot be made at this level," the centre-back told Movistar.

"We were where we wanted, pressing high, stealing balls and we wanted to continue the same way, but in the second there was a lot of lack of control and we took the risk of playing with three at the back.

"They were the 15 minutes that almost killed us. We battled to the end to get the draw and as long as there is hope we have to continue.[But] we had a huge opportunity and we did not take advantage of it."

Simone Inzaghi's side require just one win from games against Viktoria Plzen and Bayern Munich, who have already progressed, to seal a place in the last 16 – but goalscorer Barella insisted the job is not complete yet.

"We really wanted a win. A draw arrived instead, but we are still very happy with our spirit on the pitch," the Italy international told Amazon Prime Video. "We are finding it and we are satisfied.

"We went through a period in which nothing suited us and we got carried away – now we want to return to the team we were.

"It's not done yet. You never know – we'll give it our all until the end."

Robert Lewandowski twice equalised late on but Barcelona's hopes of progressing to the Champions League knockout stage look slim after a 3-3 draw with Inter.

Lewandowski's late show keeps Barca's chances alive, though the Blaugrana are now relying on Inter not to win either of their final two Group C matches.

Ousmane Dembele's first-half strike put them ahead, though elimination was back on the cards as Nicolo Barella and Lautaro Martinez struck in a chaotic second half.

Robin Gosens thought he had sent Inter into the last 16 in the 89th minute, only for Lewandowski to score his second goal in the space of 10 minutes to snatch a point for Barca.

Bayern Munich beat Viktoria Plzen 4-2 to make it a record 11 straight Champions League group stage victories and seal their place in the last 16.

Julian Nagelsmann's side – who are struggling to hit their best form domestically – went into half-time four up after goals from Sadio Mane, Thomas Muller and a Leon Goretzka double had Wednesday's contest at Doosan Arena settled by the break.

Adam Vlkanova and Jan Kliment reduced the deficit in the second half, but Bayern were never in any real danger of succumbing to a comeback.

Bayern moved onto 12 points in Group C, out of reach of third-placed Barcelona, ensuring progression to the knockout stage.

The Bundesliga champions were ahead within 10 minutes, Mane playing a clever one-two with Goretzka before coolly poking past Jindrich Stanek.

They doubled their lead four minutes later through Muller, who slotted home after connecting with Kingsley Coman's low cross.

With Plzen's defending leaving much to be desired, Bayern made sure to capitalise – Goretzka curling in to add a goal to his earlier assist in the 25th minute.

An injury to Muller threatened to sour a rampant first half, though Goretzka soon had his second when he dinked over Stanek from Leroy Sane's neat pass.

Erik Jirka nearly got a goal back for Plzen after the restart, but he could only hit the side netting with a powerful drive, before Sven Ulreich parried a Ludek Pernica header onto the bar.

Ulreich was beaten in the 62nd minute – Vlkanova finding the bottom-left corner with a wonderful strike from outside of the area.

Kilment's excellent finish gave the hosts a slither of hope, but Bayern saw out the remaining minutes with ease.

Son Heung-min scored twice as Tottenham climbed to the Group D summit with a 3-2 victory over 10-man Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League.

Antonio Conte's side fell behind to Daichi Kamada at an emotional Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where Spurs were playing their first home match since the death of former fitness coach Gian Piero Ventrone.

But the hosts responded with Son netting either side of a Harry Kane penalty and ran out victors despite late drama that saw Faride Alidou pull one back and Kane miss a second penalty against the Europa League champions, who earlier had Tuta sent off for two bookable offences.

Tottenham move top of Group D following Marseille's victory over Sporting CP, while Eintracht slip to the bottom of the pool.

Eintracht had won on their two previous visits to London and took a 14th-minute lead when Christopher Lenz robbed Dier of possession inside the Tottenham penalty area, before Kamada slotted Sebastian Rode's lay-off into an empty net.

Spurs levelled six minutes later when Kane's perfectly timed throughball released Son, who calmly slid home past Kevin Trapp.

Kane completed the turnaround from the penalty spot after VAR ruled Kristijan Jakic felled the England captain in the box.

Son then established breathing space for the hosts with his second goal as he emphatically volleyed home Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's pinpoint cross

It took sharp reflexes from Trapp to prevent Son, Cristian Romero and Ryan Sessegnon from increasing Tottenham's advantage, before the visitors' misery was compounded on the hour mark when Tuta was shown a second yellow card in as many minutes. 

Despite Alidou ensuring a nervy finish when he headed in Mario Gotze’s corner, before Kane fired over a stoppage-time penalty, Spurs held out to move top of the group.

Mohamed Salah scored the quickest hat-trick in Champions League history as Liverpool thumped Rangers 7-1 to put one foot in the last 16.

It started badly for Jurgen Klopp's side at Ibrox when Scott Arfield scored his first Champions League goal with a crisp finish past Alisson from outside the penalty area.

Liverpool pulled level soon after, though, when Firmino headed home a corner from close range, before the Brazilian and Darwin Nunez put the Reds 3-1 up. 

That set the stage for Salah to come off the substitutes' bench and complete a hat-trick in just six minutes and 12 seconds to leave Liverpool, who added a seventh late on through Harvey Elliott, needing just a point from their final two games against Ajax and Napoli to progress to the knockout stages.