Here are the results from last night's fixtures in the Youth Cup, along with updated tables, and what it means for the final round of group matches before the knockout Cup and Shield stages. Plus any manager updates and pre- and post-match press conferences comments.
Group1
Saturday 28 October
Saturday night was a washout for Youth Cup fans in Group 1. Basel and Berlin played their senior teams and goalkeeper respectively, so forfeiting their games 0-3, and losing a point each. This season's odds-on Youth Cup favourites and perennial losers Madrid, however, shocked the Game World earlier in the week with this announcement from their controversial manager 'Roy Keane':
In any case, the Madrid manager had previously cancelled the fixture in Hamburg claiming that he would rather stay at home and eat his own chorizo than travel to Germany for a hot dog, especially as he was '100% convinced' that Hamburger boss Marsden had earlier in the season served him a frankfurter without onions, but still charged him for the onions. Hamburger's press secretary denied these 'totally spurious' claims, adding that the club only ever served the finest pork and beef patties, and that perhaps Mr Keane may have been fantasising about a smothering his weiner with soft, warm fried onions after having enjoyed one too many glasses of sidra.
Back to the football, and that leaves Group 1 looking like this (although it is still to be determined what to do about Madrid's results - personally, I think it is fairer to remove them all together, as if they had not been played, as Hamburg's position is only by virtue of Madrid's forfeit):
Back to the football, and that leaves Group 1 looking like this (although it is still to be determined what to do about Madrid's results - personally, I think it is fairer to remove them all together, as if they had not been played, as Hamburg's position is only by virtue of Madrid's forfeit):
With Madrid and Basel both out of the competition, therefore, all four remaining teams presumably will qualify for the next stage.
Final round fixtures:
Saturday 4 November
Group 2
Saturday 28 October
Athletic's draw with Kiev means they are out, while Benfica's victory over West Brom's seniors sends them through as group winners, as expected.
Standard Liege could now snatch second place from Sampdoria, if they can win in Spain next week, and Benfica win at home to Sampdoria.
Final round fixtures:
Saturday 4 November
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Group 3
Saturday 28 October
Group 3 really is the Group of Death, and highly competitive right to the very end.
Barcelona's win at Dortmund looks to have sealed first place for them, and also a notable, if not entirely surprising, turnaround in form as they were joint fifth with eight points after six matches.
Sporting well and truly buried poor Palace's rigid corpse, and gave themselves a realistic shot at finishing third in the group, if they can overcome and leapfrog Swansea in Lisbon next Saturday.
Partizan will be looking anxiously over their shoulders, and listening to their radios for updates on that score, as they hope to avoid defeat at home to Dortmund in their final game, in order to guarantee qualification.
Final round fixtures:
Group 4
Wednesday 25 October
Twente played an overage team in their rearranged tie against Villarreal, thus forfeiting the match 0-3, and losing a point to boot.
Saturday 28 October
Both Twente and Inter fielded their senior sides last night, so lose 0-3 and -1 points to each, although both were already out of the competition in any case.
The battle in Group 4 seems to be for second, with Monaco and Augsburg having equal records so far, and winnable fixtures at Twente and Inter respectively in the final group round. Augsburg have the better head-to-head record, though, which may yet prove decisive.
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Final round fixtures:
Saturday 4 November
Group 5
Saturday 28 October
Only Napoli and Juventus in Group 5 had the wherewithal to actually arrange their fixture for round 9, and many fans were left wishing they hadn't bothered as they ground out a nil-nil.
Still, the point is likely to be enough to seal top spot in the group for the Turin side, assuming they can match or better Napoli's result at Manchester City in th final round, when they travel to Besiktas.
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Final round fixtures:
Note that the fixtures at Roma and Besiktas have yet to be arranged.
Group 6
Saturday 28 October
Valencia's win in Verona means they can score a perfect ten if they beat Cruzeiro next weekend.
Sevilla sealed second in the group with their draw at Levante, ending any realistic hopes of qualification the Spanish club may have harboured.
Loko's draw with Cruzeiro means they are now favourites to take the fourth and final qualifying spot in this group.
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Final round fixtures:
Group 7
Staurday 28 October
Manchester United can also score a perfect ten next week, after their win at second placed Hoffenheim. The hosts were 4-1 down and looking dead and buried just after the hour mark, but fought back bravely to make it an exciting final ten minutes for the 7,346 fans packed into the Rhein Neckar Arena.
Bordeaux's defeat at Newcastle looks to have ended their hopes of qualification.
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Final round fixtures:
Saturday 4 November
Group 8
Saturday 28 October
Villa manager Justice sentenced his team to another 0-3 loss and one point penalty, which all but ensures the Claret and Blues are out of the competition, too.
That win for Southampton gives them an outside chance, however unlikely, of finishing top of the group, if they can beat Chelsea at home and leaders Everton crumble at last placed Lyon.
Upcoming fixtures:
Saturday 4 November
Milan led from the 2nd minute until the 88th, but had to settle for a draw at home to leaders Anderlecht.
Genoa, flush with newly acquired young talent, overcame Brugge to record their first win of the campaign. They will need to pull off a shock win at Anderlecht next time out to have any chance of qualifying, though.
Torino beat Monchengladbach with an overage team, and so lose the game 0-3 and sacrifice what could be a vital point. Torino will want to beat Brugge next weekend in order to prevent any chance of Genoa sneaking past them into the fourth and final qualifying spot.
Final round fixtures:
Saturday 4 November
Group 9
Saturday 28 October
Milan led from the 2nd minute until the 88th, but had to settle for a draw at home to leaders Anderlecht.
Genoa, flush with newly acquired young talent, overcame Brugge to record their first win of the campaign. They will need to pull off a shock win at Anderlecht next time out to have any chance of qualifying, though.
Torino beat Monchengladbach with an overage team, and so lose the game 0-3 and sacrifice what could be a vital point. Torino will want to beat Brugge next weekend in order to prevent any chance of Genoa sneaking past them into the fourth and final qualifying spot.
Final round fixtures:
Saturday 4 November
Group 10
Saturday 28 October
Arsenal and Fenerbahce failed to play their fixture.
Feyenoord crushed bottom club Atalanta 5-1, and if Fener fail to play the Arsenal game, that could be enough to see them qualify.
Wolfsburg's first team beat leaders Leverkusen, so Bayer get the victory and the points.
Final round fixtures:
Saturday 4 November
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