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..::Football III::..
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Borussia Dortmund 0-1 PAOK: Mak continues fine form to down Germans
Borussia Dortmund failed to round off their Europa League group campaign with a victory as PAOK's Robert Mak consigned them to a 1-0 home defeat on Thursday.
Dortmund's hopes of topping Group C were reliant on Krasnodar dropping points at Qabala but, with the Russians registering a comfortable 3-0 victory in Azerbaijan, the match at Signal Iduna Park effectively became a dead rubber - PAOK having already been eliminated from the competition.
The home side, who are safely into the last-32, failed to make the most of their possession early on and were eventually punished when Mak beat the offside trap to tuck home the opener shortly after the half-hour mark.
Mak was also the scorer in the 1-1 draw in Greece that contributed to Dortmund's failure to finish at the summit and he ends the pool having scored all three of PAOK's group-stage goals.
Dortmund hit the post either side of Mak's strike and Shinji Kagawa saw a header superbly pawed over the crossbar by Panagiotis Glykos early in the second half.
But Thomas Tuchel's men - who remarkably hit the woodwork for a third time 14 minutes from the end - were unable to find the leveller on a frustrating outing that sees them finish the group three points adrift of Krasnodar.
Despite making seven changes to the side that won 2-1 at Wolfsburg at the weekend, Dortmund totally dominated the early exchanges - Kagawa finding the outside of the post with the hosts' first clear-cut opportunity after 10 minutes.
However, for all their dominance in possession, Dortmund struggled to create goalscoring chances with any great regularity.
The home side saw a penalty appeal turned down when Dimitrios Konstantinidis dived in to dispossess Adnan Januzaj in the box, before Matthias Ginter skied an effort from a promising position.
And it was PAOK who first had the ball in the back of the net, although Giorgos Tzavellas' effort was ruled out for offside.
The offside flag came to Dortmund’s rescue once more before Mak eventually broke the deadlock in the 33rd minute.
Played onside by a stray yellow shirt, Mak ran onto an Ioannis Mystakidis throughball, knocked it beyond goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller and cut home from a tight angle.
Dortmund came agonisingly close to restoring parity when Marco Reus found the post from a difficult angle after Januzaj had a shot parried in the closing stages of the first half, while PAOK had Glykos to thank for keeping them in front early in the second.The goalkeeper first produced a wonderful reaction save to tip Kagawa's header over, before Ginter nodded straight into his heads from a right-wing cross moments later.
Substitute Henrikh Mkhitaryan sent a long-range effort whistling past the right-hand post as Dortmund pushed for an equaliser, before fellow replacement Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang joined Kagawa and Reus in hitting the post - his powerful header rebounding off the upright.
Mkhitaryan should have tested Glykos when Januzaj found his head with a cross late on, but events in Azerbaijan mean Dortmund's slip-up is of little consequence.
Borussia Dortmund failed to round off their Europa League group campaign with a victory as PAOK's Robert Mak consigned them to a 1-0 home defeat on Thursday.
Dortmund's hopes of topping Group C were reliant on Krasnodar dropping points at Qabala but, with the Russians registering a comfortable 3-0 victory in Azerbaijan, the match at Signal Iduna Park effectively became a dead rubber - PAOK having already been eliminated from the competition.
The home side, who are safely into the last-32, failed to make the most of their possession early on and were eventually punished when Mak beat the offside trap to tuck home the opener shortly after the half-hour mark.
Mak was also the scorer in the 1-1 draw in Greece that contributed to Dortmund's failure to finish at the summit and he ends the pool having scored all three of PAOK's group-stage goals.
Dortmund hit the post either side of Mak's strike and Shinji Kagawa saw a header superbly pawed over the crossbar by Panagiotis Glykos early in the second half.
But Thomas Tuchel's men - who remarkably hit the woodwork for a third time 14 minutes from the end - were unable to find the leveller on a frustrating outing that sees them finish the group three points adrift of Krasnodar.
Despite making seven changes to the side that won 2-1 at Wolfsburg at the weekend, Dortmund totally dominated the early exchanges - Kagawa finding the outside of the post with the hosts' first clear-cut opportunity after 10 minutes.
However, for all their dominance in possession, Dortmund struggled to create goalscoring chances with any great regularity.
The home side saw a penalty appeal turned down when Dimitrios Konstantinidis dived in to dispossess Adnan Januzaj in the box, before Matthias Ginter skied an effort from a promising position.
And it was PAOK who first had the ball in the back of the net, although Giorgos Tzavellas' effort was ruled out for offside.
The offside flag came to Dortmund’s rescue once more before Mak eventually broke the deadlock in the 33rd minute.
Played onside by a stray yellow shirt, Mak ran onto an Ioannis Mystakidis throughball, knocked it beyond goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller and cut home from a tight angle.
Dortmund came agonisingly close to restoring parity when Marco Reus found the post from a difficult angle after Januzaj had a shot parried in the closing stages of the first half, while PAOK had Glykos to thank for keeping them in front early in the second.The goalkeeper first produced a wonderful reaction save to tip Kagawa's header over, before Ginter nodded straight into his heads from a right-wing cross moments later.
Substitute Henrikh Mkhitaryan sent a long-range effort whistling past the right-hand post as Dortmund pushed for an equaliser, before fellow replacement Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang joined Kagawa and Reus in hitting the post - his powerful header rebounding off the upright.
Mkhitaryan should have tested Glykos when Januzaj found his head with a cross late on, but events in Azerbaijan mean Dortmund's slip-up is of little consequence.
Sion 0-0 Liverpool: Reds confirm top spot with draw
Liverpool secured top spot in Group B thanks to a dull goalless draw at Sion, a result that sends the Swiss side into the last 32 of the Europa League.
Divock Origi missed a chance to open the scoring early on when he tried to volley in a cross when meeting it with a header may have been a better option.
Neither team were able to create a clear opening in front of goal in a match that lacked tempo, although the atmosphere at the sold out 10,000-capacity Stade de Tourbillon was buoyant.
A draw suited both sides, with Sion needing a point to ensure qualification for the next round and the same result guaranteed Liverpool finished top of Group B, with Jurgen Klopp's men having already sealed their place in the knockout stages prior to Thursday's match.
Klopp left Lucas Leiva, Joe Allen and Alberto Moreno in Merseyside, while club captain Jordan Henderson made his first start for the German after recovering from a heel injury.
With Daniel Sturridge on the sidelines again due to a hamstring injury, Origi was given another chance to impress after his hat-trick against Southampton on his last start and the Belgium international striker squandered a great chance to add to his recent goal haul after three minutes.
Brad Smith, making his full debut for Liverpool, got down the left flank, but Origi could not turn his excellent cross home.
With the game played at a glacial pace, both sides were restricted to efforts from range, Origi's swirling drive going wide before Edimilson Fernandes turned down better options to fire off target.
Liverpool were looking to bounce back from a 2-0 defeat to Newcastle United on Sunday, only the second defeat of Klopp's reign, and Origi found space in the box two minutes after the break. However, James Milner could only divert the cross into the arms of goalkeeper Andris Vanins.
Sion came into the match on the back of three straight defeats and Didier Tholot set his team up in a very defensive formation that Liverpool could not break down.
On a partially icy pitch, players from both sides struggled for control on the bobbly surface and it seemed inevitable the match would end without a goal, or indeed a save of note from either goalkeeper.
Liverpool secured top spot in Group B thanks to a dull goalless draw at Sion, a result that sends the Swiss side into the last 32 of the Europa League.
Divock Origi missed a chance to open the scoring early on when he tried to volley in a cross when meeting it with a header may have been a better option.
Neither team were able to create a clear opening in front of goal in a match that lacked tempo, although the atmosphere at the sold out 10,000-capacity Stade de Tourbillon was buoyant.
A draw suited both sides, with Sion needing a point to ensure qualification for the next round and the same result guaranteed Liverpool finished top of Group B, with Jurgen Klopp's men having already sealed their place in the knockout stages prior to Thursday's match.
Klopp left Lucas Leiva, Joe Allen and Alberto Moreno in Merseyside, while club captain Jordan Henderson made his first start for the German after recovering from a heel injury.
With Daniel Sturridge on the sidelines again due to a hamstring injury, Origi was given another chance to impress after his hat-trick against Southampton on his last start and the Belgium international striker squandered a great chance to add to his recent goal haul after three minutes.
Brad Smith, making his full debut for Liverpool, got down the left flank, but Origi could not turn his excellent cross home.
With the game played at a glacial pace, both sides were restricted to efforts from range, Origi's swirling drive going wide before Edimilson Fernandes turned down better options to fire off target.
Liverpool were looking to bounce back from a 2-0 defeat to Newcastle United on Sunday, only the second defeat of Klopp's reign, and Origi found space in the box two minutes after the break. However, James Milner could only divert the cross into the arms of goalkeeper Andris Vanins.
Sion came into the match on the back of three straight defeats and Didier Tholot set his team up in a very defensive formation that Liverpool could not break down.
On a partially icy pitch, players from both sides struggled for control on the bobbly surface and it seemed inevitable the match would end without a goal, or indeed a save of note from either goalkeeper.
Slovan Liberec 2-4 Marseille: Michel's men march into last 32
Marseille survived a late surge from Slovan Liberec to earn a priceless 3-2 victory that sends them to the last 32 of the Europa League on Thursday.
Michel's side knew a win would see them progress from their group and roared into the lead through Michy Batshuayi, whose low shot in the 14th minute put his team in the driver's seat.
OM doubled their advantage through another perfect counter-attack when Abdelaziz Barrada played in Georges-Kevin N'Koudou beautifully for the latter to net.
Barrada was on fire and subsequently got on the scoresheet himself by chipping Tomas Koubek right after the break, capping off a commanding performance with a deserved goal.
Marseille must have thought the points were safe but Slovan roared back into contention during a devastating two-minute spell late on as Marek Bakos pulled one back from the penalty spot.
Josef Sural then rose highest to head in Dmitry Efremov's wonderful right-wing cross to produce a tense few final minutes, but Marseille ultimately held on to clinch a vital three points with Lucas Ocampos striking at the death.
The visitors had started the game in fine fashion and enjoyed the vast majority of possession from the off, with Barrada and Batshuayi looking dangerous inside the hosts’ half of the pitch.
After winning their last two games in a row, Marseille went into the clash in second place in Group F and with a good chance of making it to the knockout stage of the competition.
The Ligue 1 side only required one point to confirm their place in the next round but they started like they needed a win, with Barrada and Batshuayi finding plenty of joy inside the Liberec half of the pitch as they pushed forward on several determined attacking moves early on.
The hosts’ back four struggled to deal with the pressure from the dynamic duo and were made to pay after just 14 minutes when a poor pass from Zdenek Folprecht could only reach Barrada, who broke forward quickly before finding Batshuayi.
The young striker then skipped past his marker with ease before unleashing a rocket of a shot that comfortably beat Koubek.
The visitors continued to put the hosts under pressure, with Barrada constantly looking particularly bright as he dropped deep to pick up the ball in the space left by the marauding Liberec midfield.
The Moroccan was rewarded for his good efforts just before half-time when, once again, the hosts failed to deal with a Marseille attack and were punished as a result.
Again, it was Folprecht who was poor in possession and sent the ball to Barrada, who launched a lofted pass straight into the feet of N’Koudou, who charged forward and rounded Koubek before slotting the ball into the back of the net to double his side’s lead.
Desperate to find a way back into the game, Liberec started the second half on the front foot but immediately suffered another setback, with Manquillo’s lofted pass forward flying over the head of Ondrej Svejdik and into the path of Barrada, who added a goal to his two assists with a lovely volley that comfortably flew past Koubek.
Three goals down and with quarter-of-an-hour left to play it looked as if the game was done and dusted, but Liberec fought back valiantly and gave Marseille a late scare.
It all started with a penalty after a poor challenge from Nicolas N’Koulou left the referee with no choice but to point to the spot, and Bakos comfortably beat Steve Mandanda with a thumping strike down the middle of the goal.
Then, less than a minute later, Liberec grabbed their second thanks to good play by Dmitri Efremov, who found himself in space on the right wing and curled a great cross over to the far post, where substitute Sural rose high before sending a looping header past the outstretched arms of the Marseille goalkeeper.The feel of the game completely changed in an instant, and from then onwards it was all Liberec as they desperately pushed forward in search of the two goals needed to send them into the knockout stage.
Ball after ball was flung into the penalty area as they tried to find the back of the net once again, but in the end it was Marseille who did.
Ocampos took advantage of sloppy defending by David Hovorka before beating Koubek with a cheeky chip with the last kick of the game, ending Liberec’s hopes of reaching the last 32.
Marseille survived a late surge from Slovan Liberec to earn a priceless 3-2 victory that sends them to the last 32 of the Europa League on Thursday.
Michel's side knew a win would see them progress from their group and roared into the lead through Michy Batshuayi, whose low shot in the 14th minute put his team in the driver's seat.
OM doubled their advantage through another perfect counter-attack when Abdelaziz Barrada played in Georges-Kevin N'Koudou beautifully for the latter to net.
Barrada was on fire and subsequently got on the scoresheet himself by chipping Tomas Koubek right after the break, capping off a commanding performance with a deserved goal.
Marseille must have thought the points were safe but Slovan roared back into contention during a devastating two-minute spell late on as Marek Bakos pulled one back from the penalty spot.
Josef Sural then rose highest to head in Dmitry Efremov's wonderful right-wing cross to produce a tense few final minutes, but Marseille ultimately held on to clinch a vital three points with Lucas Ocampos striking at the death.
The visitors had started the game in fine fashion and enjoyed the vast majority of possession from the off, with Barrada and Batshuayi looking dangerous inside the hosts’ half of the pitch.
After winning their last two games in a row, Marseille went into the clash in second place in Group F and with a good chance of making it to the knockout stage of the competition.
The Ligue 1 side only required one point to confirm their place in the next round but they started like they needed a win, with Barrada and Batshuayi finding plenty of joy inside the Liberec half of the pitch as they pushed forward on several determined attacking moves early on.
The hosts’ back four struggled to deal with the pressure from the dynamic duo and were made to pay after just 14 minutes when a poor pass from Zdenek Folprecht could only reach Barrada, who broke forward quickly before finding Batshuayi.
The young striker then skipped past his marker with ease before unleashing a rocket of a shot that comfortably beat Koubek.
The visitors continued to put the hosts under pressure, with Barrada constantly looking particularly bright as he dropped deep to pick up the ball in the space left by the marauding Liberec midfield.
The Moroccan was rewarded for his good efforts just before half-time when, once again, the hosts failed to deal with a Marseille attack and were punished as a result.
Again, it was Folprecht who was poor in possession and sent the ball to Barrada, who launched a lofted pass straight into the feet of N’Koudou, who charged forward and rounded Koubek before slotting the ball into the back of the net to double his side’s lead.
Desperate to find a way back into the game, Liberec started the second half on the front foot but immediately suffered another setback, with Manquillo’s lofted pass forward flying over the head of Ondrej Svejdik and into the path of Barrada, who added a goal to his two assists with a lovely volley that comfortably flew past Koubek.
Three goals down and with quarter-of-an-hour left to play it looked as if the game was done and dusted, but Liberec fought back valiantly and gave Marseille a late scare.
It all started with a penalty after a poor challenge from Nicolas N’Koulou left the referee with no choice but to point to the spot, and Bakos comfortably beat Steve Mandanda with a thumping strike down the middle of the goal.
Then, less than a minute later, Liberec grabbed their second thanks to good play by Dmitri Efremov, who found himself in space on the right wing and curled a great cross over to the far post, where substitute Sural rose high before sending a looping header past the outstretched arms of the Marseille goalkeeper.The feel of the game completely changed in an instant, and from then onwards it was all Liberec as they desperately pushed forward in search of the two goals needed to send them into the knockout stage.
Ball after ball was flung into the penalty area as they tried to find the back of the net once again, but in the end it was Marseille who did.
Ocampos took advantage of sloppy defending by David Hovorka before beating Koubek with a cheeky chip with the last kick of the game, ending Liberec’s hopes of reaching the last 32.
Benzema and Real Madrid 'respect' France suspension
Karim Benzema and Real Madrid state they respect the decision to ban the striker from international duty and possibly Euro 2016.
French Football Federation (FFF) president Noel Le Graet announced on Thursday that Benzema would be suspended until the conclusion of a legal investigation surrounding his alleged involvement in a plot to blackmail international team-mate Mathieu Valbuena.
The 27-year-old has been charged with complicity in an attempt to blackmail and participating in a criminal conspiracy, but denies the charges.
Benzema took to Twitter to post his response stating: "I respect the decision and have confidence in our president Noel Le Graet."
The forward had already expressed his wishes to be part of Didier Deschamps's squad at next summer’s European Championship on home soil.
Madrid also acknowledged the decision by the FFF, and took time out to give their support to the 27-year-old.
An official statement read: "Real Madrid C. F. regrets, but respects the decision taken today by the French Football Federation to provisionally suspend Karim Benzema from the France national team, and wishes to reiterate once more its support for and confidence in the player."
Karim Benzema and Real Madrid state they respect the decision to ban the striker from international duty and possibly Euro 2016.
French Football Federation (FFF) president Noel Le Graet announced on Thursday that Benzema would be suspended until the conclusion of a legal investigation surrounding his alleged involvement in a plot to blackmail international team-mate Mathieu Valbuena.
The 27-year-old has been charged with complicity in an attempt to blackmail and participating in a criminal conspiracy, but denies the charges.
Benzema took to Twitter to post his response stating: "I respect the decision and have confidence in our president Noel Le Graet."
The forward had already expressed his wishes to be part of Didier Deschamps's squad at next summer’s European Championship on home soil.
Madrid also acknowledged the decision by the FFF, and took time out to give their support to the 27-year-old.
An official statement read: "Real Madrid C. F. regrets, but respects the decision taken today by the French Football Federation to provisionally suspend Karim Benzema from the France national team, and wishes to reiterate once more its support for and confidence in the player."
Januzaj subdued again in Dortmund defeat
Adnan Januzaj was afforded a rare start for Borussia Dortmund against PAOK on Thursday night but struggled to make an impact in the German side's surprise 1-0 defeat.
The Manchester United loanee has found his opportunities limited at Signal Iduna Park and was included in the starting XI for the first time in any competition since the reverse fixture in Greece on October 1.
With Krasnodar racing into a 2-0 lead at half-time and therefore all but certain to win the group, Thomas Tuchel chose to substitute Marco Reus and Shinji Kagawa, leaving Januzaj to play the full 90 minutes.
The 20-year-old was tidy in possession, completing 91 per cent of his passes, and created three chances but those came towards the end of the game and none led to clear goalscoring opportunities.
Generally, Januzaj struggled to exert his influence and even Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Julian Weigl, who only came on at half-time, were more involved than him in terms of passes attempted.
In addition, the team-mate the Belgian most often picked out was Matthias Ginter - playing directly behind him at right-back for most of the match.
Last month, United manager Louis van Gaal admitted he would have preferred to see Januzaj play for a smaller Premier League club rather than join another European giant such as Dortmund where competition for places is higher.
And with his own options restricted due to a number of injuries, the Dutchman was forced to introduce youngsters Nick Powell and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson against Wolfsburg on Tuesday while watching Januzaj struggle for game time.
Adnan Januzaj was afforded a rare start for Borussia Dortmund against PAOK on Thursday night but struggled to make an impact in the German side's surprise 1-0 defeat.
The Manchester United loanee has found his opportunities limited at Signal Iduna Park and was included in the starting XI for the first time in any competition since the reverse fixture in Greece on October 1.
With Krasnodar racing into a 2-0 lead at half-time and therefore all but certain to win the group, Thomas Tuchel chose to substitute Marco Reus and Shinji Kagawa, leaving Januzaj to play the full 90 minutes.
The 20-year-old was tidy in possession, completing 91 per cent of his passes, and created three chances but those came towards the end of the game and none led to clear goalscoring opportunities.
Generally, Januzaj struggled to exert his influence and even Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Julian Weigl, who only came on at half-time, were more involved than him in terms of passes attempted.
In addition, the team-mate the Belgian most often picked out was Matthias Ginter - playing directly behind him at right-back for most of the match.
Last month, United manager Louis van Gaal admitted he would have preferred to see Januzaj play for a smaller Premier League club rather than join another European giant such as Dortmund where competition for places is higher.
And with his own options restricted due to a number of injuries, the Dutchman was forced to introduce youngsters Nick Powell and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson against Wolfsburg on Tuesday while watching Januzaj struggle for game time.
Tottenham 4-1 Monaco: Lamela hits treble as Spurs secure top spot
Erik Lamela hit a first-half hat-trick as Tottenham clinched top spot in Group J of the Europa League with a 4-1 triumph over Monaco at White Hart Lane.
Lamela broke the deadlock inside two minutes before a goalkeeping howler gifted him a second after a quarter of an hour. His third arrived shortly before the break, taking his tally in the competition this season to five.
Tom Carroll also scored for Mauricio Pochettino's side, as they stretched their unbeaten run in all competitions to nine matches with a third successive home win in Europe.
Stephan El Shaarawy's fine effort on the hour was no more than a consolation for Monaco. The Ligue 1 side finish behind both Tottenham and Anderlecht - who defeated Qarabag 2-1 at home - in the final standings.
With a place in the last-32 already guaranteed, Pochettino had the luxury of naming Dele Alli and Harry Kane among the substitutes.
The two England internationals had to be in their seats on the bench quickly to see the game's first goal, Lamela producing a first-time finish to Ben Davies' low cross from the left.If his opener had been laid on a plate by Davies, Lamela's second was gifted to him by visiting goalkeeper Danijel Subasic.
The Croatian looked to have a low shot from just outside the area covered as he dived down to his left, only to somehow let the ball slip underneath his body and into the net.
Monaco briefly threatened to make a game of it after going 2-0 down, with Tiemoue Bakayoko seeing an effort deflected just wide of Hugo Lloris' left post.However, the visitors saw their qualification hopes go from slim to none when Lamela completed his treble eight minutes before the break.
Clinton N'Jie seized possession just inside Monaco's half before teeing up his team-mate for a right-footed shot that he thrashed past Subasic.
The only disappointment for Tottenham in the first half was the loss of Eric Dier through injury, although his departure presented Nabil Bentaleb the chance to make his first appearance at club level since suffering an ankle injury in August.
Subasic denied Joshua Onomah from close range before a fourth goal arrived on the hour mark, albeit for the away side.
El Shaarawy - who had scored the equaliser in the 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture - produced a curling shot that Lloris proved unable to keep out. Had Nabil Dirar found the target with a header soon after, Tottenham could have endured a nervy finish.
Instead, Carroll made sure the hosts had the final word, tricking his way past a defender before cleverly slotting the ball into the far corner from tight to the touchline.
The two England internationals had to be in their seats on the bench quickly to see the game's first goal, Lamela producing a first-time finish to Ben Davies' low cross from the left.If his opener had been laid on a plate by Davies, Lamela's second was gifted to him by visiting goalkeeper Danijel Subasic.
The Croatian looked to have a low shot from just outside the area covered as he dived down to his left, only to somehow let the ball slip underneath his body and into the net.Monaco briefly threatened to make a game of it after going 2-0 down, with Tiemoue Bakayoko seeing an effort deflected just wide of Hugo Lloris' left post.
However, the visitors saw their qualification hopes go from slim to none when Lamela completed his treble eight minutes before the break.Clinton N'Jie seized possession just inside Monaco's half before teeing up his team-mate for a right-footed shot that he thrashed past Subasic.
The only disappointment for Tottenham in the first half was the loss of Eric Dier through injury, although his departure presented Nabil Bentaleb the chance to make his first appearance at club level since suffering an ankle injury in August.
Subasic denied Joshua Onomah from close range before a fourth goal arrived on the hour mark, albeit for the away side.
El Shaarawy - who had scored the equaliser in the 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture - produced a curling shot that Lloris proved unable to keep out. Had Nabil Dirar found the target with a header soon after, Tottenham could have endured a nervy finish.
Instead, Carroll made sure the hosts had the final word, tricking his way past a defender before cleverly slotting the ball into the far corner from tight to the touchline.
Erik Lamela hit a first-half hat-trick as Tottenham clinched top spot in Group J of the Europa League with a 4-1 triumph over Monaco at White Hart Lane.
Lamela broke the deadlock inside two minutes before a goalkeeping howler gifted him a second after a quarter of an hour. His third arrived shortly before the break, taking his tally in the competition this season to five.
Tom Carroll also scored for Mauricio Pochettino's side, as they stretched their unbeaten run in all competitions to nine matches with a third successive home win in Europe.
Stephan El Shaarawy's fine effort on the hour was no more than a consolation for Monaco. The Ligue 1 side finish behind both Tottenham and Anderlecht - who defeated Qarabag 2-1 at home - in the final standings.
With a place in the last-32 already guaranteed, Pochettino had the luxury of naming Dele Alli and Harry Kane among the substitutes.
The two England internationals had to be in their seats on the bench quickly to see the game's first goal, Lamela producing a first-time finish to Ben Davies' low cross from the left.If his opener had been laid on a plate by Davies, Lamela's second was gifted to him by visiting goalkeeper Danijel Subasic.
The Croatian looked to have a low shot from just outside the area covered as he dived down to his left, only to somehow let the ball slip underneath his body and into the net.
Monaco briefly threatened to make a game of it after going 2-0 down, with Tiemoue Bakayoko seeing an effort deflected just wide of Hugo Lloris' left post.However, the visitors saw their qualification hopes go from slim to none when Lamela completed his treble eight minutes before the break.
Clinton N'Jie seized possession just inside Monaco's half before teeing up his team-mate for a right-footed shot that he thrashed past Subasic.
The only disappointment for Tottenham in the first half was the loss of Eric Dier through injury, although his departure presented Nabil Bentaleb the chance to make his first appearance at club level since suffering an ankle injury in August.
Subasic denied Joshua Onomah from close range before a fourth goal arrived on the hour mark, albeit for the away side.
El Shaarawy - who had scored the equaliser in the 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture - produced a curling shot that Lloris proved unable to keep out. Had Nabil Dirar found the target with a header soon after, Tottenham could have endured a nervy finish.
Instead, Carroll made sure the hosts had the final word, tricking his way past a defender before cleverly slotting the ball into the far corner from tight to the touchline.
The two England internationals had to be in their seats on the bench quickly to see the game's first goal, Lamela producing a first-time finish to Ben Davies' low cross from the left.If his opener had been laid on a plate by Davies, Lamela's second was gifted to him by visiting goalkeeper Danijel Subasic.
The Croatian looked to have a low shot from just outside the area covered as he dived down to his left, only to somehow let the ball slip underneath his body and into the net.Monaco briefly threatened to make a game of it after going 2-0 down, with Tiemoue Bakayoko seeing an effort deflected just wide of Hugo Lloris' left post.
However, the visitors saw their qualification hopes go from slim to none when Lamela completed his treble eight minutes before the break.Clinton N'Jie seized possession just inside Monaco's half before teeing up his team-mate for a right-footed shot that he thrashed past Subasic.
The only disappointment for Tottenham in the first half was the loss of Eric Dier through injury, although his departure presented Nabil Bentaleb the chance to make his first appearance at club level since suffering an ankle injury in August.
Subasic denied Joshua Onomah from close range before a fourth goal arrived on the hour mark, albeit for the away side.
El Shaarawy - who had scored the equaliser in the 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture - produced a curling shot that Lloris proved unable to keep out. Had Nabil Dirar found the target with a header soon after, Tottenham could have endured a nervy finish.
Instead, Carroll made sure the hosts had the final word, tricking his way past a defender before cleverly slotting the ball into the far corner from tight to the touchline.
Ronaldo refuses to rule out future Barcelona move
Cristiano Ronaldo has refused to rule out a future move to Barcelona although the Real Madrid star admits it would be "very complicated" to join the Camp Nou side.
The Portugal international's future has been the subject of speculation in recent weeks although speaking after Real's 8-0 win over Malmo he again insisted he is happy at the Bernabeu despite links with PSG.
However, in an interview with the Associated Press on Thursday, Ronaldo admitted he was keeping his options completely open with regards his future.
"It's a little more difficult, but...," he said, when speaking about his future before pausing and adding. "There are things that you kind of already have an idea, that to play one day for Barcelona would be almost impossible, or to play for another English club other than Manchester, it's very complicated.
"But that's not 100 per cent guaranteed. As I said before, there are no certainties in football. Everything is open, all leagues. I may end my career here with Real Madrid. I'm just being honest.
"I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow. If I was 75 per cent certain, I would say so, it wouldn't be a problem. But I have no idea."
Louis van Gaal has recently revealed his interest in bringing Ronaldo back to Old Trafford and the 30-year-old admits he does not know where his future lies.
"As a football professional, this is always an unknown, so I prefer to stay in the present," he added.
"The present is good and I'm enjoying being at Real Madrid. But in a few years I don't know how I'm going to be thinking.
"When it's closer to ending my contract I'm going to have to make decisions, whether it's staying at Real Madrid or going to another club or ending my career in a few years.
"It's normal. That's why I'm not worried, because I know that everything has a beginning and everything has an end.
"I'm ready for that. I'm ready to stay at Real Madrid, to leave, to end my career when it's time. It's part of my job."
Cristiano Ronaldo has refused to rule out a future move to Barcelona although the Real Madrid star admits it would be "very complicated" to join the Camp Nou side.
The Portugal international's future has been the subject of speculation in recent weeks although speaking after Real's 8-0 win over Malmo he again insisted he is happy at the Bernabeu despite links with PSG.
However, in an interview with the Associated Press on Thursday, Ronaldo admitted he was keeping his options completely open with regards his future.
"It's a little more difficult, but...," he said, when speaking about his future before pausing and adding. "There are things that you kind of already have an idea, that to play one day for Barcelona would be almost impossible, or to play for another English club other than Manchester, it's very complicated.
"But that's not 100 per cent guaranteed. As I said before, there are no certainties in football. Everything is open, all leagues. I may end my career here with Real Madrid. I'm just being honest.
"I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow. If I was 75 per cent certain, I would say so, it wouldn't be a problem. But I have no idea."
Louis van Gaal has recently revealed his interest in bringing Ronaldo back to Old Trafford and the 30-year-old admits he does not know where his future lies.
"As a football professional, this is always an unknown, so I prefer to stay in the present," he added.
"The present is good and I'm enjoying being at Real Madrid. But in a few years I don't know how I'm going to be thinking.
"When it's closer to ending my contract I'm going to have to make decisions, whether it's staying at Real Madrid or going to another club or ending my career in a few years.
"It's normal. That's why I'm not worried, because I know that everything has a beginning and everything has an end.
"I'm ready for that. I'm ready to stay at Real Madrid, to leave, to end my career when it's time. It's part of my job."
Pochettino: Monaco win shows Tottenham have a great squad
Mauricio Pochettino was able to reflect on a job well done after Tottenham secured top spot in Group J of the Europa League with a 4-1 win over Monaco.
Erik Lamela scored a first-half hat-trick as the Premier League side - who had already qualified for the last 32 prior to the game at White Hart Lane - extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to nine matches.
Tom Carroll also scored for the hosts, with Stephan El Shaarawy's effort for Monaco on the hour mark proving to be nothing more than a consolation.
"I'm very happy. Job done and we are first in the group. I'm proud of them and we show we have a very strong squad," Pochettino told the club's official website.
"The mentality was great. We showed a winning mentality and we need to keep this for the whole season."
The Tottenham manager was particularly pleased for Lamela, who broke the deadlock after just two minutes.
He was gifted a second by a goalkeeping error, while his third arrived shortly before the half-time interval. The treble takes the player's tally to five goals in as many Europa League appearances this season.
"It's fantastic for Lamela, a great moment for him," Pochettino added. "From the start of the season he's showing improvement and consistency."
Mauricio Pochettino was able to reflect on a job well done after Tottenham secured top spot in Group J of the Europa League with a 4-1 win over Monaco.
Erik Lamela scored a first-half hat-trick as the Premier League side - who had already qualified for the last 32 prior to the game at White Hart Lane - extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to nine matches.
Tom Carroll also scored for the hosts, with Stephan El Shaarawy's effort for Monaco on the hour mark proving to be nothing more than a consolation.
"I'm very happy. Job done and we are first in the group. I'm proud of them and we show we have a very strong squad," Pochettino told the club's official website.
"The mentality was great. We showed a winning mentality and we need to keep this for the whole season."
The Tottenham manager was particularly pleased for Lamela, who broke the deadlock after just two minutes.
He was gifted a second by a goalkeeping error, while his third arrived shortly before the half-time interval. The treble takes the player's tally to five goals in as many Europa League appearances this season.
"It's fantastic for Lamela, a great moment for him," Pochettino added. "From the start of the season he's showing improvement and consistency."
Fluminense confirm Ronaldinho return
Ronaldinho will return to his former club Fluminense in January to take part in the Florida Cup.
The 35-year-old initially joined the Brazilian club in July but left by mutual consent less than three months later.
Ronaldinho, who was twice named Fifa World Player of the Year, is still officially without a club but is now set to face Shakhtar Donetsk and International in the tournament which will be held in January.
"We are going to Orlando for the Florida Cup, and as a matter of marketing and brand expansion, Ronaldinho will play for us," Fluminense president Peter Siemsen told Radio Tupi.
"Ronaldinho and Fluminense maintain a great respect for each other. And for the American market is very attractive brand of player."
Ronaldinho will return to his former club Fluminense in January to take part in the Florida Cup.
The 35-year-old initially joined the Brazilian club in July but left by mutual consent less than three months later.
Ronaldinho, who was twice named Fifa World Player of the Year, is still officially without a club but is now set to face Shakhtar Donetsk and International in the tournament which will be held in January.
"We are going to Orlando for the Florida Cup, and as a matter of marketing and brand expansion, Ronaldinho will play for us," Fluminense president Peter Siemsen told Radio Tupi.
"Ronaldinho and Fluminense maintain a great respect for each other. And for the American market is very attractive brand of player."
Flamini: Arsenal don't want Barcelona in the Champions League
Mathieu Flamini revealed the opponents Arsenal are least looking forward to facing in the Champions League knockout stages are Barcelona, though he is confident of beating the rest.
The Gunners recovered from a torrid start to their European campaign to finish runners-up in Group F on Wednesday, although that also means they could draw the likes of Real Madrid and Atletico as well as the Catalans.
And after being dumped out of the competition by Barcelona a couple of times over the course of the decade, Flamini insists Luis Enrique's men are the least desirable side they could be made to face.
"We obviously don’t want Barcelona as they are a top team but for the rest, we will see," the 31-year-old told reporters.
Arsene Wenger's men bowed out in a defeat to Monaco last season but Flamini is confident the shock result was simply a blip, adding: “We played Monaco last year and we thought it would maybe a bit easier and it was not the case."So whoever we play, we will give 100 per cent."
Arsenal secured progress from the group stages with a 3-0 win over Olympiakos in the final round, and the midfielder believes such performances bode well for their ambitions this term.“It was a good performance against Olympiakos and we showed great team spirit. We had the chance to prove to everyone we have the qualities of being a top team in the Champions League," he continued.
"We did it, playing some good football. It was a good test for us to see if we had the personality and character to have a positive result."
Mathieu Flamini revealed the opponents Arsenal are least looking forward to facing in the Champions League knockout stages are Barcelona, though he is confident of beating the rest.
The Gunners recovered from a torrid start to their European campaign to finish runners-up in Group F on Wednesday, although that also means they could draw the likes of Real Madrid and Atletico as well as the Catalans.
And after being dumped out of the competition by Barcelona a couple of times over the course of the decade, Flamini insists Luis Enrique's men are the least desirable side they could be made to face.
"We obviously don’t want Barcelona as they are a top team but for the rest, we will see," the 31-year-old told reporters.
Arsene Wenger's men bowed out in a defeat to Monaco last season but Flamini is confident the shock result was simply a blip, adding: “We played Monaco last year and we thought it would maybe a bit easier and it was not the case."So whoever we play, we will give 100 per cent."
Arsenal secured progress from the group stages with a 3-0 win over Olympiakos in the final round, and the midfielder believes such performances bode well for their ambitions this term.“It was a good performance against Olympiakos and we showed great team spirit. We had the chance to prove to everyone we have the qualities of being a top team in the Champions League," he continued.
"We did it, playing some good football. It was a good test for us to see if we had the personality and character to have a positive result."
Van Gaal's Champions League campaign a DISASTER compared to Moyes
Even the numbers are against Louis van Gaal. Pressure has been piled on the Dutchman following Manchester United's Champions League exit and the statistics sum up a lifeless showing in the group stages.
Even in his 10 months in charge at Old Trafford, David Moyes was able to guide United to the quarter-final stage where they were knocked out by Bayern Munich.
Meanwhile, Van Gaal's first Champions League adventure with United has been cut short and the club now face the prospect of the Europe League.
Here are the stats that make grim reading for Van Gaal...
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Being dropped was good for Giroud, says Flamini
Mathieu Flamini believes Olivier Giroud's improved Arsenal form is a result of having to fight for his place in the starting XI.
The 29-year-old netted his first ever hat-trick for the Gunners on Wednesday in a 3-0 win over Olympiacos that saw Arsene Wenger's men through to the Champions League knockout stage.
The turnaround in form is in stark contrast to his struggles between August and October, when Theo Walcott was often preferred at centre forward.
The France forward has since been restored to Wenger's first-team plans and has paid back his manager's faith with 10 goals in his last 12 games.
"I think competition is very important in the big teams," Flamini told reporters.
"Competition makes players stronger and that is what happened [to Giroud]. It is tough competition up front and Olivier is responding very well because he is playing better and better.
"That is part of the game and if you want to play at a big club, you have that competition. All great strikers have to respond in the big games and he responded well.
"It was a great performance [against Olympiacos] from him and he helped the team very much and is a top scorer. He deserves the credit and I think he gets it.
"I have not seen it anywhere or from anyone that he is not a top goal-scorer and he is proving it on the pitch so he is doing very well. I am glad and happy for him."
Mathieu Flamini believes Olivier Giroud's improved Arsenal form is a result of having to fight for his place in the starting XI.
The 29-year-old netted his first ever hat-trick for the Gunners on Wednesday in a 3-0 win over Olympiacos that saw Arsene Wenger's men through to the Champions League knockout stage.
The turnaround in form is in stark contrast to his struggles between August and October, when Theo Walcott was often preferred at centre forward.
The France forward has since been restored to Wenger's first-team plans and has paid back his manager's faith with 10 goals in his last 12 games.
"I think competition is very important in the big teams," Flamini told reporters.
"Competition makes players stronger and that is what happened [to Giroud]. It is tough competition up front and Olivier is responding very well because he is playing better and better.
"That is part of the game and if you want to play at a big club, you have that competition. All great strikers have to respond in the big games and he responded well.
"It was a great performance [against Olympiacos] from him and he helped the team very much and is a top scorer. He deserves the credit and I think he gets it.
"I have not seen it anywhere or from anyone that he is not a top goal-scorer and he is proving it on the pitch so he is doing very well. I am glad and happy for him."
Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola may consider Manchester United as his next destination, according to Franz Beckenbauer.
Speculation surrounding Guardiola's future continues with the Bayern coach's contract set to expire in mid-2016.Both Manchester clubs – United and City – have been linked with the Spaniard, who has led Bayern to two Bundesliga titles.
Bayern's honorary president Beckenbauer reckons Guardiola could head to Old Trafford.
"Pep is interesting for every top club in the world," he said. "That's just normal.
"He can pick his club and in terms of popularity Manchester United might be the number one worldwide."
United manager Louis van Gaal is under increasing pressure at the club after they were eliminated in the Champions League group stage on Tuesday.
Boring Van Gaal is sucking the life out of Man United
If you find it a surprise that Manchester United have been knocked out of the Champions League, you clearly haven’t been watching their games this season.
Having spent a gargantuan £283 million in the transfer market, Louis van Gaal succeeded only in turning United into one of the dullest, rigid, lifeless teams in the competition. By the time they arrived in Wolfsburg needing a victory to be sure of progression, it was clear they were swimming against the tide.
Somehow, Van Gaal has sucked the life out of one of the world’s greatest clubs. Fans no longer look forward to arriving at Old Trafford in the same way they used to.
Players don’t seem to have the same appetite and belief as their predecessors. And when visiting teams begin to batten down the hatches with 20 minutes to go they do so safe in the knowledge that the worst is over. Fergie time and the avalanche of late, crucial goals is now just a distant memory.
After a September during which the Red Devils scored 15 goals in six games, the humiliating 3-0 defeat to Arsenal was a real watershed moment for United. From there Van Gaal looked to tighten up first and worry about attacking later. Rather than accept that selecting two immobile thirty-somethings in Michael Carrick and Bastian Schweinsteiger in midfield was a grave error, he decided that his side needed to become tougher to break down at the expense of greater expression in the final third.
There is a monotony to United which reflects Van Gaal’s approach. The only thing that changes in training is the time. When they arrive at Carrington morning, noon or night, the players are put through exactly the same exercises week after week. After going through their warm-ups on a match day it is the same training drills which are performed by the starting XI whether the opposition is Cambridge or CSKA Moscow.
There has been many an occasion when Van Gaal has waxed lyrical about the wonderful football displayed by his Ajax sides of the mid-1990s, but lately he has turned to more recent examples of his work when suggesting that Man Utd fans should fans should have known what they were getting when he was appointed,
“When they don't like the style of play for Manchester United, everybody knows in advance that all the teams of LVG plays like that. In Barcelona, or Bayern Munich or AZ we have played like that,” said Van Gaal in defence of his tactics after the 0-0 draw with West Ham at Old Trafford on Saturday.
But while he believes that United fans should have foreseen the current situation, the same charge can be levelled at the 64-year-old. This is a club which has been built on playing football the right way. Even in the days in between Sir Matt Busby and Sir Alex Ferguson, the likes of Tommy Docherty and Ron Atkinson had United playing an attractive brand of football, while Dave Sexton – the manager who bridged the gap between the reigns of the two – was criticised for a more functional, conservative approach.
Van Gaal didn’t walk into this job with his eyes closed. He knew the demands associated with Manchester United. He had seen what happened to David Moyes, yet even in the Scot’s short spell in charge there was a more willing approach to attacking than Van Gaal has employed.
What’s more, Van Gaal cannot claim that he has not been given the tools with which to build a fast-flowing, attractive lineup. A British record fee of £59.7m was splashed out on Angel di Maria, and while he had not been the manager’s choice, he was the kind of player most bosses would love to work with. The Dutchman was forever switching Di Maria around and eventually helped to make the Argentine attacker’s position in the squad untenable.
Yet even since he has been given carte blanche in the market he has been unable to get the best out of explosive talents. Memphis Depay was his marquee signing last summer for a fee potentially rising to £31m, yet the Netherlands World Cup star has so far failed to show anything like his best. Anthony Martial, meanwhile, has been pushed from pillar to post since his deadline-day transfer, and the lack of appropriate service has seen him struggle to find the net.
Similarly, Ander Herrera has cut a frustrated figure as a result of his lack of playing time while Juan Mata has looked a shadow of himself when shoved out to the right wing for game after game. It was no coincidence that Martial’s best opening in weeks came on Tuesday in Wolfsburg from a killer ball by Mata, playing in the No.10 spot vacated by the injured Wayne Rooney. If Van Gaal had had a fully-fit squad available to him, there is little doubt Mata would have been used as a right winger, if at all.
And that brings us to another point. United’s lack of strength in depth left them incredibly exposed as they kicked off against Wolfsburg, and two further injuries only made matters worse as the match went on.
Van Gaal insisted earlier this season that he was able to pack off a number of former first-team squad members in the summer because of the versatility of a string of current players. Yet such a viewpoint is always dangerous since it only takes a few absences to leave the squad looking stretched.
The likes of Guillermo Varela, Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, Axel Tuanzebe and Marcus Rashford may well become excellent senior players in time, but the truth is that right now they are getting a look-in with the first team more out of necessity than out of choice. If United had even half the depth of cover of previous seasons to call upon then such youngsters would be getting an outing when the time was right, not when the situation demanded it.
Louis van Gaal is not the only man to blame for United’s current malaise, and indeed he has steered his side into a comfortable top-four position from which they are well placed to challenge for the Premier League title this season.
However, the Champions League failure is a huge step backwards for the club, and the Dutchman has to take a large share of the responsibility. Having a belief and sticking to it can be a very positive quality, but the belligerence and stubbornness with which Van Gaal stands by his failing ‘philosophy’ is threatening to undermine his attempts to make a success of his Manchester United reign.
Record-breaking Vardy and Ranieri claim November awards
Jamie Vardy's stellar start to the season was given more recognition this week as the Leicester City striker picked up consecutive Premier League Player of the Month awards, while Claudio Ranieri scooped the manager's accolade.
Vardy took the October award after scoring five times in four matches, and has become just the fifth player to win back-to-back Player of the Month prizes after Robbie Fowler, Dennis Bergkamp, Cristiano Ronaldo and Harry Kane.
November saw Vardy net in all three of Leicester's games - his opener in the 1-1 draw with Manchester United setting a new Premier League record of scoring in 11 consecutive matches.
That run came to an end in Leicester's 3-0 win at Swansea City last weekend, but Vardy's season tally of 14 is three more than Romelu Lukaku in second place.
It was a double success for Leicester, who saw Ranieri take the manager's award.
Leicester defeated both Watford and Newcastle, before the draw with United at the end of the month. Last Saturday's win at Swansea saw the club rise to the Premier League's summit, ahead of a meeting with reigning champions - and one of Ranieri's former clubs, Chelsea, on Monday.
Jamie Vardy's stellar start to the season was given more recognition this week as the Leicester City striker picked up consecutive Premier League Player of the Month awards, while Claudio Ranieri scooped the manager's accolade.
Vardy took the October award after scoring five times in four matches, and has become just the fifth player to win back-to-back Player of the Month prizes after Robbie Fowler, Dennis Bergkamp, Cristiano Ronaldo and Harry Kane.
November saw Vardy net in all three of Leicester's games - his opener in the 1-1 draw with Manchester United setting a new Premier League record of scoring in 11 consecutive matches.
That run came to an end in Leicester's 3-0 win at Swansea City last weekend, but Vardy's season tally of 14 is three more than Romelu Lukaku in second place.
It was a double success for Leicester, who saw Ranieri take the manager's award.
Leicester defeated both Watford and Newcastle, before the draw with United at the end of the month. Last Saturday's win at Swansea saw the club rise to the Premier League's summit, ahead of a meeting with reigning champions - and one of Ranieri's former clubs, Chelsea, on Monday.
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