Real Madrid romped to a 4-2 victory over Napoli on Wednesday to finish first in their Champions League group.
Napoli’s setback prevented them from finishing second, with the Italians facing Braga in the final group encounter to determine who advances.
14-time champs on record Madrid were already through, but an entertaining triumph over the visiting Italian champions secured first place.
Giovanni Simeone put Napoli ahead early on, but Rodrygo and Jude Bellingham quickly equalised.
Zambo, Andre-Frank Anguissa equalised for the visitors shortly after halftime, but Madrid youngster Nico Paz put his team ahead after 84 minutes, and Joselu sealed the victory in stoppage time.
“I’m so happy, this is a dream… for a moment I couldn’t believe it,” Paz said after helping Madrid maintain their perfect record of five wins in five games.
“(My team-mates) were maybe even more happy than me, and I’m grateful to them for their support.”
Napoli, with newly reinstalled coach Walter Mazzarri at the helm, started with Giovanni Simeone – the son of Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone – up front, and he swiftly pounced.
The Argentine forward converted Giovanni di Lorenzo’s cut-back, and despite Madrid custodian Andriy Lunin’s clawing, the ball had crossed the line.
Madrid, on the other hand, equalised almost immediately, with Brahim Diaz breaking and Rodrygo wonderfully striking the top corner.
The Brazilian scored twice for Real Madrid over the weekend and has six goals in his previous four games across all competitions.
Without Vinicius Junior, one of Madrid’s many wounded talents, his compatriot has stepped up.
After 22 minutes, Madrid seized the lead via Bellingham, who planted a fantastic header across Alex Meret and in after David Alaba found him with a fine searching cross.
Bellingham currently has four Champions League goals in four games for Madrid, and 15 in 16 appearances this season, giving him the club’s leading scorer by far.
“Nobody could imagine him adapting like this here in this football, in this new club, he’s surprising everybody,” Ancelotti said in an interview with Movistar.
“He’s spectacular at arriving in the box, he’s like a motorbike arriving in the area.”
Diaz came close to adding a third goal for Madrid but shot wide when he might have searched for Bellingham or Rodrygo instead.
England international Bellingham had his ankle examined before the break, but he returned to help Madrid in the second half.
Paz is decisive.
Napoli promptly equalised, with Zambo Anguissa smashing home across Lunin after his attempted cross was deflected back into his path.
After that, Madrid had the upper hand over the Italian champions, and Joselu and Rodrygo both came close to putting Ancelotti’s team ahead again.
Meret produced a fantastic stop to deny Bellingham as he sprinted into the area, as well as another to keep Antonio Rudiger’s header out.
Napoli substitute Victor Osimhen had a goal disallowed for offside at the other end.
Madrid’s third goal came when substitute Paz smashed a low attempt into the bottom corner from long range, delighting the Santiago Bernabeu crowd.
The 19-year-old midfielder is seen as a future star and made an immediate impact in his second Champions League game.
“He’s a talent, a youngster from the youth academy who’s working with us, he scored an important goal, for him and for us,” Ancelotti said.
Joselu, who had wasted several good chances, put the icing on the cake with a close-range finish in stoppage time.