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On the sixth matchday of the 2020-21 UEFA Champions League, continental heavyweights Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid sealed their passage to the Round of 16. Meanwhile, fomer winners Manchester United and Internazionale missed the bus.
Despite losing at Real Madrid, Borussia Monchengladbach also qualified for the knockout round of this season's Champions League. That was due to the other game in the group between Inter Milan and Shakhtar Donetsk ending goalless.
However, Manchester United weren't so lucky. A defeat at Leipzig on Matchday 6 eliminated the English giants from contention.
Elsewhere, Atletico Madrid left it late but managed to rubberstamp their place in the Champions League Round of 16 with a 2-0 win at Salzburg.
The sixth matchday of the 2020-21 UEFA Champions League had its fare share of thrills. Especially in Group B, where all four sides were in contention to reach the knockout round. However, there were goals and excitement in other groups too.
So, without further ado, let's delve into the five most interesting stats from the final group stage games of the 2020-21 UEFA Champions League.
#5 Karim Benzema becomes the fifth player to score 50 Champions League group stage goals
Karim Benzema has had a rather lukewarm 2020-21 campaign after his domestic exploits last season inspired Real Madrid to their first La Liga title in three years.
The Frenchman's slow start, especially in the Champions League, pushed Los Blancos to the brink of elimination after Shakhtar Donetsk did the double over the stuttering 13-time champions.
Needing a win at home against Borussia Monchengladbach on Matchday 6, Zinedine Zidane's men were indebted to a Karim Benzema brace to seal their berth in the 2020-21 Champions League Round of 16.
In the process, the Frenchman became only the fifth player in Champions League history to score 50 group stage goals. Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Raul, and Ruud Van Nistelrooy are the others.
#4 Youssoufa Moukoko becomes the youngest Champions League debutant
In Borussia Dortmund's 2-1 win at Zenit St. Petersburg, Youssoufa Moukoko made a record-making Champions League appearance.
Just 18 days after his 16th birthday, the German striker became the youngest player in the history of the Champions League to appear in the tournament proper. He beat the previous record held by Celestine Babayaro by over two months.
The Cameroon-born player, renowned for his prolific goal-scoring prowess in youth football, has also played three Bundesliga games for BvB, but is yet to score a goal for the club.
#3 Barcelona concede twice inside the opening 20 minutes of a Champions League game at home for the very first time
After enduring their first trophyless season in more than a decade, Ronald Koeman's Barcelona won their first five Champions League games of the season, despite their indifferent domestic form.
The Blaugrana, who lie a dismal ninth in the La Liga table, needed a point at home against visiting Juventus to win their Champions League group. However, instead stumbled to a 0-3 defeat.
After winning 2-0 at the home of a Cristiano Ronaldo-less Juventus, Barcelona came unstuck at the Nou Camp thanks to the exploits of the Portuguese maestro. He notched up his first Champions League goals against the Blaugrana in seven attempts.
Ronaldo opened the scoring from the spot early on, before young American Weston McKennie scored from close range to double Juventus' advantage on the night. In the process, Barcelona conceded two goals at home inside 20 minutes of a Champions League game for the first time.
As if to add insult to injury, Ronaldo converted another spot-kick to help Juventus win the group at the expense of Barcelona.
#2 Kylian Mbappe becomes the youngest player to score 20 Champions League goals
Continuing his fine start to the 2020-21 season, Kylian Mbappe scored his first two Champions League goals of the season against competition debutants Istanbul Basaksehir.
In the process, the 21-year-old Frenchman became the youngest player to score 20 goals in the Champions League and the first one to do so before their 22nd birthday.
Mbappe, who has already scored ten Ligue goals this campaign, has notched up more Champions League assists (14) than anybody else since the start of the 2017-18 season.
#1 Neymar becomes the third player to score three Champions League hat-tricks
After failing to inspire Paris Saint-Germain to their first Champions League title against treble-winning Bayern Munich in last season's final, Neymar has had a blistering start to the new campaign.
The 28-year-old Brazilian, who has already scored thrice in this season's competition coming into the Matchday 6 game against Istanbul Basaksehir, notched up a fabulous hat-trick against the tournament debutants.
In doing so, Neymar joined Lionel Messi (8) and Cristiano Ronaldo (8) as the only other players to score three Champions League hat-tricks.
The Brazilian's two other hat-tricks in the competition came when was plying his trade at Barcelona.
