16 qualifiers decided for Champions League knock-out stage

All the 16 teams for the European Champions League knock-out stage were decided after the last eight group matches were played on Wednesday.

   In Group E, Bayer Leverkusen will have to be content with the Europa league after sharing the spoils with group leaders Barcelona's second string team bolstered by Lionel Messi.

   Due to the fact that only a win would be enough, Roger Schmidt's men piled on the pressure from the kick-off.

   However, just as Leverkusen were pressing for the opener, the Catalans broke the deadlock against the run of the game. Ivan Rakitic's pinpoint through ball found Messi, who rounded onrushing Leverkusen keeper Bernd Leno to tap home into the open goal with 20 minutes played.

   The hosts kept it bowling and responded only three minutes later as Admir Mehmedi's square pass into the box allowed Javier Hernandez to slot home the equalizer.

   Leverkusen continued their run on Barcelona's goal but neither Hakan Calhanoglu nor Karim Bellarabi were able to turn their chances into a tangible reward.

   "That is a drama. I am shocked that we did not manage to win this game. The fact that BATE Borisov drew in Rome makes it a tragedy for us." Leverkusen coach Schmidt said.

   In Rome, the hosts drew with BATE Borisov 0-0 which was enough to place them second behind Barcelona.

   In Group F, group winners Bayern Munich beat Dinamo Zagreb 2-0 with a brace by striker Robert Lewandowski while Olivier Giroud scored a hat trick as Arsenal advanced with a 3-0 win over Olympiakos, overturning an advantage held by the Greeks ahead of the final match.

   Olympiakos, which beat Arsenal 3-2 in London, would have advanced with a draw.

   Group G saw another English club, Chelsea advance as the hosts secured a 2-0 win over FC Porto.

   Chelsea scored through an own goal by Ivan Marcano in the 12th and Willian sealed the deal in the 52nd.

   Dynamo Kiev advanced in second place with a 1-0 win over Maccabi Tel Aviv in Ukraine. The game was played in an empty stadium in the Ukrainian capital Kiev as part of Dynamo's punishment for racist attacks by its fans in October.

   Dynamo will also have to hold the home leg of its first knockout round tie behind closed doors.

   Gary Neville's debut as Valencia coach ended in disaster as his side lost their Group H home game 2-0 to Olympique Leon and both teams crashed out of the Champions League.

   Valencia went into the game with the odds against them qualifying as they needed to win at home to Lyon while Gent had to fail to win at home to group leaders Zenit St Petersburg.

   Valencia fell behind as Lyon winger Gnarly Cornet opened scoring eight minutes from halftime and the visitors doubled their lead through Alexandre Lacazette in the 76th minute.

   Gent gave Belgium a spot in the knockout stage as group runners-up after beating group winner Zenit St. Petersburg 2-1 with goals by Laurent Depoitre and Danijel Milicevic.  Endi