REAL Madrid has ended Manchester City's Champions League campaign while Arsenal has moved through to the knockout stage for the 13th straight year with a 2-0 win over Montpellier.Madrid and Man City drew 1-1 this morning. City needed a win to keep its hopes alive going into the Group D finale, but Karim Benzema exploited sloppy defending to put Madrid ahead after just 10 minutes at Etihad Stadium.
City secured a lifeline in the 74th when Alvaro Arbeloa was sent off after fouling Sergio Aguero and the Argentina striker subsequently equalized from the penalty spot.
But Madrid held on for the draw to qualify with Borussia Dortmund, leaving City stranded at the bottom with just three points from five matches.
At Emirates Stadium, Jack Wilshere scored his first goal in two years to help the Gunners down Montpellier.
Lukas Podolski gave winless Montpellier too much to do by rifling in a sensational 63rd-minute volley after exchanging a one-two with Giroud, a former player of the French team.
Assured of a top-two finish, Arsenal will go into its last Group B game a point behind leader Schalke. Both sides will want to finish top to secure what would likely be an easier last-16 match.
Elsewhere, Schalke left it late to secure a 1-0 win over Olympiakos to qualify for the last 16 and Borussia Dortmund easily outclassed Ajax 4-1.
Seven-time winner Milan won 3-1 at Anderlecht and Paris Saint-German won 2-0 at Dynamo Kiev to go through from Group A with FC Porto, which beat Dinamo Zagreb 3-0.
Bayern Munich is also in the last 16.
Earlier this morning, Malaga was held to a 2-2 draw by Zenit St Petersburg in a stalemate that kept the doorajar for the Russian side to progress.
Argentinian midfielder Diego Bounanotte and Uruguay's forward Sebastian "Seba" Fernandez were on target for Malaga, while Portuguese winger Miguel Danny and substitute midfielder Vikotr Faizulin scored for Zenit.
The result left Malaga top of Group C with 11 points from five matches, while Zenit share third spot on four points with Anderlecht, who play Italian giants AC Milan.
"We've got all we wanted to get here," Malaga manager Manuel Pellegrini said.
"The play went our way completely. We scored twice early in the first half but after the break Zenit naturally put pressure on us. We're pleased with the final score.
"And I have certain doubts about Zenit's second goal. It seemed to me that it wasn't scored the legal way."
Zenit, who were in desperate need of a win to keep alive their chances for a place in the knockout stages, started in a lively fashion but it was Malaga midfielder Buonanotte who put his side in front in the eighth minute sending the ball home with an unopposed eight-metre shot from Seba's right-handed cross from the edge of the box.
Seba made it 2-0 for Malaga just a minute later, firing home from just inside the box after Roque Santa Cruz intercepted Zenit keeper Vyacheslav Malafeyev's pass to Bruno Alves and made a precise feeder to the Uruguayan.
Cristiano-Ronaldo
Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, left, jumps with Manchester City's Maicon during the UEFA Champions League match at The Etihad Stadium. Picture: Paul EllisSource: AFP
The hosts sent forwards Hulk and Alexander Kerzhakov into attack but they lacked accuracy, while Malaga 'keeper Wilfredo "Willy" Caballero was in command of his net.
Danny reduced the arrears four minutes after the interval, when he received Tomas Hubocan's pass into the area from the left and sent the ball into the net past helpless Willy from seven metres.
Three minutes later Kerzhakov missed a chance to level, sending the ball into the outer side of the net with a close-range shot after he outplayed Willy in the six-yard box.
The hosts, spurred on by a capacity 20,000 crowd at the Petrovsky arena, continued testing Malaga's defence which held firm until 72nd minute substitute Faizulin saved the day for Zenit, firing into the net from 15 metres with four minutes to go.
"We started extremely badly. We lost concentration and paid our price for it. Just 10 minutes in and we trail 2-0." Danny said.
"It was very tough. We all worked hard trying to came back. We missed our chances in the first half but scored twice in the second and could have scored the third. We are all very upset. But we still have chances to go to Europa League. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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