The UEFA Champions League's first-ever league phase is over, and the knockout stage outlook is now much clearer. Manchester City avoided disaster, Liverpool topped the league-phase table, and we will get Manchester City against either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in the playoffs.

Pep Guardiola breathed a sigh of relief as Manchester City scraped into the Uefa Champions League play-offs with a 3-1 win over Club Brugge. City trailed their Belgian opponents at half time before Mateo Kovacic and the lively Savinho inspired a second-half comeback with a Joel Ordonez own goal sandwiched in between.

Manchester City scored three second half goals to come back from the brink of elimination and advance to the UEFA Champions League’s inaugural knockout round playoffs following a thrilling 3-1 victory over Club Brugge on Wednesday night.