Inter Milan and Lyon were among the six teams to qualify for the Europa League's knockout stage but defending champions Atletico Madrid were made to wait after their 16-match winning run in European competition was ended. Liverpool's qualification hopes took a dive by losing 1-0 at wealthy Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala in Group A while Uruguay striker Edinson Cavani produced the best individual performance of the round, scoring all four of Napoli's goals in a 4-2 win over Dnipro to revive the Italian team's challenge in Group F.

Inter joined Rubin Kazan in progressing from Group H with two games to spare by easing past Partizan Belgrade 3-1 and Lyon ensured a top-two finish in Group I by winning 3-2 at last season's beaten finalist Athletic Bilbao, who slumped to a third defeat in four matches.