Premier League title rivals Manchester United and Manchester City both closed on the Champions League knockout phase on Wednesday, as Real Madrid sealed their place in the last 16.
United won 2-0 at home to Romanian champions Otelul Galati in Group C, which means that last season's beaten finalists can make sure of a place in the next round with victory at home to Benfica in their next game on November 23.
Having lamented the 6-1 "derby debacle" against City last month in his programme notes, Sir Alex Ferguson sent out an ultra-attacking United side that took an early lead when Antonio Valencia converted Phil Jones' low cross.
City muscled into position in Group A with a 3-0 victory at injury-ravaged Villarreal -- their first away win in the competition's history.
Yaya Toure broke the deadlock in the 30th minute at El Madrigal, bending a right-footed shot into the bottom-right corner from Spaniard David Silva's pass.
The win lifted City into second place in the group, above a Napoli team whose last-16 hopes took a blow in a 3-2 defeat at Bayern Munich.
Bayern win thriller
In rampant form domestically, group leaders Bayern went 3-0 up through a first-half Mario Gomez hat-trick.
Federico Fernandez got on the score-sheet twice, becoming the first opposition player to score at the Allianz Arena since Borussia Moenchengladbach's Igor de Camargo on August 7, but Bayern held on.
{{/usCountry}}Federico Fernandez got on the score-sheet twice, becoming the first opposition player to score at the Allianz Arena since Borussia Moenchengladbach's Igor de Camargo on August 7, but Bayern held on.
{{/usCountry}}Ronaldo's hundred
Having seen his eternal rival Lionel Messi score his 200th and 201st goals for Barcelona on Tuesday, Cristiano Ronaldo reached the 100-goal milestone for Real Madrid with both goals in a 2-0 succes at Lyon.
He broke the deadlock in the 24th minute with a low free-kick through the wall and made the points safe with a 69th-minute penalty that secured Real's first ever win at Stade Gerland and a place in the last 16.
"We produced a complete, focused performance on a difficult pitch," said Real coach Jose Mourinho. "Qualification is assured but now we want to hold on to first place."