Arteta's side swatted aside the Croatian champions at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday thanks to Declan Rice's early opener and second half goals from Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard.

"They were better. We have to accept it, We have the last chance at home against Bruges. We will do everything there and if we don't it is because we don't deserve it," Guardiola told reporters after the match at the Parc des Princes.

The Scottish champions had a first-half penalty saved, three goals disallowed and ended with 10 men after Daizen Maeda saw red but held on to ensure they will finish in the top 24 of the 36-team table and reach the play-off round.

The last-gasp victory sends Atletico third in the Champions League table, with the top eight sides all avoiding an extra knockout round.

Raphinha struck a dramatic winner in stoppage time as Barcelona came from behind to beat Benfica 5-4 in a wild match on Tuesday and virtually ensure direct qualification to the Champions League last 16.

Liverpool maintained their perfect Champions League record to guarantee a top-two finish in the league phase and automatic last-16 qualification with a 2-1 win over Lille at Anfield on Tuesday.

Liverpool top the Champions League table by three points, having won all six of their games, while Bruno Genesio's Lille are eighth on 13 points in the final automatic qualifying spot.

The Catalan giants have won just one of their last eight league games, falling behind rivals Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, but by contrast are flying high in Europe.

Olmo has scored six goals and registered three assists in 18 appearances since joining Barca in the close season from RB Leipzig. The Catalans are second in the Champions League table, having won five of their six games.

Last season, around this time, there was a surprise package in Girona in the top three of LaLiga. However, a year later, the Spanish league has returned to the status quo, with Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid -- the three giants of Spain -- occupying the top three spots on the table at the end of 2024.

A few weeks after Real Madrid claimed a record-extending 15th Champions League title by beating Borussia Dortmund 2-0 at Wembley in May an imperious Spain steamrollered all before them to triumph in the European Championship.

City, who are looking to qualify for Europe's top club competition for a 15th straight season, have won just one of their last eight Premier League games and are seventh, 12 points behind leaders Liverpool.

The Brazilian had been sidelined since suffering a hamstring injury in a 1-0 victory for the Premier League and Champions League leaders at Crystal Palace on October 5.

 Barcelona's young team can learn from the setbacks they have faced in their LaLiga campaign and continue to improve, manager Hansi Flick said on Tuesday ahead of their Champions League meeting with Borussia Dortmund.

"We have to survive the season, every game, try to take points, to try to win games and go forward," said Man City coach Pep Guardiola.

Real Madrid have endured a series of injuries this season, with several key players missing significant time, including Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao who are out for the rest of the campaign with ACL tears.

The Premier League leaders are top of the European standings with a 100 percent record and on Tuesday face a Girona side down in 30th, with four defeats in five matches.

Off the back of a fabulous campaign in which they won record-extending titles in LaLiga and the Champions League, Real have struggle in their European title defence, losing three of their last four continental matches.

Six players from Champions League winners Real Madrid and four from Manchester City feature in this year’s FIFPRO World 11 announced on Monday by the global players' association, with Lionel Messi absent for the first time in almost 20 years.

Jude Bellingham said Real Madrid were beaten by "the best-performing team in Europe" as Liverpool's dismantling of the Spanish giants set a new bar in Arne Slot's stunning start at Anfield.