Barcelona were whistled by their own fans during Wednesday's Champions League match with Dynamo Kiev but earned a crucial win while Cristiano Ronaldo struck late to secure Manchester United a comeback victory over Atalanta.
After consecutive 3-0 defeats to Bayern Munich and Benfica, Barcelona entered matchday three bottom of Group E and in desperate need of a result.
Gerard Pique celebrates scoring his side's goal with team mates. Photo: David Ramirez/dpa.
Pique's 36th minute volley, from fellow defensive veteran Jordi Alba's cross, kept their last 16 hopes alive with a deserved if uninspiring 1-0 win.
But coach Ronald Koeman's embattled side laboured throughout even against lethargic opposition and enter the weekend Clasico with Real Madrid in low spirits.
"This keeps us alive in the Champions League and anything is still possible thanks to this win, but we needed to finish the game off better than we’ve managed to," said Koeman.
Bayern Munich
Bayern maintained their perfect start even without coach Julian Nagelsmann, who was ill, as Leroy Sane's brilliant 70th minute broke the deadlock at Benfica. An Everton own goal, Robert Lewandowski and Sane again put a late, and unfair, finish to the scoreline.
Lewandowski and Thomas Mueller had goals disallowed before the breakthrough but keeper Manuel Neuer also made superb saves to keep out Darwin Nunez and Diogo Gonclaves.
Benfica remain second, five points behind Bayern.
United, Villarreal, Sevilla
United were provisionally bottom of Group F when Mario Pasalic and Merih Demiral gave Atalanta the half-time lead at Old Trafford but Marcus Rashford and Harry Maguire levelled after the break.
Cristiano Ronaldo (R) celebrates scoring his side's third goal with Harry Maguire. Photo: Martin Rickett/dpa.
Atalanta were rocking and Ronaldo rose highest to meet Luke Shaw's cross and head emphatically into the net to secure the points in a 3-2 thriller and boost morale ahead of a big weekend Premier League meeting with Liverpool.
United top the group on six points, two above Atalanta and Villarreal, who won 4-1 at Young Boys in Bern.
Holders Chelsea crushed Malmo 4-0 at Stamford Bridge with Andreas Christensen, Kai Havertz and two penalties from Jorginho keeping them second in Group H, led by Juventus who won 1-0 at Zenit St Petersburg.
Red Bull Salzburg are on seven points to top Group G after a 3-1 win over bottom side Wolfsburg who have two. Sevilla are second on three, one better than Lille after a 0-0 draw in France.
