Associated Press

Real Madrid’s big stars did their best on Tuesday to revive the Spanish giant’s flagging Champions League title defense.

Galacticos Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham all scored goals in a thrilling 3-2 win at Italian league leaders Atalanta. But Madrid were yet to take advantage of their luck when Mateo Retegui shot over in front of goal in stoppage time when he had a golden chance to level the game.

It was only Madrid’s third win in the revised league phase of the competition and the 15-time champions sit 18th in the unseeded playoff plans.

“It is a very important victory. Not everyone wins here. We suffered and competed. “In the Champions League you have to suffer,” said Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti. “It’s still difficult to get into the top eight but we still have two games left to collect points.”

Six-time champions Liverpool are at the top after maintaining their perfect European record this season with a 1-0 win over Girona.

Like Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain also got a much-needed victory by beating Salzburg 3-0 to move into the final playoff spot in 24th place.

Bayer Leverkusen are second after a 1-0 win over Inter Milan, while Aston Villa beat Leipzig 3-2 and are third.

The best eight teams advance directly to the round of 16. Places nine to 24 have to fight in a playoff to move into the next round.

Real reaction

After three defeats in the first five games of the league phase, the pressure on Madrid grew.

Questions have also been asked of Mbappe following his uncertain start since his off-season move from PSG. But he showed a moment of class to give Madrid a 1-0 lead after 10 minutes at the Gewiss Stadium, controlling the ball with his left foot and then finishing low with his right.

It was 25-year-old Mbappé’s 50th Champions League goal. Lionel Messi is the only player to have achieved this number at a younger age.

Mbappe was substituted before half-time due to an apparent physical problem and Charles De Ketelaere equalized the game with a penalty before half-time. But two goals from Vinicius Junior and Bellingham within three minutes in the second half put Madrid under control.

Ademola Lookman’s strike made it 3-2, but Madrid survived Retegui’s late effort and held on.

Salah’s landmark

Mohamed Salah’s 50th Champions League goal underlined Liverpool’s perfect record in this season’s competition.

The Egyptian striker scored a 63rd-minute penalty to secure victory in Spain, which kept Liverpool at the top of the 36-team league.

But even after the Merseyside club’s sixth straight win, head coach Arne Slot expressed criticism of his players in a game in which goalkeeper Alisson made several saves to keep Girona away.

“If you ask me after all six games, I’m really happy with all the results, I’m really happy with the five (other) games with the way we played. “I’m anything but happy with the performance tonight,” he said.

Salah’s goal was his 16th in 22 appearances this season.

Girona finished in 30th place with just one win from six games.

“I almost feel sorry for them because they deserve so much more in this Champions League season than the three points they have so far. But we have an incredible goalkeeper,” said Slot, whose team also leads the Premier League.

Liverpool’s two remaining games are at home against Lille and away at PSV Eindhoven in January.

US international Christian Pulisic is the only player to score in this year’s Champions League in Milan’s 3-1 defeat to Liverpool in September.

Bayern defeat

Bayern Munich defeated Shakhtar Donetsk 5-1 and automatically advanced to qualification for the round of 16.

Michael Olise scored his first of two goals in the game, a wonderful solo goal by dribbling past a host of players. Bayern’s victory came after a 1-0 deficit within five minutes thanks to a goal from Brazilian winger Kevin.

PSG fight

PSG is not finished yet.

After a miserable start to the league phase, the French giants picked up just four points from five games and were without stars such as Mbappe, Messi and Neymar, all of whom have departed in the last two seasons.

But the victory in Salzburg brought PSG into the playoff ranks.

Goncalo Ramos, Nuno Mendes and Desire Doue all scored goals.

Leverkusen rises

Leverkusen are back on the rise after struggling to repeat the success of last season’s impressive German league and cup double.

It is now six wins in a row in all competitions, with Nordi Mukiele’s 90th-minute goal securing victory against Inter and moving Leverkusen into second place with 13 points – five points behind Liverpool.

Villa, Inter and Brest also have 13 points each.

Inter fell to fourth place after conceding a goal for the first time this season.

Villa are third following their own upturn in form. The win against Leipzig was the third in a row after eight games without a win.

Brest are one of this season’s surprise packages on their Champions League debut and are in fifth place after their 1-0 win against PSV Eindhoven.

Twelfth-placed Sporting Lisbon failed to extend their third-minute lead at Club Brugge and lost 2-1 in Belgium. Bruges is 14th.

Dinamo Zagreb drew 0-0 with Celtic and both teams remain in the playoff plans.

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James Robson is there https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson

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AP Soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

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