— Mohamed Salah scored twice as Liverpool returned to winning ways
— De Jong late leveller leaves Tottenham in Champions League trouble
Barcelona closed in qualification for the Champions League last 16 after goals from Rafinha and Jordi Alba handed the hosts a 2-0 victory over Inter Milan.
Rafinha gave Barcelona the lead in the 32nd minute, meeting a fine Luis Suarez cross to hand Ernesto Valverde's side the initiative.
Inter did have half-chances to score, with their best opportunities landing to substitute Matteo Politano, but the Serie A side rarely threatened Marc-Andre ter Stegen in the Barca goal, before Alba wrapped the game up eight minutes from time.
The result means Barcelona go three points ahead of second-placed Inter in Group B with three games of the group stages left to play.
Barcelona began quietly and showed some signs of early nerves. Ivan Perisic fired a warning shot from range in the third minute as he tried to capitalise on a poor clearance from Ter Stegen. On the quarter-hour mark, Perisic drilled a dangerous cross into the path of Mauro Icardi, but he couldn't make sufficient contact to turn the ball into the net.
Perisic created a good opportunity for Icardi in the first-half
After that, Barcelona steadily grew in confidence and Clement Lenglet was denied a goal when his powerful header from a corner was blocked by the thigh of Samir Handanovic.
As Barcelona continued to move through the gears they took the lead through Rafinha. The Brazilian winger, who was chosen to take Lionel Messi's place on the right flank, received Suarez's perfectly executed pass in the box and side-footed the ball home to the delight of Barcelona's talismanic forward in the stands.
Team news
Sergi Roberto and Rafinha came into the team to replace Nelson Semedo and Lionel Messi.
Antonio Candreva was chosen on the right wing ahead of Matteo Politano. Miranda replaced Stefan De Vrij at the back.
Politano, who was widely tipped to start the match, came on in the second half for Antonio Candreva and he energised the Inter attack. His deceptive cross into the box headed goalbound and it required Ter Stegen to claw the ball away with Perisic ready to pounce. The Sassuolo loanee came close again moments later, but he blazed his close-range effort over the bar following a sloppy giveaway from Arthur.
Even though Inter rallied back, Barcelona responded positively with Suarez and Lenglet both forcing Handanovic into a string of fine saves before Philippe Coutinho rattled the woodwork in the 69th minute.
And with Barcelona continuing to apply the pressure, they found their winning goal through Jordi Alba seven minutes from time as Ivan Rakitic's incisive pass was latched onto by the Spanish full-back, who slotted home to complete their convincing victory without Messi.
Opta stats
Barcelona are unbeaten in their last 14 Champions League home games against Italian sides (W11 D3), since a 1-2 loss vs Juventus in April 2003.
Since the start of the 2016-17 Champions League campaign, Barcelona have kept nine clean sheets in 12 games and conceded just three goals at the Nou Camp in the competition.
Barcelona defender Jordi Alba has been directly involved in four goals in the Champions League this season (1 goal, 3 assists); more goal involvements than any other defender in the competition in 2018-19.
Rafinha is the 78th different player to score a Champions League goal for Barcelona - more unique goalscorers (excl. own-goals) than any other club in the competition.
Barcelona's Luis Suarez has either scored or assisted in each of his last four appearances at the Nou Camp in the Champions League (1 goal, 4 assists)
Man of the Match - Luis Suarez
Luis Suarez put in a Man of the Match display against Inter Milan
Suarez was a constant problem for Inter's two centre backs Miranda and Milan Skriniar. When Barcelona were facing some early pressure in the second half, he alleviated it by his clever running into the channels alongside his hold-up play.
His performance arguably deserved a goal but he picked up a worthy assist for Rafinha's opener in the first half.
SEE OTHER RESULTS:
Champions League: Liverpool 4-0 Red Star
Mohamed Salah scored twice as Liverpool returned to winning ways in the Champions League with a comfortable 4-0 victory over Red Star Belgrade at Anfield.
Roberto Firmino opened the scoring in the 20th minute before Salah netted on the stroke half-time.
Salah then scored his 50th Liverpool goal from the penalty spot before Sadio Mane rounded off the scoring, having also seen a penalty saved.
The win sees Jurgen Klopp's side move top of Group C, a point ahead of Napoli, who followed up their victory over Liverpool with a 2-2 draw against Paris Saint-Germain.
Liverpool have laboured at times in recent weeks, only scoring three goals in their last five games, but eased to victory against Red Star as Salah, Mane and Firmino scored in the same game for the first time this season.
Roberto Firmino celebrates his opening goal
Roberto Firmino celebrates his opening goal
Having lost 6-1 against Paris Saint-Germain in their last outing, Red Star looked to press Liverpool early and might have taken the lead in the 17th minute when Srdjan Babic volleyed over from 10 yards out from a corner.
However, that was a rare opening for the visitors and Liverpool, who had already seen Salah denied by Milan Borjan, took the lead in the 20th minute.
Shaqiri's perfectly-weighted pass split the defence and Andy Robertson crossed into the middle for Firmino to finish.
Liverpool added to their advantage late in the half as Shaqiri showed fantastic vision to play into the path of Salah and he finished past the goalkeeper.
Salah scored his 50th Liverpool goal from 65 matches shortly after half-time, smashing a penalty down the middle after Vladimir Stojkovic had been harshly penalised for a foul on Mane.
The hosts looked in cruise control but Mane missed a chance to extend the lead when he saw a penalty saved and then scuffed the rebound, following a handball against El Fardou Ben Nabouhane.
PSV 2-2 TOTTENHAM
De Jong late leveller leaves Tottenham in Champions League trouble
Hugo Lloris' red card proved costly as Luuk de Jong's late equaliser denied Tottenham in a 2-2 Champions League draw at PSV Eindhoven.
Harry Kane looked to have secured his side a first Group B win of the season with his second-half header, but goalkeeper Lloris was dismissed for a 78th-minute foul on Hirving Lozano and De Jong smashed home an equaliser three minutes before full time.
Earlier, Lozano pounced on Toby Alderweireld's 29th minute mistake to give the home side the lead, but Lucas Moura equalised 10 minutes later after Davinson Sanchez had controversially had a goal ruled out for offside.
The late drama means Spurs, who had lost their opening two matches to Inter Milan and Barcelona, remain third in Group B, with qualification for the knockout stages hanging by a thread with just one point on the board.
PSV also started the match without a point, but after Kane had looped an early header onto Jeroen Zoet's crossbar, Lozano gave them the lead when he capitalised on a mistake by last man Alderweireld.
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