Round-up/Group C: Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o scored a stunning hat-trick in a 5-0 demolition of Panathinaikos last night that put the Catalans through to the last 16 of the Champions League.
Barca tore the Greek side apart as they raced into a 4-0 lead in a whirlwind first half at the Nou Camp, Dutchman Mark van Bommel opening the scoring inside the first minute.
Eto'o made it 2-0 with a fine header before a quarter of an hour was up and Argentine prodigy Lionel Messi - who had an outstanding game - scored an opportunist third 11 minutes before the break.
Eto'o then weighed in with the best goal of the first half when he put the finishing touch to a quicksilver passing move involving Messi and Ronaldinho and the Cameroon striker completed his hat-trick with a delightful lob early in the second.
In the group's other match, Werder Bremen squandered a three-goal lead, but recovered to clinch a thrilling 4-3 victory over Udinese and get back in the hunt for a place in the last 16.
Bremen were cruising at 3-0 by the 51st minute with goals from Miroslav Klose, Frank Baumann and Johan Micoud before Udinese pulled level in a devastating six-minute spell.
Substitute Antonio Di Natale gave Udinese hope with a low shot from the edge of the box in the 54th minute and added a second three minutes later. Di Natale then created the equaliser, as Christian Schultz bundled his left-wing cross into his own net.
Micoud swept in Bremen's winner following a corner in the 67th minute. Udinese had Gianpiero Pinzi sent off for a second booking in the 70th minute and the advantage helped Bremen keep their lead.
GROUP A: Belgium's Club Brugge secured at least a Uefa Cup spot after coming from behind to beat Austria's Rapid Vienna 3-2.
Goals from Javier Portillo, Bosko Balaban and captain Gert Verheyen clinched the victory after Marek Kincl's early strike for Vienna and eliminated the Austrians from Europe - though a headed goal by visiting captain Steffen Hofmann with 10 minutes left set up a nervous finish.
GROUP B: Former European champions Ajax Amsterdam moved within striking distance of a place in the last 16 with a 4-2 injury-time win over competition newcomers FC Thun.
The unfancied Swiss side seemed set for an impressive 2-2 draw only for Ajax to grab all three points with 91st- and 93rd-minute goals from Nigel de Jong and Nourdin Boukhari.
Ajax took the lead twice with goals from Wesley Sneijder and Yannis Anastasiou but Thun levelled through Switzerland's Mauro Lustrinelli and Brazilian substitute Adriano and had chances to go in front themselves before the visitors took control.
GROUP D: Brazilian midfielder Marcos Senna thumped in a long-range winner eight minutes from time to hand Villarreal a 1-0 win at Benfica.
Senna let fly from 30 metres and scored despite Benfica goalkeeper Rui Nereu's best efforts, the inexperienced teenager getting his fingertips to his powerful shot. Injuries had ruled out first-choice goalkeeper Jose Moreira and his deputy Quim Silva.
