Real among six teams through as City crashed out

Inspired Goetze

Bundesliga champions Dortmund gave the evening's most impressive display as they trounced four-times European champions Ajax Amsterdam 4-1 away in the same group despite allowing their opponents much of the possession.

Borussia Dortmund's Mario Goetze fights for the ball with Ajax Amsterdam's Niklas Moisander during their Champions League Group D soccer match in Amsterdam, Nov 21, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]

Mario Goetze scored one goal and was involved in two others scored by Marco Reus and Roberto Lewandowski as Juergen Klopp's ruthlessly efficient side raced to a 3-0 halftime lead in Amsterdam.

Lewandowski added the fourth before Daniel Hoesen pulled one back as once mighty Ajax, no longer able to compete with the financial clout of clubs from bigger leagues, fell at the group stage for the third season in a row.

Seven-times champions AC Milan put their Serie A problems behind them as Stephan El Shaarawy, Mexes and Alexandre Pato scored in the second half at Anderlecht in Group C.

The highlight came when Frenchman Mexes chested up the ball on the edge of the area and sent a dipping bicycle kick into the far corner of the net to surprise even Milan's unflappable coach Massimiliano Allegri.

"I don't remember what expression I made," Allegri told Mediaset TV. "Philippe scored a great goal but honestly I thought the ball went over."

Malaga, who had already qualified from the group, guaranteed top spot with a 2-2 draw at Zenit St Petersburg.

Zenit's elimination followed a miserable group stage for themselves and fellow Russians Spartak Moscow, who have mustered only two wins between them.

Ezequiel Lavezzi scored his first goals for Paris St Germain to help the big-spending Qatari-owned French side win 2-0 at Dynamo Kiev and qualify from Group A, joining Porto who were already though.

Arsenal's Lukas Podolski celebrates scoring against Montpellier during their Champions League Group B soccer match at Emirates Stadium in London, Nov 21, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]

The Portuguese side enjoyed a 3-0 win over Dinamo Zagreb with Lucho Gonzalez, Joao Moutinho and Silvestre Varela sharing the goals.

Arsenal's 2-0 win over Montpellier and Schalke's 1-0 defeat of Olympiakos Piraeus meant both sides progressed from Group B.

A 30-meter strike from Austrian international Christian Fuchs in the 77th minute gave Schalke a deserved win against the Greeks.

Jack Wilshere's first goal since returning from a long-term injury and a net-bulging Lukas Podolski thunderbolt gave Arsenal victory over the hugely disappointing French champions, who have mustered only one point.