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Champions League

Atletico Madrid overturned their first-leg deficit to breeze past Schalke and into the Champions League group stages.

Starting 1-0 down from the first leg, Atletico looked a far better team than the one that played in Germany two weeks ago as they swept aside the opposition with a 4-0 win on Wednesday night.

Sergio Aguero, fresh from helping Argentina to gold in the Olympics, was the star of the show and put the hosts ahead in the 23rd minute, heading home moments after Diego Forlan's shot had been cleared off the line.

Forlan would get his goal in the 54th minute, firing home from the edge of the area, and Luis Garcia made it 3-0 eight minutes from time.

Schalke's misery was complete when Christian Pander hauled down Simao in the area to earn a red card, and Maxi Rodriguez slotted home the penalty.

Atletico might have scored even more but for Luis Garcia and Forlan hitting the post in either half.

English outfits Arsneal and Liverpool both secured their passage into the Champions League proper but the contrast of both sides' progress could not have been more evident.

The Gunners, already holding a 2-0 aggregate lead from the first tie against FC Twente, strolled through with an easy 4-0 win, courtesy of goals from Samir Nasri, William Gallas, Theo Walcott and Nicklas Bendtner.

It was a struggle for Liverpool all night long however as Belgian champs Standard Liege continued to threaten the Reds frequently, but a scrappy Dirk Kuyt goal just two minutes before the prospect of penalty kicks loomed all but ended the plucky visitors' challenge.

Shakhtar Donetsk also enjoyed an easy victory, winning 3-1 away to Dinamo Zagreb to make it 5-1 on aggregate.

Adriano opened the scoring for the visitors in the 42nd minute, and although Bosko Balaban got one back for Dinamo in the 57th minute, Evaeyerson Brandau and Willian completed the scoring for Shakhtar.

Olympiacos could not do enough to turn around their 3-0 first-leg loss to Anorthosis Famagusta.

The Greek giants won on the night through Fernando Belluschi's 54th minute goal, but they still went out 3-1 on aggregate.

Marseille went through fairly comfortably, winning 2-1 at home to complete a 3-1 aggregate win over SK Brann.

A second-half brace from Mamadou Niang came either side of Kristjan Orn Sigurdsson's goal for Brann.

Fenerbahce got the win they needed to progress, beating Partizan Belgrade 2-1.

Semih Senturk and Alex put the hosts in control before Zoran Tosic got one back for Partizan, sending Fener through 4-3 on aggregate.

However, their Turkish rivals Galatasaray are out after losing 1-0 to Steaua Bucharest on Wednesday night.

Banel Nicolita's 57th minute goal was enough to give the hosts a 3-2 aggregate victory.

FC Basel booked their place in the group stages with a 2-1 win over Guimaraes.

After a goalless first leg, there was all to play for on Wednesday night, and the hosts wasted little time taking the lead through Valentin Stocker in the 11th minute.

Guimares were level through Fajardo's penalty four minutes later, but Eren Derdiyok scored what proved to be the winner in the 54th minute.

Dynamo Kiev continued their total domination over Spartak Moscow, winning 4-1 for the second consecutive match for an 8-2 aggregate win.

Oleksandr Aliev opened the scoring in the fourth minute and Ismael Bangoura added another midway through the first half.

Artem Dzjuba got one back for for Spartak two minutes after the break, but Artem Mileskiy completed the rout with goals in the 49th and 78th minutes.

BATE Borisov played most of the game with 10 men but did enough to progress with a 1-1 draw at home to Levski Sofia, giving them a 2-1 aggregate win.

Sergey Sosnovskiy but Borisov ahead in the 14th minute but his goal was cancelled out by Vladimir Gadzhev in the 38th minute.

The hosts' night got harder after Gennady Bliznuk's 43rd minute dismissal but Borisov held out to go through.

FBK Kaunas began their game at home to AaB 2-0 down on aggregate and things only got worse as Mindaugas Grigalevicius was sent off in the 30th minute and Linas Pilibaitis followed him down the tunnel in the 68th minute.

Playing against nine men, AaB finished off the job as Kasper Risgaard hit the net in the 75th and 90th minutes.

Fiorentina drew 0-0 away at Slavia Prague to complete a 2-0 aggregate win.