With one round of games remaining, Real Madrid secured the top spot in Champions League Group C with a 4-2 fightback win against Napoli on Wednesday thanks to two late goals by 19-year-old Nico Paz and Joselu.
The 14-time winners, who had already guaranteed their spot in the round of 16, kept up their perfect record of 15 points from five games, eight points more than the Italian champs.
In order to advance to the next round, second-place Napoli (seven points) must draw their final match against Braga (four points), third.
Union Berlin are bottom on two points after a 1-1 draw against Braga earlier on Wednesday.
Real started well but were surprised by a quick counter-attack by the visitors, with Giovanni Di Lorenzo assisting Giovanni Simeone to open the scoring with a close-range strike in the ninth minute that at first sight looked like it had been saved by goalkeeper Andryi Lunin.
Jude Bellingham scored his 15th goal in 16 appearances for Real Madrid on Wednesday night
Bellingham headed home from a superb cross by in the 22nd minute
The goal-line technology verified that the ball had over the line slightly, but the referee decided to leave it that way.
Real responded swiftly, as Jude Bellingham’s header in the 22nd minute gave them the lead and Rodrygo’s excellent shot into the top corner two minutes later tied the score.
Bellingham became the first player in Real Madrid history to score in each of his first four European Cup games with that goal, marking his 15th goal in 16 games in all competitions this season.
The Englishman has overtaken Real Madrid greats Ferenc Puskas (11 goals) and Real stars Cristiano Ronaldo, Alfredo Di Stefano, and Pruden Sanchez (13 goals in their first 15 games), surpassing their record of 14 goals in 42 games with Borussia Dortmund last season.
“He enters the box like a motorcycle; he’s amazing at it,” Real boss Carlo Ancelotti said to Movistar Plus.
It’s unexpected because no one could have predicted how quickly he would have adjusted to this club and the kind of football he is playing. He catches everyone off guard, including enemies and teammates.
Brahim Diaz had a chance to increase Real Madrid’s lead in the 31st minute, but his effort missed the mark. Real continued to apply pressure.
But Napoli took advantage of their first opportunity following the interval when Frank Anguissa equalized the score with a rebound in the 47th minute, while Real suffered from multiple missed opportunities by substitute Joselu, who missed a clear cut opportunity in the 79th.
In the 84th minute, Real Madrid took the lead once more thanks to a stunning strike from outside the area by academy midfielder Paz, another substitute.
Giovanni Simeone opened the scoring for the visitors with a close-range strike
Rodrygo equalising with a fine shot into the top corner two minutes later
Frank Anguissa levelled the game from a rebound two minutes after the break
Teenager midfielder Nico Paz scored his first goal for Real Madrid in the 84th minute
Bellingham set up striker Joselu to score the fourth goal in added time against Napoli
Joselu ended up scoring the fourth goal with a tap-in in added time.
‘It was a difficult, complicated match,’ manager Carlo Ancelotti told Movistar Plus.
‘But during the most difficult part of the match we found the energy to win. The last 20 minutes were very good and changed the dynamic.
‘We fought and competed until the end and we achieved our objective of finishing top of the group. Now, let’s get some rest, we need it.’