LONDON, Dec 7: Italys AC Milan and Scottish club Rangers scrambled through to the knockout phase of the Champions League on Tuesday.
Dutch side PSV Eindhoven also qualified for the last 16 but 2004 champions Porto were eliminated together with Slovakian newcomers Artmedia Bratislava and Germanys Schalke 04.
Six-times former champions AC Milan were pushed all the way by Schalke at the San Siro before clinging on for a 3-2 victory that put them through as group winners, with Brazilian midfielder Kaka scoring twice.
So tight was Group E, however, that a 3-3 draw would have meant Schalke went through at the Italian clubs expense and there were ugly scenes at the final whistle with punches thrown in scuffles among the players.