The Belgian champion Bruges for the first time in the club’s history managed to pass the group stage of the Champions League and will play in the knockout system. Brugge won 11 points and finished just behind Porto in the group, and ahead of Bayer Leverkusen and Atletico Madrid.
One of the main creators of this historic success of Porto is goalkeeper Simon Mignolet. The experienced 34-year-old political science graduate was phenomenal in five of the six group stage encounters in which he managed to keep his net intact. He was only checked in the match against Porto, when Bruges lost 0:4 at home.
Mignolet, who wore Liverpool’s jersey from 2013 to 2019, leaves behind great goalkeeper stars and he is the only one who did not concede a goal in five matches in the group stage.