LONDON, Oct. 22 (Xinhua) -- Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Arsenal maintained their charge towards the Champions League knockout stages with comfortable wins on Tuesday as Juventus beat Real Madrid 2-1.

    Dimitar Berbatov scored twice and Wayne Rooney was on target to help the United beat Celtic 3-0 in a free-scoring night across Europe which saw a total of 36 goals in eight games.

Real Madrid player (C) rivals with Juventus players on Oct. 22. Juventus beat Real Madrid 2-1. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

 

    While Villarreal are level on seven points with the United, crushing Danish AaB Aalborg 6-3 thanks to substitute Joseba Llorente's hat-trick, the English side lead Group E on goal difference.

    Arsenal consolidated their position at the top of Group G with a magnificent 5-2 victory over Fenerbahce in Istanbul and Bayern Munich shrugged off shaky domestic form to see off Fiorentina 3-0.

    Former Spain chief Luis Aragones was left in heaped misery as his Fenerbahce were deeply-rooted to bottom of Group G with only one point from three games. Dynamo Kiev are two points behind leaders Arsenal after beating Porto 1-0.

    Bayern now top Group F on seven points, two points ahead of Lyon who upset Steaua 5-3 with two goals each from Karim Benzema and substitute Fred.

Juventus player (R) rivals with Real Madrid players on Oct. 22.  Juventus beat Real Madrid 2-1. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    Juventus moved to the top of Group H after the Real Madrid win thanks to goals from captain Alessandro del Piero and Amauri.

    The match was overshadowed by a traffic accident in the Italian Alps which claimed the lives of two fans, and players of both sides observed a minute's silence prior to kick-off.

    Juventus have seven points while the Spaniards are only one point behind.

    Zenit St Petersburg and BATE Borisov both look unlikely to qualify from Group H after playing out a 1-1 draw in an early kick-off with the Russian UEFA Cup champions at bottom with only one point.

    Berbatov was the hero of Old Trafford with suspicion about his two goals though.

    He looked offside when he flicked home a close-range finish to put United ahead after 30 minutes and similar doubt was given to his second, turned in on the rebound after Celtic keeper Artur Boruc could not hold Cristiano Ronaldo's free-kick.

    Rooney emphasized the gulf in class between the sides and demonstrated his talents with a 20-yard shot on the turn with 14 minutes left.

    Celtic manager Gordon Strachan was magnanimous after defeat, refusing to criticise match officials.

    "The (first) two goals were offside but I'm not going to scream about them," said Strachan, "I'm a football man and I know when I'm and well beaten."

    "You need a decision when you come here and to get two like that was a blow."

Bayern Munich player (front) competes with Fiorentian player on Oct. 22. Bayern shrugged off its poor Bundesliga form with a 3-0 victory over Fiorentina.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    Emmanuel Adebayor and Theo Walcott gave Arsenal a 2-0 lead in the first 11 minutes.

    Fenerbahce got a goal back when Dani Guiza's volley was poked into his own net by Mikael Silvestre, but Abou Diaby and Alexandre Song fired the visitors into 4-1 by the 48th minute.

    Daniel Guiza made it 4-2 but the 17-year-old Wales international Aaron Ramsay drilled a deserved fifth in the final minute.

Bayern Munich player (R 1) competes with Fiorentian player on Oct. 22. Bayern shrugged off its poor Bundesliga form with a 3-0 victory over Fiorentina.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

Bayern Munich player celebrates afer the team scored on Oct. 22. Bayern shrugged off its poor Bundesliga form with a 3-0 victory over Fiorentina(Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>