Inter Milan guaranteed they will finish top of Group B after drawing 1-1 with Turkish side Trabzonspor in their Champions League match here on Tuesday.
The 2010 champions had already qualified for the knockout stages prior to kick-off after Lille beat CSKA Moscow 2-0 in Moscow but the draw means they cannot be caught at the top as they lead Trabzonspor by four points with one match remaining.
Trabzonspor travel to Lille for the final match with the French side like CSKA Moscow trailing them by a point for the second qualifying spot.
Inter coach Claudio Ranieri said that Inter finishing top was quite an achievement.
"One has to remember where we came from, this team lost its first match at the San Siro against Trabzonspor (he arrived afterwards).
"I am happy for the guys, who put up a good performance, and really applied themselves to the task."
The two sides fought out an entertaining first-half with the visitors drawing first blood as Argentinian midfielder Ricardo Alvarez scored a great goal in the 18th minute.
Alvarez played a 1-2 with compatriot Gabriel Milito and then slotted it past goalkeeper Tolga Zengin.
Burak Yilmaz almost broke his duck in the competition - a contrast to his lethal domestic form which has brought him 13 goals this term - three minutes later but his effort went just wide with Julio Cesar beaten.
However, the hosts didn't have to wait long for the equaliser as two minutes later veteran striker Halil Altintop saw his 25 yard effort fly into the net, though, it took a deflection off Inter's Argentinian defender Walter Samuel.
Burak Yilmaz - 13 goals in the domestic league but none in Europe - had a great chance but aimed his header straight at Cesar, while straight from that action Inter created a gilt-edged opportunity for themselves but Mauro Zarate's shot was well-saved by Tolga Zengin.
Trabzonspor were proving that the first result between the sides had been no fluke and Alanzinho went close to giving them the lead with 10 minutes remaining of the first-half but Cesar got down well to turn it away for a corner.
Inter were a bit hesitant at the start of the second-half, but finally got going when their veteran Serbian midfielder Dejan Stankevic unleashed a fierce drive and Zengin did well to turn it around the post for a corner.
Trabzonspor kept pressing and the lively Yilmaz - a target for leading clubs outside Turkey - forced a good save out of Cesar just after the hour mark.
Alanzinho also went close with 20 minutes remaining as the Brazilian got in on goal but his shot slid just wide of the post with Cesar well beaten.
Source: AFP