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Champions League group stage goal record broken as Coutinho nets hat trick

The 32 teams in the group stage of the 2017-18 Champions League have combined to set a new total goals record of 293 midway through the matchday six finale on Wednesday.

Philippe Coutinho's goal for Liverpool -- a hat trick for the Brazilian -- in the second half was the record-breaker and the 16 teams in action on Wednesday combined to raise the total tally to 306 by day's end.

Liverpool have now scored the most Champions League group-stage goals of any English team in history. They beat Man United's record, who went on to win the competition in 1999.

The previous record of 292 was set during the 2000-01 group stage. Teams combined to come close to equalling that record in 2012-13 with 284 and again in 2015-16 with 280.

Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo also set a record on Wednesday when he became the first player to score a goal in all six of his team's group-stage matches.