Champions League State of Affairs: Possible Outcomes for Matchday 5

It’s a huge and exciting week of Champions League action, but who needs what and who is already through? Twelve of the 16 knockout stage spots are still to be claimed with two group games remaining. Here is the state of play going into the last two rounds of group matches.

Group A

Manchester City will qualify with one game to spare if they beat Paris St-Germain in their next Champions League fixture. A draw would also see both sides progress if Club Bruges fail to win against RB Leipzig.

Group B

Porto could advance with Liverpool if they beat Jurgen Klopp’s side on Merseyside and AC Milan also win against Atletico Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano. If Liverpool and AC Milan both win in the last round of group fixtures it would leave Porto needing to win at home against Atletico in their final group match to qualify.

Group C

With Ajax already through, the final qualification spot could rest on the result of Borussia Dortmund’s trip to Sporting Lisbon. A victory for Dortmund would see them progress regardless of results in the final round of matches by virtue of their better head-to-head record against the Portuguese club. The same would also apply if Sporting win by more than one goal, the margin of their defeat in the reverse fixture in Germany. A draw would leave Dortmund seemingly the better placed going into their final group game which is at home to Besiktas, with Sporting travelling to Amsterdam.

Group D

Victories for Inter Milan and Real Madrid would see both European giants go through before their meeting at the Bernabeu, which would then simply decide which club finished top of Group D. However, if Moldovan champions Tiraspol were to complete a remarkable double over Real, they would move above Carlo Ancelotti’s side by virtue of their record against the Spanish club.

Group E

A Barcelona victory over Benfica would see them progress alongside Bayern Munich. The Catalan side will be looking to get the job done at the Nou Camp prior to a trip to Germany in their final match. A Benfica win would leave them in pole position to qualify with a home game against Dynamo Kyiv to follow.

Group F

Manchester United travel to Villarreal knowing that a win will see them into the knockout stage, having already beaten the Spanish side at Old Trafford. If Unai Emery’s side were to win that encounter it may leave the English club needing to beat Young Boys in their final Group F game to give them a chance of qualifying depending on Atalanta’s results.

Group G

Austrian side RB Salzburg will progress to the knockout stage with a win over Lille. However, this group remains wide open with all four teams able to qualify.

Group H

Reigning champions Chelsea will confirm their qualification for the last 16 with a draw regardless of the outcome of Zenit St Petersburg’s trip to Sweden. If Thomas Tuchel’s side were to lose against the Italians, they would need to avoid defeat in the final group game in Russia to go through.

Qualifiers: Liverpool, Ajax, Bayern Munich, Juventus

Out: Besiktas, RB Leipzig, Malmo