One day before the end of the group stage in the Europa League and the Champions League, we now know the names of 19 of the 32 teams that will be on the starting grid for the knockout stages of C3.
Among the lucky ones, Lille can dream, or fear, to meet some. If they want to avoid a big caliber during the draw, scheduled for Monday, December 14 in Nyon, Christophe Galtier’s players have every interest in getting a good result in their last group match, at Celtic Glasgow, next Thursday.
If they finish at the top of their group ahead of AC Milan, they would be among the sixteen seeded teams (hat 1) and avoid AS Roma, Arsenal, Villarreal, Hoffenheim and Dinamo Zagreb, already assured of the first place of their hen.
On the other hand, whatever its ranking, LOSC is sure not to fall immediately on AC Milan (two clubs from the same group cannot compete in the round of 16), nor to face PSG or Marseille. if these were transferred to the Europa League (two clubs from the same country cannot compete in the round of 16).
If Lille finishes first in its group, it is however not guaranteed to avoid a team from the Champions League.
Among the eight clubs eliminated from this competition but who won their ticket to the knockout stages of the Europa League by finishing third in their group, the four who have obtained the most points will complete the list of hat 1, the four others will switch to hat 2.
For example Krasnodar, the only known qualifier for the moment among the withdrawals of the Champions League, has only four points before his last match at Chelsea and has every chance of ending up in the second hat.
Finally, the rules of the draw will not be simpler, a club in hat 1 can only face a club in hat 2.
From the round of 16, the draws will no longer have any restrictions.
Update on the qualifiers:
Chapeau 1: Arsenal, Hoffenheim, AS Rome, Villarreal, Dinamo Zagreb.
Hat 2: Red Star Belgrade.
Hats to be determined: Antwerp, Braga, PSV Eindhoven, Glasgow Rangers, Granada, Krasnodar, Leicester, Leverkusen, LILLE, Benfica Lisbon, AC Milan, Slavia Prague, Tottenham.
Six more qualifiers to come from the Europa League groups and seven more from the Champions League groups.
Round of 32 first leg on February 18; return on February 25. The return matches will take place with the teams in hat 1.
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