The Champions League is approaching its denouement just two matchdays from the end. Like every year, a number of teams will have to leave the championship ball with shame and surprising fairy tales will be written. An overview.
Group A: Manchester United in trouble
In group A we immediately find the biggest surprise. Manchester United is in a group with Bayern, Copenhagen and Galatasaray in a surprising last place.
Erik ten Hag’s boys were in trouble last matchday after a spectacular 4-3 defeat against Copenhagen and with 3 points they absolutely cannot miss a beat.
Starting tomorrow against Dries Mertens’ Galatasaray.
An additional uncertain factor: will Bayern, which is already certain of a group win, fulfill its role as referee and field its strongest team on the two remaining match days? Manchester United certainly hopes not when they meet on December 12.
UEFA Champions League
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UEFA Champions League standings
Erik ten Hag, coach van Manchester United.
Group B: Trossard, Bakayoko and Lukebakio
The group with the most number of Belgians is approaching an exciting denouement. Leandro Trossard’s Arsenal has a 4-point lead over first pursuers PSV and Lens and can secure a spot in the knockout phase tomorrow. The London club needs a draw against Lens.
PSV heads to Dodi Lukebakio’s Seville with Bakayoko and Vertessen. The Spaniards, last in group B, must win to keep their chances intact. PSV, which has not lost a point in the Eredivisie this season, can take a big step towards a nice wintering with a victory.
The cards will be shuffled tomorrow, the last day of play will be the deciding factor.
UEFA Champions League
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UEFA Champions League standings
Leandro Trossard.
Group C: Real Madrid has a subscription, match between Napoli and Braga
No big surprise in group C: Real Madrid is, as expected, assured of a place in the next round and has a comfortable lead over tomorrow’s opponent, Napoli, with 5 points. One point is enough for the Madrilenians to go to the draw in UEFA capital Nyon as group winners.
The Italian champion Napoli has the best credentials to follow Real’s example. With a 4-point lead over Portugal’s Braga, the team can afford a defeat against Jude Bellingham and co. to afford.
On the last matchday, a directly decisive match with the Portuguese awaits, if the latter do not lose against Union Berlin tomorrow.
UEFA Champions League
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UEFA Champions League standings
Bellingham (r) emerged as king in Madrid in a few months.
Group D: Battle for 3rd place
The matches in group D will only be followed with half an eye tomorrow: Inter Milan and Real Sociedad have already secured their ticket for the 1/8th finals. On the last day of the match, the teams will fight for the title of group winner in San Siro, regardless of tomorrow’s result.
The battle for place 3 is still fierce. To secure a place in the Europa League intermediate round, Salzburg must be able to defend its 3-point lead over Benfica. Salzburg has the best cards: even after a defeat tomorrow against Real Sociedad, the Austrians can still advance after a direct home game with the Portuguese on the final match day.
UEFA Champions League
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UEFA Champions League standings
Group E: Witsel and Atletico lead debates
3 teams will decide among themselves who can book a ticket to the 1/8th finals. In Group E, Axel Witsel’s Atletico Madrid is in pole position, but is closely followed by Lazio and that other Dutch club, Feyenoord.
The Rotterdam team will host Atletico in De Kuip tonight and can jump over the Madrid team in the standings. Lazio will meet weaker brother Celtic in the early evening and will want to benefit from a loss of points from Atletico or Feyenoord. In other words, it is still on a handkerchief.
UEFA Champions League
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UEFA Champions League standings
Axel Witsel (l) with Atletico.
Group F: Group of Death
The dubious honor of being labeled a group of death this year fell to Group F with PSG, Milan, Dortmund and Newcastle. For the time being, the group is living up to its name with compelling matches and surprising results such as Newcastle’s 4-1 victory against PSG.
Things can move quickly in the group: each team can become either a group winner or a red lantern. Winning tonight means a big step towards qualification. The best results are for Dortmund (7 pts) and Paris Saint-Germain (6 pts), who have to go to Milan and at home against Newcastle respectively.
UEFA Champions League
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UEFA Champions League standings
Mbappé is key at PSG.
Group G: Belgian as group winner
Just like in group D, it is already known in this group which teams we will see at the champions’ ball in February. Jeremy Doku and Manchester City have not missed a beat and are authoritatively in the lead with the maximum of points. For the group win, they will fight a duel tonight with the RB Leipzig of goalscorer Loïs Openda. A draw or win for the Citizens entitles them to the group victory.
Also tonight, Young Boys and Red Star Belgrade, both with 1 point, will have a shot at 3rd place and the coveted Europa League ticket. Since a stunt against Manchester City or Leipzig seems less likely, the match will be fought on a razor’s edge.
UEFA Champions League
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UEFA Champions League standings
Doku (r) is one trump card of City.
Group H: Antwerp as executioner?
You can read here how minimal Antwerp’s chance of European wintering is. A European follow-up is therefore unlikely, but Antwerp can certainly still play a significant role in group H. With Shakhtar, a feasible option awaits tonight (Antwerp unfortunately lost 2-3 in the first leg), the Belgian champion can give the Ukrainians a blow. the wheels stick.
Leaders Barcelona and Porto compete against each other with the top position as the stakes. Since the number of points in the mutual matches weighs, Barcelona will be assured of qualification and group victory if they win. After all, it won 0-1 in Porto.
UEFA Champions League
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UEFA Champions League standings
Van Bommel and Xavi talking on the sidelines in Barcelona-Antwerp.
2023-11-28 10:51:38
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