Later tonight, the Champions League approaches a pivotal moment as the league phase comes to an end throughout Europe, with a number of powerful teams facing potential elimination.
Benfica, Ajax, and Napoli all know there is minimal margin for error going into the final round. With six points and little chance of survival, Ajax is ranked 32nd out of 36 teams. To maintain their campaign, the Dutch team needs to defeat Olympiakos at home and rely on other outcomes.
Napoli is under pressure as well. With eight points, the Italian team is in 25th place and narrowly outside of qualifying. They will host Chelsea in what should be one of the most evenly matched games of the evening, and both teams need to win.
Real Madrid is a formidable opponent for Jose Mourinho’s Benfica, who are in 29th place. The Portuguese team would only advance into the qualifying zone if they won.
The top eight teams go straight to the round of sixteen under the competition format. The bottom 12 teams are eliminated, while clubs ranked ninth through twenty-fourth will compete in a two-leg play-off for the remaining knockout slots. Only Villarreal, Slavia Prague, Eintracht Frankfurt, and Kairat Almaty have been officially eliminated thus far.
The Premier League, where all six English representatives still have a path to the knockout stages, will also be the focus of intense attention.
Arsenal’s perfect run thus far has them on the verge of taking the top spot. Mikel Arteta’s team needs only a draw to take first place as they host Kairat Almaty.
With 15 points, Liverpool is in fourth place and will host Qarabag at Anfield. With eight teams trailing by 13 points, a draw may be dangerous and force the Reds into the playoffs, but a victory would ensure a top-eight finish.
With 14 points, Tottenham is in fifth place and will play Eintracht Frankfurt. If they win in Germany, they will advance to the round of 16, but if they draw, they might still be overtaken by multiple teams.
Newcastle’s 3-0 victory over PSV last week improved their chances. Now, holders Paris Saint-Germain will take on Eddie Howe’s team. A victory would validate their advancement, but given their excellent goal differential, even a draw would be sufficient.
With 13 points, Chelsea holds the final automatic qualifying slot, but they will be put to the test away at Napoli. Even three points might not ensure safety, but the Blues must win to boost their chances. Chasing teams, like as Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, who both have favorable home games, would have an advantage if there was a draw.
In the meanwhile, Manchester City has to improve. For Pep Guardiola’s team to have a realistic chance of placing in the top eight, they must defeat Galatasaray at home. Eight teams are tied on points and five of them are now ahead of City on goal differential, so a draw is unlikely to be enough.
