Champions League: How every team can qualify for the knockout
We’re into the closing matches of the Champions League group stage, and many teams have booked their places in the round of 16.- Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, MLS, more (U.S.)Here we take a look at the state of play across all eight groups.The group winners and runners-up will go into the Champions League round…
We’re into the closing matches of the Champions League group stage, and many teams have booked their places in the round of 16.
– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, MLS, more (U.S.)
Here we take a look at the state of play across all eight groups.
The group winners and runners-up will go into the Champions League round of 16; third place drops into the Europa League knockout round to face group runners-up from that competition; and fourth is knocked out completely.
QUALIFIED AS GROUP WINNERS: Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Manchester City
QUALIFIED AS GROUP RUNNERS-UP: Borussia Dortmund
QUALIFIED, POSITION TBC: Benfica, Club Brugge, FC Porto, Inter Milan, Liverpool, Napoli, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid
ELIMINATED, COULD MAKE UEL: Ajax, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Bayer Leverkusen, Dinamo Zagreb, Juventus, Maccabi Haifa, Rangers
ELIMINATED FROM EUROPE: Celtic, Viktoria Plzen
TIEBREAKERS:
– points in head-to-head matches among the tied teams
– goal difference in head-to-head matches among the tied teams
– goals scored in head-to-head matches among the tied teams
– overall goal difference
– overall goals scored
– overall away goals scored
– overall wins
– overall away wins
– disciplinary points
– UEFA club coefficient
GROUP A
Next fixtures, Nov. 1: Liverpool vs. Napoli, Rangers vs. Ajax
Group A
| GP | W | D | L | GD | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 – Napoli | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | +16 | 15 |
| 2 – Liverpool | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | +9 | 12 |
| 3 – Ajax | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | -7 | 3 |
| 4 – Rangers | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | -18 | 0 |
Napoli: Have qualified and will win the group with a win/draw against Liverpool, or if they lose by no more than three goals.
Liverpool: Have qualified but must beat Napoli by 4+ goals to top the group.
Ajax Amsterdam: Will qualify for the Europa League as long as they don’t lose to Rangers by 5+ goals.
Rangers: Have been eliminated and must beat Ajax by 5+ goals to reach the Europa League.
GROUP B
Next fixtures, Nov. 1: Bayer Leverkusen vs. Club Brugge, FC Porto vs. Atletico Madrid
Group B
| GP | W | D | L | GD | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 – Brugge | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | +3 | 10 |
| 2 – Porto | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | +4 | 9 |
| 3 – Atletico | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | -3 | 5 |
| 4 – Leverkusen | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -4 | 4 |
Club Brugge: Have qualified and will top the group with a win away to Leverkusen, or a draw if FC Porto draw/lose vs. Atletico, or with a defeat if FC Porto lose.
FC Porto: Have qualified and will top the group with a win if Club Brugge draw/lose, or with a draw if Club Brugge lose.
Atletico Madrid: Have been eliminated and must beat FC Porto to guarantee a place in the Europa League. Will be in the UEL with a draw if Leverkusen draw/lose, or with a defeat if Leverkusen lose.
Bayer Leverkusen: Have been eliminated and will drop into the Europa League if they win and Atletico Madrid and Atletico draw/lose. A draw will be enough if Atletico lose. Cannot reach the UEL with a defeat.
GROUP C
Next fixtures, Nov. 1: Bayern Munich vs. Inter Milan, Viktoria Plzen vs. Barcelona
Group C
| GP | W | D | L | GD | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 – Bayern | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | +14 | 15 |
| 2 – Inter | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | +5 | 10 |
| 3 – Barca | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 4 |
| 4 – Plzen | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | -17 | 0 |
Bayern Munich: Have qualified as group winners.
Inter Milan: Have qualified as group runners-up.
Barcelona: Have qualified for the Europa League.
Viktoria Plzen: Have been eliminated from Europe.
GROUP D
Next fixtures, Nov. 1: Sporting CP vs. Eintracht Frankfurt, Marseille vs. Tottenham
Group D
| GP | W | D | L | GD | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 – Spurs | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 8 |
| 2 – Sporting | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 7 |
| 3 – Frankfurt | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | -2 | 7 |
| 4 – Marseille | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | +1 | 6 |
Tottenham Hotspur: Will qualify with a win/draw at Marseille, while a win securing top spot. Cannot qualify with a defeat.
Sporting CP: A draw at home to Sporting guarantees a place in the round of 16, while a win gives them top spot if Spurs draw/lose.
Eintracht Frankfurt: Must win at Sporting CP, which secures a place in the round of 16.
Marseille: Guaranteed to go through win at home to Tottenham, and they will top the group if Sporting-Frankfurt is a draw.
Tottenham need a draw away to Marseille to make the round of 16. Clive Rose/Getty Images
GROUP E
Next fixtures, Nov. 2: AC Milan vs. FC Salzburg, Chelsea vs. Dinamo Zagreb
Group E
| GP | W | D | L | GD | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 – Chelsea | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | +5 | 10 |
| 2 – Milan | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | +1 | 7 |
| 3 – Salzburg | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| 4 – Zagreb | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -6 | 4 |
Chelsea: Have qualified as group winners.
AC Milan: Will go through in second with a win/draw at home to FC Salzburg.
FC Salzburg: Must beat AC Milan to go through in the Champions League.
Dinamo Zagreb: Have been eliminated from the Champions League and can only make it into the Europa League if they win at Chelsea and FC Salzburg lose.
Kai Havertz’s goal against FC Salzburg ensured Chelsea would finish top of Group E. Sebastian Widmann/Getty Images
GROUP F
Next fixtures, Nov. 2: Real Madrid vs. Celtic, Shakhtar Donetsk vs. RB Leipzig
Group F
| GP | W | D | L | GD | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 – Madrid | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | +5 | 10 |
| 2 – Leipzig | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9 |
| 3 – Shakhtar | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 6 |
| 4 – Celtic | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | -7 | 2 |
Real Madrid: Have qualified for the round of 16 and will win the group with a victory at home to Celtic. A draw/loss will also be enough for top spot if RB Leipzig fail to beat Shakhtar Donetsk.
RB Leipzig: Must avoid defeat away to Shakhtar to qualify, and can top the group with a win if Real Madrid draw/lose.
Shakhtar Donetsk: Victory at home to RB Leipzig will send them through in second on head-to-head record.
Celtic: Have been eliminated from Europe.
GROUP G
Next fixtures, Nov. 2: FC Copenhagen vs. Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City vas Sevilla
Group G
| GP | W | D | L | GD | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 – Man City | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | +10 | 11 |
| 2 – Dortmund | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | +5 | 8 |
| 3 – Sevilla | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | -4 | 5 |
| 4 – Copenhagen | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | -11 | 2 |
Manchester City: Have qualified as group winners.
Borussia Dortmund: Have qualified as group runners-up.
Sevilla: Have qualified for the Europa League.
FC Copenhagen: Have been eliminated from Europe.
GROUP H
Next fixtures, Nov. 2: Juventus vs. Paris Saint-Germain, Maccabi Haifa vs. Benfica
Group H
| GP | W | D | L | GD | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 – PSG | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | +8 | 11 |
| 2 – Benfica | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | +4 | 11 |
| 3 – Juventus | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | -3 | 3 |
| 4 – M. Haifa | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | -9 | 3 |
Paris Saint-Germain: Have qualified and are top of the group only on goal difference, so even a win in Turin might not be enough to finished first — but it will leave Benfica needing a big score. The head to head between the two teams at the top is level, with both games finishing 1-1.
Benfica: Have qualified but trail PSG by a goal difference of 4, and have also scored 4 fewer goals. It means they realistically must better PSG’s result on Matchday 6 to finish top — if both teams win then Benfica must do so by at least 4 more goals than PSG win theirs.
Juventus: Have been eliminated from the Champions League. The head to head is level with Maccabi Haifa but Juve have a much better goal difference. It essentially means Juve will be in the Europa League if they match or better Maccabi Haifa’s result.
Maccabi Haifa: As their goal difference is 6 worse than Juve’s they will have to better the Italian side’s result on Matchday 6 to make the Europa League.
