Champions League: How every team can qualify for the knockout rounds

Football

We’re into the closing matches of the Champions League group stage, and many teams have booked their places in the round of 16.

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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: Chelsea, Manchester City
QUALIFIED AS GROUP RUNNERS-UP: Borussia Dortmund
QUALIFIED, POSITION TBC: Bayern Munich, Benfica, Club Brugge, Napoli, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid

ELIMINATED, COULD MAKE UEL: Dinamo Zagreb, Juventus, Maccabi Haifa, Rangers, Viktoria Plzen
ELIMINATED FROM EUROPE: Celtic,

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, Oct. 26: Ajax vs. Liverpool, Napoli vs. Rangers

Napoli: Have qualified and will win the group if they better Liverpool’s result on Matchday 6.

Liverpool: Will be through to the round of 16 with a win/draw against Ajax.

Ajax Amsterdam: Must win at home to Liverpool to stay in contention.

Rangers: Have been eliminated from the Champions League and have only an outside chance of dropping into the Europa League, having already lost 4-0 to Ajax in the head to head.

GROUP B

Next fixtures, Oct. 26: Atletico Madrid vs. Bayer Leverkusen, Club Brugge vs. FC Porto

Club Brugge: Have qualified and will top the group with a win/draw at home to Porto.

FC Porto: Will qualify with a win at Club Brugge if Atletico Madrid draw/lose against Bayern Leverkusen. Two draws for Porto will not be enough if Atletico beat Leverkusen.

Atletico Madrid: Two wins guarantees a place in the round of 16. A win and a draw will also be enough for Atletico if Porto draw/lose against Club Brugge.

Bayer Leverkusen: Two wins will be enough if FC Porto draw/lose both their matches. Bayer Leverkusen also qualify with a win against Atletico and a draw vs. Club Brugge if FC Porto lose both their remaining games. If Porto lose to Atletico and draw with Club Brugge, that will leave Atletico, Bayer Leverkusen and FC Porto on seven points, and the places would be decided on head-to-head goal difference.

GROUP C

Next fixtures, Oct. 26: Barcelona vs. Bayern Munich, Inter Milan vs. Viktoria Plzen

Bayern Munich: Have qualified and will top the group with a win against Barcelona or if Inter draw/lose against Viktoria Plzen.

Inter Milan: Will be through to the round of 16 with a win over Viktoria Plzen. A draw will also be enough if Barcelona draw/lose against Bayern.

Barcelona: A win at home to Bayern Munich gives themselves the most realistic chance of reaching the knockout rounds, but even that relies on an Inter draw/loss against Viktoria Plzen because Inter hold the head-to-head against Barca. Barca would still be in contention with a draw on Matchday 5 if Inter lose to Viktoria Plzen. Barca will be eliminated if they lose to Bayern Munich.

Viktoria Plzen: Have been knocked out of the Champions League and would almost certainly have to win both remaining games for a chance of finishing above Barcelona to drop into the Europa League.

GROUP D

Next fixtures, Oct. 26: Tottenham vs. Sporting CP, Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Marseille

Tottenham Hotspur: Will qualify with a win at home to Sporting CP.

Marseille: Will qualify with a win away to Eintracht Frankfurt, as they hold the head to head over Sporting.

Sporting CP: Were in control of the group before losing both matches to Marseille, and will now stay in contention only if they win/draw at Spurs or Marseille draw/lose at Eintracht Frankfurt.

Eintracht Frankfurt: Must win/draw at home to Marseille to have hope going into Matchday 6.

GROUP E

Next fixtures, Nov. 2: AC Milan vs. FC Salzburg, Chelsea vs. Dinamo Zagreb

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.

GROUP F

Next fixtures, Nov. 2: Real Madrid vs. Celtic, Shakhtar Donetsk vs. RB Leipzig

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

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

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.

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