This week sees the end of the group stages for this season’s Champions League with honour, ambition and, yes, prize money on the line.
Two Spanish giants are being made to sweat on matchday six as Atletico Madrid need a win and a favour to stay in the competition, while Barcelona quite probably need to beat Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena to avoid dropping into the Europa League.
Atalanta and Villarreal will battle it out for second place in Group F, while Real Madrid and Inter face off at the Santiago Bernabeu to determine who will win Group D.
Group G will perhaps be the most dramatic, with all four participants in with a chance of finishing first or second, but what exactly does each team need from their final group game? Stats Perform has the answers for you here…
Group A
Manchester City have already secured top spot after beating Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 on matchday five, with the French side definitely finishing second, sitting four points behind City and four points ahead of both RB Leipzig and Club Brugge.
Leipzig, who sacked coach Jesse Marsch over the weekend, host City and need to match or better Club Brugge’s result to clinch third place and a Europe League spot.
The Belgians must get something from their trip to Paris and hope that they achieve a better result than Leipzig.
Group B
Liverpool have had first place sewn up since they beat Atletico Madrid at Anfield on matchday four and now sit 10 points ahead of second place in what had been labelled a ‘group of death’ when the draw took place.
It’s all to play for otherwise, though, with Porto second. A win for them at home to Atletico will confirm their passage to the knockout stage. A draw will also be fine as long as Milan do not beat Liverpool at San Siro.
Milan need to win against the Reds and hope the other game is a draw, while the Spanish champions have to beat Porto and hope that the Italians fail to beat Liverpool.
Group C
The most straightforward group of all as every position has already been confirmed, with Ajax top, Sporting CP joining them in the knockout stage as runners-up, while Borussia Dortmund will go into the Europa League and Besiktas are out.
Group D
Real Madrid and Inter have both qualified, with Carlo Ancelotti’s men only needing to avoid defeat to the Italians at the Santiago Bernabeu to top the group. Inter need to beat Madrid to overtake them.
Sheriff will go into the Europa League having already been confirmed in third place above Shakhtar Donetsk.
Group E
Bayern Munich have won the group and Dynamo Kyiv will finish bottom, but the battle for second and third is going to the wire.
Barcelona have a two-point advantage in second place, but travel to Bayern, while Benfica host Dynamo, with the Portuguese side boasting the superior head-to-head record over the Catalans.
A win in Germany sees Xavi’s men safely through, but should they draw or lose, they will be reliant on Benfica failing to win as well.
Group F
Manchester United sealed top spot with their 2-0 win at Villarreal on matchday five.
The Yellow Submarine are a point ahead of Atalanta in second, so only need to avoid defeat in Italy, while Gian Piero Gasperini’s side must win to take the other qualification place.
Young Boys can still claim a Europa League spot if they beat United at Old Trafford and Atalanta lose.
Group G
The tightest of groups where it all comes down to the final round.
Lille sit top on eight points, and a win at Wolfsburg will secure that spot, while a draw will still see them qualify as they have a superior head-to-head with Sevilla.
Salzburg will go through if they avoid defeat at home to Sevilla, winning the group if they win and Lille do not.
Sevilla have to win in Austria to go through. They will at least secure third and a place in the Europa League if they lose and Wolfsburg also fail to beat Lille.
Wolfsburg actually cannot finish third but can finish first or second with a win against Lille.
Group H
Chelsea and Juventus have both qualified from the group, and Thomas Tuchel’s side will secure top spot with a win at Zenit. Juventus must better Chelsea’s result when they host Malmo.
Zenit have already confirmed their place in the Europa League, while Malmo are out.
