It was another big week of UEFA Champions League action as the league phase played out its sixth round of games. Although we are yet to have any team absolutely book their place in the round of 16, current leaders Liverpool — who have won all six of their games so far — are the closest to doing so having already guaranteed at least a playoff place. They could have ensured their place in the top eight this midweek after beating Girona on Tuesday but it depended on results elsewhere 24 hours later which did not combine to confirm them just yet.
We take a look at what was in play this past midweek.
Liverpool are already guaranteed a top-24 finish which is at least a playoff spot but Arne Slot’s Premier League and Champions League leaders could become the first team to confirm their presence in the round of 16 next time. The Reds can confirm that status with one more point from games against Lille OSC and PSV Eindhoven and it is difficult to see the Merseysiders throwing things away over those last two games.
Just below Liverpool having denied the leaders confirmation of their round of 16 passage this week are Barcelona who saw off Borussia Dortmund this midweek. Italian pair Inter and Atalanta BC — who could have dealt defending champions Real Madrid a savage blow — both lost and fell away a bit. Arsenal, Bayer Leverkusen, Aston Villa, Inter Stade Brestois 29 and Lille OSC all share 13 points apiece while Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid and Milan are on 12.
So tight is the race for the top eight that Atalanta and Juventus are within two points of those sides on 13. There is also an array of teams on 10 points including Benfica, Monaco, Sporting, Feyenoord and Club Brugge — all of those are three points clear of the elimination places with just two games to go. Real Madrid, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain are the sides yet to reach 10 points with just six left to play for.
Notable as it put Villa on the edge of a stunning knockout phase berth, Leipzig’s loss to Una Emery’s Birmingham outfit confirmed Red Bull’s flagship team as being the first side to fall at the first hurdle in the league phase. RB Salzburg will not be far behind having been easily beaten by PSG and only being one win better off than RBL, but few — if anyone — expected the Bundesliga outfit to have their European hopes crushed before anybody else. They were joined less than 24 hours later by Swiss outfit Young Boys and Slovan Bratislava who also count zero points so far this edition.
