Ultimate Guide to Champions League Matchday 6: A Final Chance for 13 Clubs
And so itโs come to this.
Seven spots are still available in the last 16 of the Champions League, with 13 teamsโincluding former European champions Manchester United, Chelsea, Porto and PSV Eindhoven amongst othersโbidding to claim them.
Not all of them can, of course, so who has the best chance of progression?
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For the last time this season, hereโs your group-stage guide.
Tuesday, December 8
Group A
Paris Saint-Germain vs. Shakhtar Donetsk, Parc des Princes, 7.45 p.m. GMT / 2.45 p.m. ET
In truth, Group A always looked as though it was going to finish this way from the moment it was drawn.
Paris Saint-Germain will finish second whatever happens either in the French capital or the other match in the group in Madrid, with the only thing really on the line here being Shakhtarโs participation in the Europa League, which will be a formality if and when Malmo lose at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The Ukrainians have failed to score in their last three away matches in the Champions League and in six of the last eight, meaning that Laurent Blanc can rotate the hostsโ squad as PSG go for a 13th win in their last 15 home matches in all competitions, which should arrive.
Prediction: Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 Shakhtar Donetsk
Real Madrid vs. Malmo, Santiago Bernabeu, 7.45 p.m. GMT / 2.45 p.m. ET
Squad lists will be rigorously checked in Madrid after Real Madridโs ineligible-player embarrassment in the Copaย del Rey, but this clash should be nothing more than welcome respite from the daily grind for Rafael Benitez.
His side are sure to finish top of the group whatever happens, meaning that this should be nothing more than a stroll in the park against a Malmo side who will exit continental competition with a defeat.
Two recordsโRealโs Champions League record of 20 group-stage matches unbeaten and Cristiano Ronaldoโs scoring supremacy in the competitionโare pretty much the only things that Real will be seeking to both protect and extend, and it would be no surprise if thatโs what they did.
Prediction: Real Madrid 4-0 Malmo
Group B
Wolfsburg vs. Manchester United, Volkswagen Arena, 7.45 p.m. GMT / 2.45 p.m. ET
Manchester United supporters were up in arms after a fifth goalless draw in the clubโs last nine games against West Ham at the weekend, but it was the previous 0-0 at home to PSV Eindhoven that has placed their Champions League hopes in jeopardy.
Only a win in Wolfsburg will ensure that United progress on their own terms, but you just canโt confidently predict that theyโll do that at the moment. Louis van Gaalโs reign seems to be slowly and methodically unravelling, and a trip to a strong Wolfsburg outfit isnโt to be relished.
United old boy Shinji Kagawa showed his former club the way with a last-minute winner for Borussia Dortmund there at the weekend, but prior to that, only Bayern Munich had managed to taste victory as a visiting side at Volkswagen Arena in the past 13 games, and Van Gaalโs United are by no means a Bayern or a Dortmund.
Prediction: Wolfsburg 2-1 Manchester United
PSV Eindhoven vs. CSKA Moscow, Philips Stadion, 7.45 p.m. GMT / 2.45 p.m. ET
If that prediction above proves accurate, then PSV will only need a draw from their acronym-friendly clash with CSKA to progress, but with home wins very much the fashion in Group B, theyโll be targeting more than that.
No Dutch club has qualified for the knockout stages since PSV themselves reached the quarter-finals in 2006/07, with this surely the best chance that any side from the Eredivisie has had in that time.
PSVโs goalless draw at Manchester United has opened things up for them, and with CSKA already eliminated and without a clean sheet in 21 Champions League matchesโnot to mention scoreless on the road in their last threeโthe logical choice is yet another Group B home win.
Prediction: PSV Eindhoven 2-0 CSKA Moscow
Group C
Galatasaray vs. Astana, Ali Sami Yen, 7.45 p.m. GMT / 2.45 p.m. ET
With just the Europa League to play for, youโd be forgiven for thinking that this should be one of the least appealing matches of the week, but then you remember Matchday 2โs 2-2 draw, which featured three own goals in the final 13 minutes.
Such drama might not be possible again, but Astana showed enough in their draw with Benfica last time out to suggest that theyโll at least make a game of this.
A draw would be enough for Galatasaray to keep enjoying European football in the New Year, though, and with a record of only six defeats in their last 23 home matches in continental competition, they should be able to earn that draw.
Prediction: Galatasaray 1-1 Astana
Benfica vs. Atletico Madrid, Estadio da Luz, 7.45 p.m. GMT / 2.45 p.m. ET
Benficaโs unexpected Matchday 2 win at Atletico went a long way towards aiding their qualification for the last 16, but now theyโve made it, they might feel that the pressure is off.
Throw in the fact that that defeat to the Portuguese side was the catalyst for Atletico to launch into the 12-match unbeaten run that they are on, and you have the ingredients for the type of smash-and-grab away win that Diego Simeoneโs men have come to specialise in during the Argentinianโs tenure.
Indeed, Atletico have only lost once on the road since last seasonโs Champions League exit at the hands of city rivals Real, and another win could be on the way here.
Prediction: Benfica 0-1 Atletico Madrid
Group D
Manchester City vs. Borussia Monchengladbach, Etihad Stadium, 7.45 p.m. GMT / 2.45 p.m. ET
The pressureโs off for Manchester City as they face up to Borussia Monchengladbach having already reached the last-16, and that is just as well given the poor form they demonstrated in what was a miserable weekend defeat at Stoke City in the Premier League.
Gladbach, by contrast, were stunning in theirย 3-1 victory overย Bayernย Munichย in the German top flight at the weekend, and theyโll arrive at the Etihad Stadium determined to stay ahead of Sevilla and ensure European football in the New Year in the form of the Europa League.
City will want to try to finish top of the group, having been paired with Barcelona in the last-16 in each of the last two seasons, but if their visitors remain as compact and devastating on the break as they were in their 4-2 win over Sevilla last time outโas well as that result against Bayernโthen they can take something here.
Prediction: Manchester City 1-1 Borussia Monchengladbach
Sevilla vs. Juventus, Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan, 7.45 p.m. GMT / 2.45 p.m. ET
The most successful side in Europa League history, Sevilla know that they need to beat Juventus and hope for a favour from Manchester City if they are to be seen in the competition this season, but that will be easier said than done.
The loss of key players in the summer has led to the Spanish side being nothing more than average this season, and with Juve having recovered from their wobbly start to the campaign to register six wins and a draw in their last seven games, the Serie A giants will approach the match with confidence that they can get the point they need to win the group.
And that point could be what they get.
Prediction: Sevilla 1-1 Juventus
Wednesday, December 9
Group E
Bayer Leverkusen vs. Barcelona, BayArena, 7.45 p.m. GMT / 2.45 p.m. ET
Two of the competitionโs great entertainers, there have been 26 goals in Bayer Leverkusen and Barcelonaโs group-stage matchesโwith three of those coming on Matchday 2, when Leverkusen led for an hour at the Nou Camp only to lose out to two late strikes from Luis Suarez and Sergi Roberto.
The Bundesliga outfit ran Barca closer than the vast majority of sides the Catalans have played this season, but they have slipped to some worse form since then, only winning one of their last seven matches in all competitions and losing four of them.
They are also winless in four in this competition, and even though Barca are likely to be tweaked and rotated having already won the group, they will still field a side more than capable of matching anyone. Lionel Messiย is without a goal in this group-stage campaignโhe will want to change that.
Prediction: Bayer Leverkusen 1-3 Barcelona
Roma vs. BATE Borisov, Stadio Olimpico, 7.45 p.m. GMT / 2.45 p.m. ET
Theyโve somewhat muddled their way through the group, but somehow, Roma have arrived with whatโon paperโis the easiest fixture of the lot, and the knowledge that a draw will probably be enough to take them through.
Indeed, the Italians could end up going through having won just one of their six group-stage matches, with their astonishing record of having failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 27 matches in European competition holding them back.
That might be extended against a BATE side that beat Roma on Matchday 2 and have done better than many expected, but ultimately, the hosts should just about have enough to squeeze through.
Prediction: Roma 2-1 BATE Borisov
Group F
Dinamo Zagreb vs. Bayern Munich, Stadion Maksimir, 7.45 p.m. GMT / 2.45 p.m. ET
There is nothing on this Group F clash between an already-eliminated Dinamo Zagrebโwhose loss to Arsenal last time out means they can no longer qualify for the Europa Leagueโand Bayern Munich, who have already qualified for the last 16 as group winners.
That said, the cream should rise to the top, and with a goals-scored column reading 17-3 in Bayernโs favour, Pep Guardiolaโs rotated side should do enough to put their weekend defeat at Borussia Monchengladbach behind them.
Prediction: Dinamo Zagreb 0-2 Bayern Munich
Olympiakos vs. Arsenal, Stadio Georgios Karaiskakis, 7.45 p.m. GMT / 2.45 p.m. ET
While the pressure isnโt on in Zagreb it will be in Athens, where one of Olympiakos or Arsenal will end the evening smiling.
The Greek sideโs 3-2 win at the Emirates Stadium on Matchday 2 is now holding the key to everything, with Arsenal needing to โbetterโ that score and win by any scoreline except 1-0 or 2-1 in order to progress.
The Gunners deserve credit for getting back into the group following what was an horrendous start to their Champions League campaign. Although all seems set for another disappointing experience for the Gunners in Europe, if Arsene Wengerโs men keep clear heads, then the sheer fact that they are a much better side than Olympiakos should come shining through.
And the comeback will be complete.
Prediction: Olympiakos 1-3 Arsenal
Group G
Dynamo Kiev vs. Maccabi Tel-Aviv, NSK Olimpiyskiy, 7.45 p.m. GMT / 2.45 p.m. ET
Dynamo Kievโs hugely impressive win at Porto last time out has flipped around everything in this group, with the Ukrainians now just needing to beat a winless and pointless Maccabi Tel-Aviv at home to progress.
Doing so would mark a first qualification from the group stages since the 1999/2000 campaign, when current manager Sergei Rebrov was leading the line alongside Andriy Shevchenko, and everything thatโs happened in Group G so far suggests that the win is probable.
Maccabi have been hugely disappointing in their five matches, scoring just one goal and conceding 15, and itโll be the goals-against column that alters again in Kiev.
Prediction: Dynamo Kiev 3-0 Maccabi Tel-Aviv
Chelsea vs. Porto, Stamford Bridge, 7.45 p.m. GMT / 2.45 p.m. ET
Just when you think that it canโt possibly get any worse for Chelsea, they go and lose at home to Bournemouth in the Premier League, but elimination from the Champions League at this stage would get the alarm bells ringing for Roman Abramovich and perhaps make Jose Mourinhoโs position as manager untenable.
His former club Porto beat the Blues in Portugal on Matchday 2, but their home loss to Dynamo Kiev last time out has really weakened their position in the group table.
Predicting Chelsea wins has made fools of many of us this season, and Porto would be unfortunate to be eliminatedโwhich would happen presuming Dynamo Kiev winโbut the Blues might just scrape through on a nervy night.
Prediction: Chelsea 1-0 Porto
Group H
Valencia vs. Lyon, Mestalla Stadium, 7.45 p.m. GMT / 2.45 p.m. ET
Gary Neville knows a thing or two about the Champions League, and as he takes charge of Valencia for the first time, heโll know that it is out of their hands whether or not theyโll progress.
The Spanish side need to win against a rock-bottom and eliminated Lyon and hope that Gent donโt beat group leaders Zenit, and the first part of that equation should at least be achievable given the Ligue 1 outfitโs miserable European campaign.
Theyโve scored just three goals and taken one point from their Group G matches, ensuring that Neville should get off to a winning start with a team on a high following the weekend draw with Barcelona.
Prediction: Valencia 3-1 Lyon
Gent vs. Zenit, Ghelamco Arena, 7.45 p.m. GMT / 2.45 p.m. ET
And there is little doubt that were Gent to pip Valencia to qualification, it would be one of the stories of this Champions League season.
No Belgian club has qualified from the first group stage since Anderlecht in 2000, while Gent could become only the third debutants to reach the last 16 since the 2011/12 season (Napoli, with Malaga in 2012/13).
Standing in their way will be a Zenit Saint Petersburg side whoโll be aiming to be the first Russian side in 20 years to win all six of their group-stage matches, and while theyโll obviously want to do that, it could just be that the added motivation of Gent wins through on what promises to be a raucous evening in Belgium.
Prediction: Gent 2-1 Zenit
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