Champions League Update: Week Of November 10th

Champions’ League Snap Shot (Week of November 2^nd , 2009)

With the fourth round of games down and only two more to go, the UEFA Champions’ League group stage is winding down. Let’s take a quick at how the groups are progressing after this week’s games. Keep in mind that the top two teams in each group advance, with goal differential being the tie-breaker.

Group A

Team	Played	Goal Diff.	Points
Bordeaux	4	+4	10
Juventus	4	+2	8
Bayern Munich	4	0	4
Maccabi Haifa	4	-6	0

Group A is a bit of a surprise. Juventus and Bayern were favored, yet they sit second and third with the French side Bordeaux at the forefront. Bordeaux simply need to beat whipping boy Maccabi Haifa to ensure passage, while Juventus can knock Bayern out with a win in either of their final two games.

Group B

Team	Played	Goal Diff.	Points
Manchester United	4	+3	10
Vfl Wolfsburg	4	+4	7
CSKA Moscow	4	-2	4
Besiktas	4	-5	1

United clinched on Match Day Four with a dramatic 3-3 draw with CSKA. Wolfsburg are looking like they will also be advancing, needing just three points in the final two games. The German side are first-timers in the competition and looked fully capable in their 3-0 defeat of Besiktas on Match Day Four.

Group C

Team	Played	Goal Diff.	Points
Real Madrid	4	+5	7
AC Milan	4	+1	7
Marseille	4	+2	6
FC Zurich	4	-8	3

Maybe the most competitive of the groups, Milan and Madrid have a narrow one-point lead over Marseille, who trounced FC Zurich 6-1 this past Tuesday to keep the pressure on. Zurich still have something to play for, but Marseille’s next two matches versus the front-runners will likely determine this group. If either one of the Spanish or Italian giants fall to the French league struggling, goal differential could come into play. 

Group D

Team	Played	Goal Diff.	Points
Chelsea	4	+6	10
FC Porto	4	+3	9
Atletico Madrid	4	-6	2
Apoel Nicosia	4	-3

Group D is all but wrapped up; a somewhat lackluster 2-2 draw between Chelsea and Atletico saw the former clinch. Porto are also through and will have a chance to steal first place in the group when they host Chelsea in two weeks.

Group E

Team	Played	Goal Diff.	Points
Lyon	4	+6	10
Fiorentina	4	+5	9
Liverpool	4	-2	4
Debrecen	4	-9

Liverpool continued their run of poor form with a draw in France to Lyon Wednesday. The result puts Lyon through, while Fiorentina, who put five past the still pointless Debrecen, need just a point in two matches to knock out the 2005 Champions. 

Group F

Team	Played	Goal Diff.	Points
Internazionale	4	+1	6
Barcelona	4	+1	5
FK Rubin Kazan	4	-1	5
Dynamo Kiew	4	-1	4

FK Rubin Kazan has been a pleasant surprise in Group F. The Russian team shocked Barcelona at the Camp Nou two weeks ago and sits level on points, but behind in goal differential. Inter Milan clawed back to beat Kiev at the death and take a one-point lead in the group. The last two match days should be exciting, which includes a Barcelona-Inter matchup on the 24^th .

Group G

Team	Played	Goal Diff.	Points
Sevilla FC	4	+7	10
Unirea Urziceni	4	+1	5
Vfb Stuttgart	4	-2	3
Rangers	4	-6	2

Sevilla clinched before the fourth round of games even started, but the second spot is very much up in the air. Unexpectedly, Urziceni are ahead of both Stuttgart and Rangers with two games remaining, but are yet to face the almost perfect Sevilla in the final rounds. Stuttgart and Rangers will also meet in a match that will not knock one, or both, out of the competition.

Group H

Team	Played	Goal Diff.	Points
Arsenal	4	+6	10
Olympiakos	4	-2	6
Standard Liege	4	0	4
AZ Alkmaar	4	-4

Arsenal basically assured passage this past Wednesday by bagging four goals at home against Alkmaar. Olympiakos sits four points back in second. The Greek team will need a win in the last two to ensure their passage over the Belgian side Standard Liege. Alkmaar would need a small miracle; six points in the last two fixtures is the only scenario which could see them progress.

That’s how it stands with four games in the books. Groups C and F are the ones to watch on the final two match days, with some possible upsets brewing.

Some quick noteworthy stats:

No team was able to claim the possible full 12 points through the first four rounds, and only one team is yet to win a point. This year’s group stage is surely one of the most competitive in years, and hopefully the quarter finals will follow suit.