Tuesday, December 6, 2016

Champions League permutations: What each team needs to reach the round of 16

Tottenham will not feature in the Champions League knockout rounds this season
Tottenham will not feature in the Champions League knockout rounds this season

We examine the permutations for each side ahead of matchday six of the Champions League group stage.

Following Tuesday and Wednesday's games, Arsenal, Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Leicester are among the sides to have already qualified for the round of 16.

Here's our group-by-group rundown of what each club needs...

GROUP A

Standings

Team P W D L GD Pts
PSG 5 3 2 0 +6 11
Arsenal 5 3 2 0 +9 11
Ludogorets 5 0 2 3 -9 2
Basel 5 0 2 3 -6 2

Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain had already booked their places in the knockout stage before Wednesday's meeting, but the draw at the Emirates means it's advantage PSG.

The result means a win for the Ligue 1 side in a fortnight at home to Ludogorets will secure top spot regardless of overall goal difference, as they scored two away goals to Arsenal's one in their head-to-head clashes. Arsenal go to Basel on the final matchday.

Arsenal and PSG are still battling for top spot in Group A
Arsenal and PSG are still battling for top spot in Group A

It's a similar story for Ludogorets and Basel, who played out a 0-0 draw in matchday five, as they battle for the Europa League place. They are level on two points, but Ludogorets currently occupy third spot because their away goal in their 1-1 draw at Basel gives them a superior head-to-head record.

GROUP B        

Standings

Team P W D L GD Pts
Napoli 5 2 2 1 +2 8
Benfica 5 2 2 1 +1 8
Besiktas 5 1 4 0 +1 7
Dynamo Kiev 5 0 2 3 -4 2

Napoli face Benfica on matchday six, __with the winner guaranteed top spot and qualification - but the loser may still go through if Besiktas lose to Dynamo Kiev

However, the Turkish side will progress regardless of the result in Italy if they beat their Ukrainian opponents.

Napoli will qualify if they beat Benfica on the final matchday
Napoli will qualify if they beat Benfica on the final matchday

Should Beskitas win, they would advance __with the winner of Napoli against Benfica, but if those two draw, Napoli would qualify due to their 4-2 win over the Portuguese side in September.

If Beskitas draw and Benfica lose, the latter will progress thanks to their superior head-to-head record, but a Beskitas draw and Napoli defeat is enough for the Turkish outfit.

Dynamo Kiev's draw against Benfica on matchday five means they will finish bottom of the group, and are out of Europe.

GROUP C

Standings

Team P W D L GD Pts
Barcelona 5 4 0 1 +12 12
Man City 5 2 2 1 +2 8
B Monchengladbach 5 1 2 2 -3 5
Celtic 5 0 2 3 -11 2

Group C is done and dusted. Barcelona are guaranteed to finish top following their 2-0 win over Celtic, while the Scottish champions will finish bottom, ending their European participation.

Barcelona are through to the knockout round
Barcelona are through to the knockout round

Man City, who face Celtic at the Etihad on the final matchday, are set to finish second, with Borussia Monchengladbach third, earning the Bundesliga side a spot in the Europa League.

GROUP D

Standings

Team P W D L GD Pts
Atletico Madrid 5 5 0 0 +6 15
Bayern Munich 5 3 0 2 +7 9
Rostov 5 1 1 3 -6 4
PSV 5 0 1 4 -8 1

First and second is decided in Group D, with Atletico Madrid qualifying as group winners following their victory over PSV and Bayern Munich's defeat to Rostov.

The Bundesliga outfit will advance in second place, with Rostov and PSV set to battle over the Europa League spot.

The Dutch side must beat Rostov at home on the final matchday to finish third.

Bayern Munich will advance behind Atletico Madrid
Bayern Munich will advance behind Atletico Madrid

GROUP E

Standings

Team P W D L GD Pts
Monaco 5 3 2 0 +5 11
B Leverkusen 5 1 4 0 +1 7
Tottenham 5 1 1 3 -2 4
CSKA Moscow 5 0 3 2 -4 3

Tottenham will not feature in the round of 16 after defeat to Monaco, and will need a point against CSKA Moscow in their final group game at Wembley to seal Europa League football.

Group leaders Monaco have qualified for the knockout stages, along with Bayer Leverkusen who drew away to bottom club CSKA on Tuesday. 

The Russian side will battle it out with Spurs for a spot in the Europa League, and need a win to take their place in that competition. 

Tottenham were knocked out of the Champions League this week
Tottenham were knocked out of the Champions League this week

GROUP F

Standings

Team P W D L GD Pts
Borussia Dortmund 5 4 1 0 +12 13
Real Madrid 5 3 2 0 +6 11
Sporting Lisbon 5 1 0 4 -2 3
Legia Warsaw 5 0 1 4 -16 1

Borussia Dortmund were the only team in this section to have already guaranteed their passage to the round of 16 before matchday five, and they took an even stronger grip on top spot with a stunning 8-4 victory over Legia Warsaw.

They will top the group providing they do not get beaten by Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in the final round of games. The Spanish giants have also qualified for the knockouts after beating Sporting Lisbon.

Sporting and Legia Warsaw will go head-to-head for a Europa League spot. A draw will be enough in Poland on December 7 to send the Portuguese side through, while their opponents will need a win to make the competition. 

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang reacts after scoring for Dortmund against Real Madrid
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang reacts after scoring for Dortmund against Real Madrid

GROUP G

Standings

Team P W D L GD Pts
Leicester 5 4 1 0 +6 13
Porto 5 2 2 1 +1 8
FC Copenhagen 5 1 3 1 +3 6
Club Brugge 5 0 0 5 -10 0

Leicester guaranteed their place in the knockout stages with a 2-1 win against Club Brugge, who remain bottom of the table with no points and exit the European competition. 

The Foxes also top the group after a goalless draw between Porto and FC Copenhagen, who will need to wait until the final game week to decide who also goes through to the last 16.

Porto would qualify with a point at home to Leicester if Copenhagen lose or draw in Bruges, but a win for the Danish club would mean the Portuguese outfit would need all three points themselves to qualify, as they have an inferior goal difference. Both meetings between Porto and Copenhagen earlier in the competition ended all square, so head-to-head cannot separate them.

Islam Slimani celebrates after scoring for Leicester against Porto
Islam Slimani celebrates after scoring for Leicester against Porto

GROUP H

Standings

Team P W D L GD Pts
Juventus 5 3 2 0 +7 11
Sevilla 5 3 1 1 +4 10
Lyon 5 2 1 2 +2 7
Dinamo Zagreb 5 0 0 5 -13 0

Sevilla missed the chance to take their place in the round of 16 after being beaten by Juventus, who have sealed their spot in the knockout stages after the 3-1 victory.

The current Europa League holders now need a point in their final game at Lyon, who are their direct competition for second place. The French side will need to win and better Sevilla's goal difference to knock them into third. 

If Lyon win, but do not better the goal difference, Sevilla will still go through to the knockout stages as they would both have one victory each in the head-to-head rule, but the La Liga outfit would edge it on goal difference.

If Sevilla win, they will ensure their spot in the last 16 and if Juve lose or draw at home to Dinamo Zagreb - who are already out of contention - they will go through as group winners.

Sevilla and Juventus are vying for top spot in Group H
Sevilla and Juventus are vying for top spot in Group H