Champions League: Paris, Real and City with their backs to the wall

The Parisians, Madrilenians and Mancuniens can tremble while there are only three matches left before the end of the league phase. The observation is more worrying for the French champion, who has only won one match and is in an unglorious 25th place.

Virtually eliminated from the race for the accession play-offs in the round of 16, Luis Enrique’s troops must absolutely win in Salzburg if they want to avoid a premature exit from the C1, which would be a first since the takeover of the club by Qatar in 2011.

Semi-finalist last season, PSG will have to resolve their big problems in attack. Orphan of Kylian Mbappé, Paris once again demonstrated cruel offensive ineffectiveness at Auxerre, Friday in Ligue 1 (0-0), and will also have to do without the services of its offensive asset N.1 Ousmane Dembélé, suspended, in Austria after the red card received against Bayern Munich (1-0), on November 26.

The trip to Salzburg could also constitute a major turning point for the career of Luis Enrique at PSG and for the viability of the project without stars so praised by management. If President Nasser Al-Khelaifi keeps repeating that elimination would not change the destiny of the Spanish technician and that he wishes to give time to this generally young and inexperienced team, such a scenario would still shake the club very badly. and his staff.

In Madrid, a similar urgency prevails. The title holders, who go to Atalanta Bergamo, are currently 24th after suffering two huge defeats against AC Milan at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium (3-1) and Liverpool (2-0). ).

– Fire in the city –

Last August, Real easily disposed of the winner of the Europa League in the European Super Cup (2-0) including Mbappé’s first goal in his new colors. But the situation has changed enormously since the captain of the France team is struggling to adapt to Madrid, which is also deprived of the injured Vinicius.

Carlo Ancelotti’s men must be all the more wary of Atalanta as the Italian team remains on a series of nine consecutive victories.

There is also fire on the side of Manchester City (17th), humiliated by Sporting Portugal (4-1) and which has only won one game in its last nine outings, all competitions combined. A new misstep against Juventus in Turin would amplify the crisis around Pep Guardiola.

Liverpool, led by an untenable Mohamed Salah and who won during his five C1 matches, does not have the same concerns and will try to continue his incredible journey in Girona, just like the undefeated Inter Milan (2nd ) in Leverkusen (6th), shock of the week in the real Champions League with the tempting Dortmund (4th) – FC Barcelona (3rd) and Arsenal (7th) – Monaco (8th).

Bayern Munich, inconsistent until then (13th), can get closer to the Top 8 and a direct ticket to the round of 16 against Shakhtar Donetsk.

As for the other French representatives, Brest (11th) welcomes PSV Eindhoven to Guingamp to revive after the slap received in Barcelona (3-0) and Lille (12th) can continue its comeback against Sturm Graz.