If usually, the group stage ended in December, this season, the situation is different: in fact, in this unique pool of 36 teams, each club must play eight matches – instead of six previously.
So now it’s time for the seventh and penultimate day of the group stage, with some big teams who will have to work hard if they want to reach the next round.
This is the case for Paris Saint-Germain. With seven points after six days, the Parisians are currently 25th in the standings, and will absolutely have to win to have any hope of being part of the first 24 and thus snatch a place in the play-offs.
Problem: during its next match, PSG will face Manchester City. A team which also needs points (only 22nd in the standings) and which after weeks of doubt, remains on a nice 6-0 success in the Premier League on the ground of promoted Ipswich.
A very tight ranking
Another major European player in danger: Vinicius Jr.’s Real Madrid. 20th in the standings with nine points, the title holder must win their last two matches, at home against Salzburg then at Brest, if they want to avoid any bad results. surprise.
-Because the ranking is so tight in the middle of the ranking that it is currently impossible to predict who will qualify for the next round: two days before the end of the group stage, only six points separate Bayer Leverkusen , fourth, from Stuttgart, 26th.
Questions that Liverpool does not really ask themselves: winners of their first six matches, the leaders of the Premier League will receive Lille with a certain serenity. If successful, the Reds would indeed qualify directly for the next round.
As a reminder, the first eight will directly validate their ticket for the round of 16. Then, the teams ranked from 9th to 24th place will compete in play-offs to reach these eighth places, precisely.
A continuation of the competition which does not really concern Young Boys, Slovan Bratislava or even RB Leipzig, who are already eliminated.
