Following the matches on Wednesday, here is the current standings of the Champions League.
Luis Díaz’s Liverpool continues their unstoppable run in the world’s most prestigious club tournament, while the mighty Real Madrid struggles to stay alive in this year’s Champions League after their loss at Anfield.
Wednesday was a nightmare for Spanish football during the fifth round of the Champions League: Real Madrid and Girona both suffered defeats in their visits to Liverpool (2-0) and Sturm Graz (1-0), complicating their prospects in the tournament.
The ‘Merengue’ team, reigning champions, currently sits in 24th place out of 36 teams, with 6 points, and has already recorded three defeats in five matches, having also lost to Lille and AC Milan in October.
Read more:
Conor Bradley’s Unstoppable Drive Overpowers Mbappé, Earning Loud Applause
Breaking into the ‘Top 8,’ which qualifies teams automatically for the Round of 16, now seems like an unthinkable mission for Carlo Ancelotti’s side, who appear to be condemning themselves to fight for a spot in the playoff round, contested by those ranked between 9th and 24th place.
The team that seems poised to qualify swiftly is Liverpool, who have won all five of their matches (15 points) and lead the table alone, with a two-point advantage over their closest contender, Inter Milan (2nd).
It’s worth noting that in this new format of the Champions League, the top eight teams qualify directly for the Round of 16, while those from ninth to twenty-fourth place will compete in a playoff to remain in the tournament.
Currently, Real Madrid occupies the 24th position and must bounce back in the next round if they wish to avoid a resounding failure.
