Paris – As the UEFA Champions League enters its decisive phase with the approach of the seventh and penultimate matchday, the competition has seen only two teams secure their place for the knockout stages: Liverpool and Barcelona. Meanwhile, the pressure is on for two other European heavyweights – Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City – who face each other in Paris on Wednesday, both fighting for survival in the tournament.
Despite their status as contenders for the prestigious title, PSG and City displayed inconsistent form before this crucial meeting. The French champions find themselves outside the qualifying places, occupying 25th position with just 7 points, while City are just one point ahead in 22nd place.
PSG’s disappointing record shows just two wins in six matches, and City have failed to triumph in their last three outings in this competition.
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This clash will also be marked by a tactical battle between Luis Enrique and Pep Guardiola, former teammates at Barcelona and the Spanish national team. Both coaches have previously led Barcelona to remarkable success, each winning a sextuple of trophies (in 2015 and 2010, respectively).
“We don’t have the number of points we should have,” admitted Luis Enrique, while Guardiola admitted that City are currently going through “a difficult period,” with nine defeats since October 30. However, there are signs of improvement as City recently notched a 6-0 win over Ipswich Town.
The reigning European champions will also have key players back for this decisive encounter, Bernardo Silva and Jérémy Doku, both with a background in Ligue 1, ready to make their contribution after returning to form.
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Liverpool and Barcelona aim for direct qualification
Earlier on Tuesday, Liverpool and Barcelona, the only teams assured of their place in the competition, will aim for direct qualification for the round of 16 against Lille and Benfica, respectively, who are also fighting for a place in the top 8.
AS Monaco (10th) and Aston Villa (5th) will face each other on Tuesday in Monaco, sharing the same objective, while Atlético Madrid (11th) faces Bayer Leverkusen (4th) at the Metropolitano. This match will feature Xabi Alonso in the Spanish capital, where rumors suggest he could soon take charge of the team, amid speculation of a possible move to their rivals Real Madrid.
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Reigning European champions Real Madrid are struggling in the new Champions League format, currently sitting in 20th place with 9 points. They host Salzburg on Wednesday, and Carlo Ancelotti’s side are in desperate need of a win. Remarkably, they are doing well in La Liga, having recently beaten Las Palmas 4-1, despite a heavy defeat to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final just a week before.
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Kylian Mbappé shines again
There is good news for Madrid with the return of Kylian Mbappé, who put in a stellar performance with a brace against the Canaries after struggling earlier in the season. He has scored 18 goals in all competitions this season.
“I’m still a little confused. There are days when we play very badly, but I see Madrid in the lead,” Ancelotti said on Sunday, expressing his frustration at the criticism.
Other notable teams in action on Wednesday include Arsenal (3rd) taking on Dinamo Zagreb, AC Milan (12th) hosting Girona at the San Siro, Inter (6th) traveling to Prague, and Bayern Munich (10th) visiting at Feyenoord, all aiming to solidify their positions.
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At the end of the group stage, the top eight teams will advance directly to the round of 16, alongside the eight winners of the play-off matches between the teams ranked 9th to 24th.
Currently, only three teams are mathematically eliminated: Leipzig, Slovan Bratislava and Young Boys.
