The first half of the group phase in the Champions League is over and the first teams can qualify for the knockout round on matchday 4. An overview of the situations in the groups.
For three out of four German clubs, it is quite likely that they will already know on Tuesday or Wednesday evening whether they will be in the premier class next year or not. In total there are only two groups in which it is impossible for a team to qualify early for the round of 16 on this match day.
Group A – Bayern can even become group winners
Nine points and 9:5 goals – FC Bayern Munich got off to a perfect start in the group phase of the Champions League and thanks to the other results they now have the chance to have a very relaxed final game in the competition. If coach Thomas Tuchel’s team also wins the second leg against Galatasaray on Wednesday (November 8th, 2023), they will definitely be in the round of 16. If Manchester United fails to win at FC Copenhagen at the same time, the German record champions will no longer be able to take away their group victory.
No further decisions can be made on this match day. With a defeat against Man United, Copenhagen (currently only one point) would only have a very theoretical chance of progressing.
Group B – Will Arsenal refine their CL return?
Although Arsenal FC surprisingly lost at RC Lens (1:2) on the second matchday, the English runner-up can already book their ticket for the next round. If Arsenal (playing for the first time since the 2016/17 season) doesn’t win against FC Sevilla and PSV Eindhoven in Lens on Wednesday, coach Mikel Arteta’s team will definitely be in the round of 16.
Lens wouldn’t definitely qualify if they won, but the chance would be enormous, especially if Arsenal were to win at the same time. Then the French surprise team would be six points ahead of Sevilla and Eindhoven and only need one point.
Group C – Union’s last chance at the theoretical chance
Union Berlin lost twelve competitive games in a row – including the three games in the Champions League. The possibility of making it to the knockout phase is correspondingly minimal, but it is still there. If there was no win at SSC Naples, they would no longer exist due to the lost direct comparison.
Real Madrid, on the other hand, would definitely be further ahead for the same reason with a point win against Sporting Braga. In the Champions League, in the event of a tie, the direct comparison will be decided in the first instance, which the Royals would have won after the first leg win in Portugal even in the event of a draw.
Group D – Last year’s finalist Inter before qualification
In this group, the two teams that will advance could actually be determined after this match day. If Real Sociedad San Sebastian (against Benfica Lisbon) and Inter Milan (at RB Salzburg) win, they will be in the round of 16. Then in the last two games it’s about whether last year’s finalists Inter or the Spaniards advance as group winners.
Lisbon around coach Roger Schmidt, on the other hand, only helps with victories. If Milan scores in Salzburg and Benfica doesn’t win, progress in the Champions League is also no longer possible.
Group E – Celtic Glasgow under pressure
Even after the fourth matchday, no team will be guaranteed to be in the round of 16. The only decision that can be made is that Celtic Glasgow can no longer qualify for the knockout phase in the premier class if Feyenoord Rotterdamm loses at Atletico Madrid and Feyenoord Rotterdamm wins at Lazio.
Group F – BVB right in the middle of the race for the knockout rounds
The constellation of Borussia Dortmund, Paris St. Germain, Newcastle United and AC Milan was often proclaimed in advance as the “group of death” and after the first half it at least turns out to be the most balanced combination. No matter how the games turn out on the fourth matchday – no team will be able to qualify early, and no team will have to give up hope of reaching the round of 16.
Group G – Leipzig and Man City before progressing
There is a possibility that the top two teams will already be determined after the upcoming games. RB Leipzig is already through with a win on Tuesday (November 7th, 2023) at Red Star Belgrade if Manchester City wins against Young Boys Bern. However, if Leipzig wins a point, a draw is enough for the “Citizens” to qualify early for the next round.
Group H – Barca are only one point away
After three wins at the start, FC Barcelona is heading into the second half of the group phase extremely comfortably. In Hamburg against Shakhtar Donetsk, goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s team only needs one point to secure a place in the round of 16.
Royal Antwerp, on the other hand, needs a win at FC Porto. Because the Belgians lost the first leg in their own stadium, one point would be too few to maintain the theoretical chance of progressing due to the lost direct comparison.