Champions League group stage: The situation so far.

The fifth fixture of the group stages of this season’s UEFA Champions League group stage went down this week and there were a lot of interesting surprises and situations, with some teams securing their place in the next round while others are put in a predicament of sorts. Today we are going to talk about the different groups and how things are looking before the final round of matches in this stage.

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Group A:

What seemed like a group meant for Liverpool to walk past by without much trouble actually had the Italian side, Napoli, doing just that. The team coached by former Roma and Inter manager, Luciano Spaletti, managed to defeat Liverpool, Rangers, and Ajax with ease, securing their place for the next round and the Reds did that as well, albeit with a little more trouble.

On the other hand, Ajax were the great disappointment of this group, only getting three points out of a potential fifteen and, unless a disaster happens against Rangers next game, they are going to have to settle with Europa League football.

Group B:

Club Brugge were the biggest surprise in the tournament so far, at least if you ask me. The Belgian side managed to not only qualify to the next round, but they enter the final fixture of the group stage with the possibility of getting a first place if they beat Bayer Leverkusen.

Naturally, Atletico Madrid not making it past the group is one of the biggest disappointments of the season, especially with the chaotic ending they had in their draw with Leverkusen this week. And there is a chance they might not only make it to the Europa League if Porto beats them and Leverkusen defeats Brugge.

Group C:

Of course, one of the biggest talking points this week has been FC Barcelona finishing third in this group and ending up in the Europa League for a second time in a row. After massive investment in the summer, including the high-profile signing of world-class striker Robert Lewandowski, the Catalonian side failed to show that quality on the pitch and were left behind the likes of Bayern Munich and Inter Milan.

There is nothing left to play for in this group in the final fixture, but the same can’t be said about the next group.

Group D:

Definitely the most interesting and exciting group so far from a neutral’s point of view. All four teams (Tottenham, Sporting Lisbon, Frankfurt and Marseille) have a chance of qualifying if they pull off a win in the final fixture, so this is going down to the wire next week.

Antonio Conte has struggled massively in the Champions League over the years with his teams and his Tottenham side could be dealing with another failure of this ilk if they don’t defeat Marseille in France next week. And both Sporting Lisbon and Europa League champions Frankfurt also have their own chances of reaching the next round.

Certainly the most even group in this stage and one that has been a rollercoaster of emotions.

Group E:

Chelsea have been the dominating side after a couple of great wins against AC Milan, but the Italian side are still at risk of not qualifying for the next round, so they have to beat RB Salzburg next week, who also happen to have chances of qualifying if they win.

Dinamo Zagreb still have an outside shot of winning and qualifying, but they need to beat Chelsea, which seems highly unlikely considering how the Blues have improved with new manager Graham Potter.

One of those groups that perhaps doesn’t have a lot of media exposure, but things could get very interesting in the final round and there is potential for a lot of drama right there.

Group F:

Defending champions Real Madrid have qualified to the next round, but the job is still not done. Their recent defeat against RB Leipzig has put their position in the first place at risk, so they are going to have to defeat Celtic Glasgow in the final round to avoid any potential danger.

Having said that, both RB Leipzig and Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk are going to face each other in the final round and while the former have an edge of three points over the latter, getting a victory or a draw can help pass without much issue. It is another fixture that has the potential for a lot of drama, so keep an eye on this one.

Group G:

Manchester City started out very strong in this edition of the Champions League, but the last two draws have put their first place in danger of being lost to German side Borussia Dortmund. And with both teams facing off against Sevilla and Copenhagen, two clubs whose fates are sealed, a lot can happen here.

The most likely scenario is City beating Sevilla and securing the first spot, but weirder things have been seen in football, so we should never assume anything in this sport. But it would be quite weird if Pep Guardiola’s side finishes second in this group.

Group H:

This group has been one of the most surprising. Benfica taking the second spot off Juventus was already one of the biggest surprises of the competition so far this edition, but the Portuguese side having the chance of taking the first place off Paris Saint Germain in the final fixture is certainly impressive.

PSG are going to play the final fixture against Juventus, who perhaps are lacking in quality, team morale and performances at the time, but you never know what can happen when your pride is hurt and your rival is underestimating you. On the other hand, Benfica have a fixture that looks easy in theory against the Israeli side Maccabi Haifa.

This is a group that has been one of the finest in the league so far and Benfica have been one of the most interesting teams in the competition, with their usual mix of young, talented and promising players that start to make a place of their own in the scene.