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Each team in the Champions League is now through four match days of Group Play, which means we're getting closer and closer to the Knockout Phase. And while some of the groups remain far from decided, this week's action helped to clarify the picture of which teams are likely to advance. So with another few weeks to go before the fifth match week is upon us, here's a look at how things stand in each group after Tuesday's and Wednesday's matches!
Group A
After another week of matches, Group A looks increasingly like a three club race, with Malmo having fallen 0-2 at home to Atletico Madrid. Meanwhile, Juventus kept itself in the thick of things, earning a crucial three points in a 3-2 win over Olympiacos. Juve benefited from an Olympiacos own goal that served as a 2-2 equalizer, but as Goal.com remarked, a winner from Paul Pogba "breathed life" into the Champions League campaign for the Serie A champions. Atletico looks like a sure bet to advance, but Juventus and Olympiacos will fight for the second spot (with Juventus having the more favourable schedule thanks to a remaining home contest with Atletico).
Group B
The headline in Group B this week was that Liverpool lost a second consecutive match to Real Madrid and now faces an uphill battle if it wants to advance. Basel (who also beat Liverpool but have yet to travel to Anfield for the second leg) sit in second with six points after notching an impressive 4-0 win over Ludogorets on Tuesday.
Group C
With a win over Zenit in St. Petersburg, Bayern Leverkusen earned some separation atop Group C, but this remains one of the most competitive groups. Monaco is in second with five points but blew a chance to assert itself in falling 0-1 to Benfica in Lisbon this week. Monaco still has to face Leverkusen in Germany, which could open the door for Benfica or Zenit (both with four points) to sneak through as Group C runner-up.
Group D
With 12 points and a +10 goal differential following a 4-1 win over Galatasaray this week, Borussia Dortmund remain the class of Group D. And at this point it would take a near miracle for Arsenal not to advance as the runner-up, despite the Gunners having been held to a 3-3 draw in London against Anderlecht on Tuesday. Arsenal have still earned seven points to date, and Galatasaray and Anderlecht have been far too weak to compete. This is one group that looks decided.
Group E
Bayern Munich continued to dominate at the top, running its point total to a perfect 12 with a home win over Roma. But the headlines in Group E go to Manchester City, who are poised for a disastrous Group Stage exit. This week's match was an opportunity for City who, as the match preview pointed out, were coming off a Manchester Derby that had to have been a relief. They were also looking healthier for a chance to take down CSKA Moscow at home (following a 2-2 draw away). Yet City once again disappointed, dropping a 1-2 match and making an advance to the knockout stage exceedingly unlikely (though not impossible). Right now, the runner-up battle looks to be between Roma and Moscow.
Group F
Though a handful of groups look to be all but decided, Group F is the only one in which the two teams advancing have already been mathematically determined. PSG, who took a 1-0 victory over APOEL in Paris this week, and Barcelona, who actually lost 0-2 to Ajax in Amsterdam, will advance with 10 and 9 points, respectively (while Ajax have two and APOEL just one). A December 6 group finale featuring PSG at Barcelona will likely decide who takes first in Group F.
Group G
Chelsea look to be in good shape overall, leading Group G with eight points, but this week's match in Slovenia—a 1-1 draw with Maribor—was not encouraging for the Blues' long-term prospects. The Guardian's match report called it an "undeniably sloppy performance" by Chelsea and also said the Blues' "irrepressible rhythm has been checked." Harsh words, but true after a missed penalty by Eden Hazard kept Chelsea from taking the win. Still, they look to be the likely winners, with Maribor, Schalke, and Sporting (who defeated Schalke 4-2 in Lisbon this week) competing for the runner-up spot.
Group H
The most remarkable detail in Group H is that if you look at the standings, BATE remain mathematically alive despite a -17 goal differential (thanks to an 0-12 aggregate loss to Shakhtar Donetsk in two matches played). But barring an extremely unlikely scenario, Porto (10 points to date) and Shakhtar Donetsk (eight) will advance. They'll face off in Porto on December 10, having drawn 2-2 in the first leg.
Written by Ketan Patel
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