The final round of Champions League group stage matches take place this week…
There is still plenty up for grabs this week as we enter the final round of group stage matches in the Champions League. Liverpool and Manchester City will both be playing for a place in the Last 16, while Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi will be after personal bragging rights.
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Here are five key things that will be determined:
5) Will Liverpool and Manchester City make it?
Both Liverpool and Manchester City must win their final group games if they are to join Chelsea and Arsenal in the Last 16. The Reds have only taken four points from their opening five matches, with all of those coming against Bulgarian minnows Ludogorets. Basel are their opponents at Anfield, with a win guaranteed to seal their progress. Manchester City’s shock win over Bayern Munich as put them back in with a chance of qualification, although they still must beat Roma to join the Germans in the next round.
4) Can Arsenal top their group and avoid early exit?
Arsenal have made four consecutive Last 16 exits – losing to Bayern Munich (twice), AC Milan and Barcelona. The Gunners will be desperate not to extend that record, but with another second place group finishing looking likely, it seems as if Arsene Wenger’s side will be facing another challenging tie against a European giant. It is still possible for Arsenal to win their group, but they will need to beat Galatasaray, and hope that Anderlecht do them a favour against Borussia Dortmund. How the Gunners fans would dearly love that to happen.
3) Will Real Madrid close out the group stage’s only 100% record?
With Dortmund losing to Arsenal last time out, Real Madrid hold the only remaining 100% record in the competition. On paper, they shouldn’t have much trouble in finishing off their perfect run, when they take on Ludogorets in their final group game, but it’s worth remembering that the minnows gave them a huge scare last time out, before going down 2-1. Madrid could also rest several players, with the group victory and their progress already long since secured.
2) Will it be Barcelona or Paris Saint Germain?
Surely the most interesting fixture of this round of games, outside of the Liverpool and Manchester City deciders. PSG beat Barcelona 3-2 in the two team’s first meeting in September, and have remained top of the group ever since. They head into the last round of fixtures with a one point advantage over the Catalans, who will be desperate to both exact some revenge when the two sides meet again, and win the group – thus avoiding a more difficult tie in round two.
1) Can Cristiano Ronaldo catch Lionel Messi?
Lionel Messi recently surpassed Raul’s Champions League goal record, and now leads the all-time standings with 74 strikes in the competition. Ronaldo is just three behind, in joint-second place with the former Real Madrid man on 71. With Ronaldo preparing to face Ludogorets, while Messi faces the more challenging task of PSG, could the Portuguese star surpass his long-standing Barcelona rival in this week’s round of European fixtures.
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