It is shaping up to be another big week of UEFA Champions League action as the league phase gets set for its sixth round of games. Although we are yet to have any team book their place in the round of 16, current leaders Liverpool -- who have won all five of their games so far -- are the closest to doing so having already guaranteed at least a playoff place. They could ensure their place in the top eight this week but it depends on results elsewhere as well as their own result against Girona on Tuesday.
We take a look at what is in play this midweek.
UCL top-eight finish
- Tuesday: Girona vs. Liverpool
Liverpool are already guaranteed a top-24 finish which is at least a playoff spot but Arne Slot's Premier League and Champions League leaders could become the first team to confirm their presence in the round of 16 as early as this week. The Reds can take another major step towards that status with victory in Spain over Girona but it will depend on which teams currently on 10 points win or draw as to whether that is 100% confirmed this week. Even if it is not made official, it is difficult to see the Merseysiders throwing things away over their last two games.
UCL playoff spot (top 24)
- Tuesday: Leverkusen vs. Inter and Atalanta vs. Real
- Wednesday: Dortmund vs. Barcelona
Just below Liverpool and potentially with the power to deny the leaders confirmation of their round of 16 passage this week are unbeaten Italian pair Inter and Atalanta BC -- who could deal defending champions Real Madrid a savage blow -- as well as Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund who meet this midweek. All four are in positions to secure at least a playoff place but it is unlikely that the quartet can do so together with Barca and BVB meeting on Wednesday. Best case scenario, three of these four teams win which would be bad news for Bayer Leverkusen and Real's chances while a draw in Germany could work out nicely for both the Bundesliga and La Liga giants.
- Tuesday: Leipzig vs. Villa, Club Brugge vs. Sporting and Brest vs. PSV Eindhoven
- Wednesday: Lille vs. Sturm Graz and Arsenal vs. AS Monaco
Slightly further behind are Leverkusen, Arsenal, AS Monaco, Aston Villa, Sporting CP, Stade Brestois 29 and Lille OSC with all seven close to the playoffs but not guaranteed to have all of their places sewn up this week. Depending on how Xabi Alonso's men fare against Inter, one of the Gunners or Les Monegasques could do it -- they play each other -- while Villa, Sporting, Brest and LOSC are arguably best-placed to get it done now given that they all face winnable games based on their European form so far.
Matchday 7 possibles
- Tuesday: Shakhtar vs. Bayern and Salzburg vs. PSG
- Wednesday: Atletico vs. Slovan Bratislava, Juventus vs. City, Milan vs. Red Star and Benfica vs. Bologna
Bayern Munich, SL Benfica, Atletico Madrid and Milan are closing on their playoff places but can still be mathematically caught by teams in the elimination spots like Paris Saint-Germain. The German, Portuguese, Spanish and Italian sides are all paying for slightly slower starts than their rivals although none are as slow as the likes of the struggling French giants and Real who are also lagging behind. On Paris, Luis Enrique's men are not yet ruled out of the top eight although it is unlikely that the Ligue 1 leaders make it now given the current six-point gap from Monaco in eighth with only nine points left to play for against Red Bull Salzburg, Manchester City and VfB Stuttgart. Pep Guardiola's men are already in the top 24, two points off the top eight, but likely need at least five points to sew up their playoff place and possibly between seven and a full nine to have any shot at an improbable top-eight finish.