Champions League last 16 scramble
Champions League pressure on PSG and Spurs
SEVERAL of Europe’s big hitters will be hoping to join Barcelona in the last 16 of the Champions League, while others will be hoping to avoid missing out.
European champions Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Roma, Juventus, Inter Milan and Porto all need a point in their penultimate group-stage matches to go through.
Others will be hoping to seal their places with victories, while teams like Paris Saint-Germain, Tottenham Hotspur and Valencia are battling for survival.
Group C is one of the tightest groups where Napoli will be through if they beat Red Star Belgrade and PSG fail to beat Liverpool.
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool side are also aiming to seal progress with a victory in Paris if Napoli avoid defeat, but PSG, who could see the return from injury of strikers Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, will be fighting for their lives.
“We’re aware this game with Liverpool is crucial for us,” coach Thomas Tuchel said on the club’s website.
“We’re going to have to find the right balance between the aggression required to win, while also keeping our cool. We’ll have to have a certain faith in our ability, stay focused and keep our aim in mind.”
Bundesliga champions Bayern are also under pressure after their recent poor form, which has increased speculation over the future of coach Niko Kovac.
Bayern will be looking to the Champions League to provide the antidote to their present malaise, knowing a draw at home to Benfica in Group E tonight will be enough to progress.
After a 3-3 draw at home to lowly Fortuna Dusseldorf on Saturday, club president Uli Hoeness said the team were “playing really bad football, uninspired football, and most of all football without confidence.”
Kovac, he said, would be in charge tonight but “we will use the next days to find out what’s going on” – comments interpreted as but a short reprieve for the Croatian coach.
Ajax will also be through with a win at AEK Athens, or if Benfica fail to get a point in Munich. The Portuguese team must win to have a chance of a top-two finish.
Premier League champions City control their own fate and need to avoid defeat at second-placed Lyon to go through from Group F tonight. The French side are also looking to advance with a win, and a draw might also be enough.
Hoffenheim meanwhile take on Shakhtar Donetsk needing a win to stay in contention to qualify from the group.
Roma and Real clash in Group G knowing a draw will put both through at the expense of CSKA Moscow, who face Viktoria Plzen.
Real coach Santiago Solari has Keylor Navas back fit, but the Costa Rica goalkeeper has not been named in the squad and Thibaut Courtois is likely to stay in goal.
Serie A champions Juventus need a draw at home to Valencia in Group H, where Manchester United are at home to Young Boys and could also advance with a victory if Valencia do not win in Turin.
“If we play with the same philosophy against Young Boys then we won’t win,” United manager Jose Mourinho said after a goalless draw with Crystal Palace in the league on Saturday.
Both Bundesliga leaders Dortmund, at home to Club Brugge, and Atletico Madrid, who host Monaco, know victories in Group A tomorrow will be enough to reach the knock-out phase. Brugge must win to keep their hopes alive.
Barcelona are already assured of progression from Group B ahead of their visit to PSV Eindhoven tomorrow, while Tottenham meet Inter Milan in a crunch match. Spurs must win at Wembley, while Inter need a draw.
Portuguese champions Porto are out to clinch top spot in Group D tomorrow when they take on Schalke, who know a win will also be enough – both sides could afford a defeat if Galatasaray fail to win at Lokomotiv Moscow. |