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Champions League knockouts: What does each team need to qualify for last 16?



The Champions League group stage is almost complete, with a handful of sides having secured their qualification to the next round.

The likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Juventus and Manchester City have already progressed to the last-16 stage, though defending champions Liverpool will need another result on the final matchday to make it to the knockout phases.

With the draw for the next round taking place on December 16, here are the results that each team needs in order to qualify to the UCL last-16 stage.

Teams who have qualified: Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Juventus, Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, RB Leipzig, Tottenham Hotspur.

Group A

Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid have already sealed qualification to the knockouts.

PSG have finished top of their group with Real Madrid in second, while Club Brugge will occupy the Europa League spot should they win against Real Madrid at home or Galatasaray fail to beat PSG.

For Galatasaray to drop into the Europa League, they must win at PSG and hope that Real Madrid beat Club Brugge.

Group B

Bayern have topped their group, with Tottenham finishing as runners-up regardless of the outcome of the final match (in which they play each other).

Red Star Belgrade must win or draw against Olympiacos to qualify for the UEL, while Olympiacos can do the same by winning at home to Red Star.

Group C

Manchester City’s status as Group C winners is sealed, but the battle for second is still on.

Atalanta will only progress to the knockouts should they win against Shakhtar, but not if Dinamo Zagreb beat Man City.

Dinamo must win at home against Man City, and also have Shakhtar win against Atalanta.

Shakhtar will progress if they win at home to Atalanta, though a draw will suffice unless Man City lose to Dinamo Zagreb.

Group D

Juventus have already qualified as group winners.

Atletico Madrid can also qualify if they win at home to Lokomotiv Moscow, or Bayer Leverkusen lose or draw to Juventus.

Bayer Leverkusen must win at home to Juventus and have Atletico fail to defeat Lokomotiv Moscow.

With just three points, Lokomotiv have no chance of even qualifying for the Europa League.

Group E

Liverpool failed to secure their status as group winners after drawing to Napoli in the last round of matches. They will need at least a draw away to Salzburg to secure qualification, though they will also progress should Napoli lose to Genk, or if Napoli win and Liverpool are defeated by a one-goal margin of 5-4 or higher.

Napoli only need to draw at home to Genk to secure qualification, and a defeat would also send them through if Salzburg fail to defeat Liverpool.

Salzburg need a win at home to Liverpool to progress to the next round, unless they win by a one-goal margin of 5-4 or higher and Napoli beat Genk (this would allow Liverpool to advance on the basis of their head-to-head record).

In the event that Salzburg defeat Liverpool and Napoli tie with Genk, the three teams will all be on 10 points. In order to decide the tie-breaker, their head-to-head record will be taken into account – with Napoli winning the group, Salzburg finishing as runners-up based on the goal difference, and Liverpool dropping into the UEL.

With just one point, Genk are eliminated.

Group F

Barcelona have won the group.

Borussia Dortmund must better Inter’s result against Barcelona in order to qualify. Should Borussia defeat Slavia Prague, they need to hope that Inter draw or lose to Barcelona.

Inter must match or better Dortmund’s result against Slavia Prague. Even if Inter lose, and Dortmund lose, Inter would progress – and if both Inter and Dortmund win, Inter would go through.

Slavia Prague are eliminated.

Group G

RB Leipzig have qualified for the last-16 round and only need one point against Lyon to finish as group winners.

Lyon will progress should they defeat Leipzig, and could afford a draw in the event that Benfica defeat Zenit.

Zenit will go through if they win or draw against Benfica, and Lyon do not win against Leipzig. They will also progress should they lose, but only if Lyon also lose to Leipzig.

Benfica could still qualify for the Europa League if they win against Zenit, but only if Lyon lose at home to Leipzig – or if they beat Zenit by a scoreline of 2-0, or by three clear goals.

Group H

Chelsea must win at home to Lille to secure a spot in the knockouts. They can also progress with a draw, but only if Valencia lose to Ajax.

Ajax need to draw at home to Valencia to progress to the last-16. They can also progress should they lose, but only if Chelsea fail to win against Lille.

Valencia need to win against Ajax if they want to make it to the next round. A draw would suffice if Chelsea don’t win at home to Lille.

Lille are eliminated.

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