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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Tom Victor

Champions League permutations as Liverpool, Spurs and others learn final positions

After a dramatic fifth gameweek in the Champions League, there are plenty of loose ends to tie up with Tottenham and Liverpool in action on Tuesday while there is plenty to play for on Wednesday too.

The last round of games saw Barcelona's fate sealed, with the Catalan club facing a financial nightmare after missing out on the knockout stages for the second straight year. Atletico Madrid, another of the LaLiga sides expecting to progress, also suffered elimination after a last-minute penalty miss from Yannick Carrasco.

There is plenty left to play for, though, especially in Group D. Here, Mirror Football has taken a closer look at who needs to do what with a last-16 spot at stake.

Group A

Liverpool's win away at Ajax last time out ensured they will still be playing Champions League football in 2023, and even kept alive their hopes of top spot in their group. That's easier said than done, though.

A 4-1 hammering at Napoli in the first gameweek means Jurgen Klopp's men will need to win by four to leapfrog the Serie A leaders. Anything less then it will be Luciano Spalletti's team in top spot with the Reds second.

It's a similar story at the bottom of a group in which no match has been drawn so far. Rangers sit bottom without a point, and their 4-0 loss at Ajax - plus a miserable goal difference - means they would need to win by five to catch the Dutch champions and avoid finishing dead last.

Who will win the Champions League? Have your say in the comments section

Liverpool will likely have to settle for second spot behind Napoli (Getty Images)

Group B

Last week's late drama in Madrid ensured the two qualifiers are confirmed but their finishing positions are not. With Atletico Madrid v Bayer Leverkusen ending all square, both were eliminated while Club Brugge and Porto are through.

Brugge travel to the BayArena knowing a victory would ensure they top the group. Anything less than that and Porto can overtake the Belgians by bettering their result in a home meeting with Atleti.

Diego Simeone's side might have squandered their late chance to progress, but they are still in pole position for a Europa League spot. That will be theirs as long as they match Leverkusen's result, but if the two teams end up level on points (only possible with an Atletico defeat and a Leverkusen draw) then the Germans will take third on head-to-head.

Group C

Barcelona have been eliminated with a game to spare (AFP via Getty Images)

Last week's results mean Group C is all done and dusted. Bayern Munich will win the group regardless of their result at home to fellow qualifiers Inter Milan, with Barcelona certain to move into the Europa League whether they win, lose or draw away at bottom-of-the-pile Viktoria Plzen.

Group D

This is the big one for as-things-stand permutations. All four teams in Group D can still win the group, and all four can still be eliminated.

Tottenham's point against Sporting last week leaves them top and with their fate in their own hands, but their late disallowed goal - had it stood - would have seen them through with a game to spare. A win in Marseille still sees them top the group, and a draw would be enough for qualification.

Late VAR drama against Sporting meant Spurs still have work to do (PA)

Marseille's task is much easier. Three points at the Stade Velodrome means qualification, defeat means elimination, and a draw will still see them finish bottom unless Sporting lose at home to Eintracht Frankfurt, in which case the French side would drop into the Europa League.

So now we get to the complicated part. Sporting won in Frankfurt, so a point at Estadio Jose Alvalade coupled with a Spurs win or draw would see them through, and a win would leave them top if Antonio Conte's team fail to win.

But what if Sporting and Frankfurt draw, and Spurs lose to Marseille. That would leave three teams on eight points, and a three-way head-to-head decider, and it would leave Sporting second (with eight head-to-head points), Spurs third (with five) and Frankfurt bottom (with two).

Group E

Chelsea are through as group winners (DeFodi Images via Getty Images)

When Chelsea lost to Dinamo Zagreb in September, it looked unlikely that they would already be through ahead of the return fixture. That's what has happened, though, thanks to 10 points from four games under Graham Potter.

A superior head-to-head record over AC Milan means the Blues are guaranteed top spot, while the Rossoneri will join them with a win or draw at home to Red Bull Salzburg. If the Austrians pull off a shock, though, then they will progress.

Dinamo Zagreb can't make the last 16 but can still earn a spot in the Europa League. That would require them to win at Stamford Bridge with Salzburg losing in Milan.

Group F

Let's begin with the easy part. Celtic are guaranteed to finish bottom and Real Madrid are already through to the last 16, and a win for the Spanish champions against their Scottish opponents would ensure they win the group.

Shakhtar have been left needing a win from their last game (Getty Images)

The other game sees Shakhtar Donetsk host RB Leipzig, with the Ukrainians facing a win-or-bust scenario. They won 4-1 in Germany, so another victory would see them through in their head-to-head record.

Leipzig will be through with a point, but could even top the group. The only way that can happen is if they win in Poland - where Shakhtar are playing their home games - and if Madrid drop points.

Group G

Nothing to see here. Manchester City are top, with Borussia Dortmund second, Sevilla third and FC Copenhagen bottom, and that's how things will stay.

Group H

PSG are through, but top spot isn't guaranteed (AFP via Getty Images)

Another group where qualification to the last 16 is settled but there's still a bit at stake. Indeed, the final gameweek could see Juventus eliminated altogether from Europe.

Top spot is between Paris Saint-Germain and Benfica, who are tied on points and drew both meetings 1-1. PSG have the goal difference advantage, by a margin of four, so the Portuguese side will need to win at Maccabi Haifa while hoping the Ligue 1 champions drop points against Juventus.

Juve also hold a goal difference advantage over Maccabi Haifa, so can ensure Europa League football by matching their rivals' result (barring an unlikely goal difference swing). However, if Juve lose and Maccabi draw, or if Juve draw and the Israelis win, Max Allegri's side will finish bottom of the group.

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