Key UK Games From Champions League Matchday 7
For the first time since the tournament was reorganised, we have Champions League group stage action in the New Year. In successive weeks, we will see the final two matches in the new League phase played for all teams and it promises to be a very exciting race for teams to qualify for the playoffs or secure a direct route into the Round of 16.
In this post, we will take a look ahead at some of the key games coming up on Matchday 7 that could have a major bearing on some big teams’ chances of progressing to the knockout stages.
How Do Teams Qualify from the Champions League Group Stage?
- Teams finishing first to eighth – Qualify directly to the Round of 16.
- Teams finishing ninth to 24th – Qualify for the Playoff Round, the winners of which qualify for the Round of 16.
- Teams finishing 24th to 36th – Eliminated from European competition.
No team is assured of qualifying for the Round of 16 as yet.
Liverpool and Barcelona are assured of at least a playoff spot.
RB Leipzig, Slovan Bratislava and Young Boys are all assured of being eliminated as they have collected no points so far in the Group Stage.
Key Games for UK Teams – Champions League Matchday 7
With those qualification spots in mind, let’s look at some key games scheduled for Matchday 7. The current position in the Champions League table is shown in brackets after each team name.
Tuesday 21st January
AS Monaco (16) v Aston Villa (5)
A win for Aston Villa here would almost assure them of a place in the top eight, while a draw would be a decent point earned but could see them drop out of the top eight depending on results elsewhere. Monaco need the points to keep themselves in the hunt for a spot in the playoffs at least.
Liverpool (1) v Lille (8)
A win or draw for Liverpool would see them assured of a top eight finish and allow Arne Slot to rest players in their final game against PSV. Lille would love a win to maintain their top eight spot. A win would be huge for Liverpool, especially if Barcelona lose or draw as it would mean the Reds are confirmed as the table toppers for the Group Stage regardless of what happens on Matchday 8.
Wednesday 22nd January
Arsenal (3) v Dinamo Zagreb (24)
With Zagreb occupying the final qualifying spot for the playoffs, they badly need something here with PSG and Stuttgart able to catch them. A win for Arsenal would put them in a very strong position to qualify as one of the Round of 16 qualifiers.
Paris St Germain (25) v Manchester City (22)
No doubt, the biggest game of the night in terms of qualifying. Defeat for either team could be disastrous for their hopes of qualifying for the next phase. A draw would favour City slightly over PSG but would not be ideal for either team. This game should be a cracker with so much on the line.
Celtic (21) v Young Boys (36)
A win for Celtic, combined with defeat or draw for any two of Man City, PSV, Dinamo Zagreb, PSG or VfB Stuttgart and Celtic would qualify for the Playoff Round. They have a great chance against a team without a win in this competition.
Other Key Games for Non-UK Teams
Other key matches this week in the Champions League involving non-UK teams include:
- Atletico Madrid (11) v Bayer Leverkusen (4)
- Benfica (15) v Barcelona (2)
- Club Brugge (19) v Juventus (14)
- Feyenoord (18) v Bayern Munich (10)
