Plenty of enormous sides are dealing with must-win video games within the closing spherical of Champions League fixtures earlier than Christmas.
Groups have simply three extra video games within the newly-formatted League Part to safe their locations within the knockout levels, with the holders Actual Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain’s hopes of avoiding a shock early exit removed from safe.
Listed here are the 5 video games you need to look out for within the Champions League this week.
Girona vs Liverpool (Tuesday, 5:45pm)
Not like some others on this listing, Liverpool are sitting comfortably on the high of the standings as they give the impression of being to keep up their excellent begin to this point.
Arne Slot’s Reds have already seen off AC Milan, Bologna, RB Leipzig, Bayer Leverkusen and Actual Madrid and now head to Spain to face debutants Girona.
Whereas a high eight end, which seals automated development to the final 16, will certainly be secured with one other win, Girona are additionally determined for 3 factors as they give the impression of being to keep away from elimination from the competitona altogether.
LaLiga’s third-placed facet final season are at the moment thirtieth, three factors off the all-important twenty fourth place wanted to sneak right into a play-off place – so a shock win at house would do them the world of excellent.
Atalanta vs Actual Madrid (Tuesday, 8pm)
Holders Actual are dealing with an unthinkable early exit from the competitors after a poor displaying of simply two wins and three defeats to this point, which leaves them at the moment sitting within the closing play-off place all the best way down in twenty fourth.
Los Blancos had been taught a lesson at Anfield final outing and one other troublesome away journey is on the playing cards as they journey to fifth-placed Atalanta, who’re high of Serie A and unbeaten within the Champions League to this point.
After a much-needed 3-0 victory over Girona on the week, Carlo Ancelotti’s males want to begin profitable within the Champions League and quick, particularly in the event that they nonetheless have hopes of sneaking into the highest eight.
When Actual Madrid and Atalanta met within the #SuperCup ⏪
⚽ Mbappé’s first objective for Actual Madrid…#UCL pic.twitter.com/28zGnLS7e2
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) December 9, 2024
RB Salzburg vs Paris Saint-Germain (Tuesday, 8pm)
PSG are in a equally perilous place, at the moment outdoors the highest 24 after choosing up a measly 4 factors to this point.
Like Madrid, the Ligue 1 champions desperately want to begin getting factors on the board, albeit they a barely simpler project as they face Rb Salzburg.
The Austrian facet have some extent lower than Tuesday’s opponents having solely crushed Feyernoord on Matchday 4.
If PSG slip up once more, then exiting the competitors earlier than the knockout levels will develop into an actual chance with solely two video games to play.
Juventus vs Manchester Metropolis (Wednesday, 8pm)
Manchester Metropolis suffered one more setback towards Crystal Palace on the weekend and can look to get again to profitable methods at Juventus.
It’s Metropolis’s first sport within the competitors since terribly imploding towards Feyernoord two weeks in the past, throwing away a three-goal lead to attract 3-3 which prolonged their winless run in all competitions to seven video games.
Because of this, the 2023 Treble winners have some severe work to do to safe their top-eight place as they at the moment sit seventeenth, two factors off the automated locations.
The Previous Woman are additionally on eight however are two factors behind, so a win for both facet could be enormous for his or her prospects.
Matchday 6 is right here! 🙌#UCL pic.twitter.com/H6w2ztU5F9
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) December 9, 2024
Borussia Dortmund vs Barcelona (Wednesday, 8pm)
The ultimate sport to get caught into is 2 sides who’ve regarded in good nick within the Champions League as final season’s finalists Borussia Dortmund go head-to-head with a resurgent Barcelona.
The pair are 4 and third respectively after each choosing up 12 factors to this point, with each having fun with routine 3-0 wins over Dinamo Zagreb and Brest final outing within the competitors.
Regardless of their imperious type, each side have hit slight bumps within the street domestically, with Dortmund with out a win because the victory in Croatia after attracts towards Bayern Munich and Borussia Monchengladbach.
Barca have additionally misplaced to Las Palmas and drawn with Actual Betis both facet of a 5-0 win over Mallorca and with a win for both absolutely sealing their place within the high eight, there may be a lot at stake on the Sign Iduna Park.