Champions League: Who will qualify from the group stage?
Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane says he wants Gareth Bale to stay until the end of the season. (1:08)
The Champions League group stage has reached the halfway stage, but who is best placed to make it through to the knockout rounds?
We look at each group, with the top two going through and third dropping into the Europa League.
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Paris Saint-Germain have won all three game and will be through if they avoid defeat at home to Club Brugge — who they beat 5-0 in Belgium — at the Parc des Princes on Nov. 6. They would also be through with a loss if Real Madrid vs. Galatasaray is a draw.
Real Madrid have had a poor campaign so far, and only got their first win away to Galatasaray on Matchday 3. They only have a two-point advantage in second, but victory at home to Galatasaray next time out, coupled with defeat for Brugge in France, would almost have them over the line.
Club Brugge and Galatasaray, who will be eliminated if they lose at the Bernabeu, are most likely to be battling it out for a place in the Europa League, unless either can pull off a shock on Matchday 4.
Like PSG, Bayern Munich have dominated their group, having won all three matches, and a draw at home to Olympiakos in the next fixture will qualify them.
Tottenham Hotspur go into Matchday 4 in second place but with much work to do, one point ahead of Red Star Belgrade. They next travel to Red Star, who they beat 5-0 at home, and victory, together with a win for Bayern over Olympiakos, would give them a four-point advantage. A win at home to Olympiakos on Matchday 5 would then see them through. But fail to win in Serbia and the group remains wide open, especially as Spurs finish their group campaign away to Bayern.
Red Star Belgrade still have two home games left, with Spurs and Bayern to visit, so cannot be ruled out, but Olympiakos look an outside bet as they must visit Germany and England in their next two games and only have one point.
Manchester City have a 100% record and are all but assured of progressing. Victory away to Atalanta in their next game will complete the job.
Dinamo Zagreb and Shakhtar Donetsk both have four points, and much will depend on the meeting of the two sides in Croatia on Nov. 6 — especially as the winners would go clear and hold the head to head between the sides. A draw would probably leave qualification down to how the teams perform against Atalanta, with Shakhtar having a home fixture against the Serie A side.
Atalanta have lost all three matches and will be eliminated if they lose at home to Man City and there is a winner between Dinamo and Shakhtar. If Atalanta can shock City, or if Dinamo and Shakhtar draw again, there is the outside chance of a late challenge for second place.
Juventus and Atletico Madrid top the group on seven points, having drawn with each other and beaten both group rivals.
Juve will be through with a win over Lokomotiv Moscow on Matchday 4, while Atletico can advance with a victory at Bayer Leverkusen as long as Juve win too.
Lokomotiv have four points to make up on the top two and may need to take something from their home game against Juve to stay in contention, and realistically need to win with a trip to Atletico on the final matchday.
Bundesliga outfit Bayer Leverkusen have yet to record a point and will be eliminated with defeat at home to Atleti. It is more likely to be a battle for a Europa League place with Lokomotiv, and Leverkusen to visit Moscow on Matchday 5.
Groups E-H will be added after Wednesday’s matches have been completed.
Liverpool top the group ahead of Napoli, and the winners of the head-to-head meeting at Anfield on Dec. 10 will be through. Both would go through if Salzburg do not win at Genk that night.
That means FC Salzburg must secure victory against Genk and win at home to Liverpool on Dec. 10. They are guaranteed qualification with six points as long as Liverpool do not beat Napoli.
Bottom club Genk have been eliminated and must win at home to Salzburg to stay in Europa League contention.
Barcelona are almost there and victory at home to Dortmund on Nov. 27 would secure their safe passage. A draw will also be enough if Inter Milan do not win at Slavia Prague. If Barca lose to BVB, the group is thrown wide open.
Borussia Dortmund are second, three points ahead of Inter Milan — but it is the Serie A side who hold the head-to-head advantage. Dortmund can only qualify on Matchday 5 if they better Inter Milan’s result, while four points from their last two matches would also secure qualification.
While Inter Milan are third, they can go into the final day in second if they win in Prague and Dortmund lose at the Camp Nou. But with Barcelona to visit the San Siro on Dec. 10, they may face a tough task to win that final match to guarantee progress.
Slavia Prague sit on two points and must win at home to Inter to stay in contention.
RB Leipzig will be through with a point at home to Benfica on Nov. 27.
In second sit Lyon, who will guarantee their place in the round of 16 with victory at Zenit. A draw of 2-2 or higher-scoring would also do the job as long as Benfica do not win in Leipzig.
Zenit St Petersburg most likely need to win at home to Lyon, which would move them second on the head to head and leave them requiring a win at Benfica on Dec. 12 to be sure of progressing.
The outsiders are now Benfica, but if they win both of their remaining games and Lyon pick up no more than one point they would be through.
Ajax, Chelsea and Valencia share top spot on seven points in a group that could go any way, but both Valencia and Chelsea know they are guaranteed to be in the knockout rounds if they win their meeting in Spain on Nov. 27. Valencia know that a draw would leave them needed a win at Ajax to definitely go through, while Chelsea could be left needing a favour from the Eredivisie side.
If Ajax, who cannot qualify if all three teams finish on 10 points, win in Lille next time that would leave them needing a draw at home to Valencia on Dec. 10.
Lille have been eliminated and have only a slim chance of qualifying for the Europa League.