Champions League Qualification Scenarios - The Path To The Knockout Stage

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Nov 3, 2009 5:58:11 PM

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Want to know who can qualify for the next round of the Champions League? Or see who has already qualified for the Champions League knock-out stage? You're in the right place. Here we look at the path to the last sixteen - who's scaled it, who's fallen off it, and who's still in with a chance of completing it.

The top two teams qualify for the Round of 16, with clubs finishing top of their group enjoying a seeded place for that round of the knockout stage. Teams finishing third end up in the Europa League. Those who end up fourth exit European competition entirely.
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Right now, four teams have already qualified:
  • Bordeaux
  • Manchester United
  • Chelsea
  • Porto
So... who's next?

Last update: November 3rd 2009, 2350 CET

GROUP A


 Team Games Goals
    Pts P W D L Sc Al
Bordeaux 10 4 3 1 0 6 2Qualified
Juventus 8 4 2 2 0 3 1
Bayern Munich 4 4 1 1 2 4 4
Maccabi Haifa 0 4 0 0 4 0 6

  • Bordeaux have qualified from Group A. They have yet to guarantee top spot. (Victory for Bordeaux over Juventus will be sufficient for this.)
  • Juventus have not yet qualified. If Juventus beat Bordeaux in Matchday 5 they will guarantee at least second place and thus qualify. Either that, or they must hope that Bayern Munich lose to Maccabi Haifa.
  • Bayern Munich need Juventus to fail to beat Bordeaux to keep their hopes of qualification alive.
  • Maccabi Haifa cannot qualify for the next stage. They must beat Bayern Munich to be in with a chance of finishing 3rd for the Europe League spot.

GROUP B


 Team Games Goals
    Pts P W D L F A
Man Utd. 10 4 3 1 0 7 4Qualified
VfL Wolfsburg 7 4 2 1 1 7 3
CSKA 4 4 1 1 2 6 8
Besiktas 1 4 0 1 3 1 6

  • Manchester United have qualified from Group B. They have yet to guarantee top spot, which they can do by beating Besiktas if Wolfsburg drop points to CSKA Moscow. (A draw and a Wolfsburg loss is also sufficient.)
  • Wolfsburg have not yet qualified. If Wolfsburg beat CSKA Moscow on Matchday 5 they will guarantee at least second place and thus qualify, and can still fight for first place. If they draw instead they will qualify too, but if they do this and Manchester United beat Besiktas they can only finish second.
  • CSKA Moscow have not yet qualified. They welcome Wolfsburg on the next matchday, currently holding an inferior head-to-head record to the Germans, having lost to them 3-1. They must win to be in with a chance of qualification for the next stage. Even if they fail to do so, gaining more points than Besiktas on Matchday 5 will guarantee third place.
  • Besiktas are unable to qualify for the next stage due to having an inferior head-to-head record with Wolfsburg. They must either beat Manchester United or hope that CSKA Moscow lose to Wolfsburg to keep their hopes of third place alive.

GROUP C


 Team Games Goals
    Pts P W D L Sc Al
Real Madrid 7 4 2 1 1 11 6
Milan 7 4 2 1 1 6 5
Marseille 6 4 2 0 2 8 6
FC Zurich 3 4 1 0 3 4 12

  • No team has yet qualified from Group C.
  • If Real Madrid beat Zurich and Milan beat Marseille, both of these teams qualify for the next stage.
  • Marseille cannot qualify for the next stage in the next matchday but if they lose to Milan and Real Madrid beat Zurich they can only finish third or fourth.
  • If FC Zurich lose to Real Madrid, they will be out of European competition entirely. If they win, they keep their hopes of qualification for the next stage alive.

GROUP D


 Team Games Goals
    Pts P W D L Sc Al
Chelsea 10 4 3 1 0 8 2Qualified
Porto 9 4 3 0 1 5 2Qualified
Atletico Madrid 2 4 0 2 2 2 8
APOEL 1 4 0 1 3 1 4

  • Chelsea have already qualified. In the race for first place, they have a superior head-to-head record with Porto (1-0 win), and a one point advantage. Victory over Porto on the next matchday will guarantee top spot.
  • Porto have already qualified. Defeat to Chelsea in the next matchday will result in second place; a draw or a win leaves top spot open.
  • Atletico Madrid are unable to qualify. They battle for third place and the Europa League spot. At present their head-to-head record with APOEL features only a 0-0 draw.
  • APOEL are unable to qualify and are a point behind Atletico Madrid in the race for the UEFA Cup spot.
Groups E-H will follow after Wednesday's games.

See also:
Champions League standings, fixtures, results

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