Liverpool cleared the path and are nicely on monitor to progress within the Champions League – however might Manchester Metropolis and Arsenal be in peril of lacking out on a top-eight spot?
We’re half manner by means of the revamped Champions League’s new 36-team league section and the desk is starting to take form.
Every membership has now performed 4 of the eight totally different groups they have to face to resolve who will qualify for this season’s knockout phases, following essentially the most important replace to Europe’s elite competitors since 1992.
There was no scarcity of heavyweight clashes, important shocks and high-quality leisure.
However the place does all of it go away us and what has it meant for every golf equipment’ hopes of qualifying?
Who qualifies for the knockout section?
Earlier than we dive in to which groups seem on their option to the knockout phases and who’s in potential bother, this is a reminder of what they’re aiming for.
Groups ending within the prime eight robotically progress to the last-16, the place they are going to be seeded.
They’ll await the winners of eight two-legged knockout play-off ties that includes the golf equipment ranked from ninth to twenty fourth.
These ending between ninth and sixteenth might be seeded and face a crew positioned seventeenth to twenty fourth, with the benefit of enjoying the second leg at dwelling.
The golf equipment twenty fifth or decrease are eradicated and don’t acquire entry in to the Europa League.
What number of factors are wanted to qualify?
Given that is the primary version of the brand new format, it stays to be seen precisely what number of factors might be required to attain a beneficial top-eight end, or keep away from elimination from the competitors.
Earlier than this season’s competitors, Opta calculated every groups’ projected factors tallies and probability of progressing primarily based on 50,000 simulations of the league section.
They discovered that 16 factors – doubtlessly 5 wins and one draw from eight matches – would give a 98% probability of ending within the prime eight.
In the meantime, attaining 10 factors – three wins and one draw, for instance – would give a 99% probability of securing a spot within the prime 24.
Nonetheless, any crew accumulating fewer than 9 factors can count on their involvement in European competitors this season to come back to an finish.
Which golf equipment are on monitor and who’s in peril?
Leaders Liverpool, who face champions Actual Madrid subsequent, are the one crew to boast an ideal file after 4 video games and would require simply 4 extra factors from their remaining 4 video games to be assured of a spot within the final 16, in keeping with Opta’s pre-tournament calculation.
These numbers counsel Sporting – following their beautiful – Monaco, Brest and Inter Milan are all in nice form, having already achieved the ten factors probably wanted to substantiate qualification of some type.
Aston Villa – regardless of their good begin being – full the present prime eight behind Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund, every on 9 factors.
There are many European heavyweights nonetheless exterior these positions, with Manchester Metropolis, in tenth, and Arsenal, twelfth after , on seven factors and subsequently not on tempo to hit the 16-point goal.
Metropolis have Juventus and Paris St-Germain amongst their remaining fixtures, whereas Arsenal should face high-flying Sporting and Monaco of their subsequent two.
Celtic are fifteenth and likewise on seven factors, having boosted their hopes with a second win, beating Leipzig 3-1 on Tuesday. They go to Villa within the ultimate match on Wednesday, 29 January, when all 36 groups will play on the identical time.
The trio are joined on seven factors by the likes of Juventus (eleventh), Bayern Munich (seventeenth) and Actual Madrid (18th).
French champions Paris St-Germain are the largest identify exterior the highest 24, having gained simply one in all their first 4 video games and with Metropolis and Bayern Munich to come back.
Watch highlights of each Champions League sport from 22:00 on Wednesday on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport web site and app.
There may even be a Champions League Match of the Day on BBC One on Wednesday, from 22:40 to 00:00.