The Champions League group stage resumes with a lot at stake for everyone

The group stage of the Champions League enters its penultimate date this week with results that directly impact qualification for international competitions for this and next season.

The 2025 Club World Cup. Next season’s Champions League. The direct elimination phases of the current Europa League. Everything at stake right now.

This represents an additional incentive even for the teams already qualified to play in the round of 16 of the Champions League in February – Manchester City, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, Real Sociedad and Leipzig – to continue aspiring for better results. . The opposite of the six teams out of contention: Benfica, Red Star Belgrade, Antwerp, Salzburg, Union Berlin, and Young Boys.

FIRST THING’S FIRST

The highest priority is to get one of the 10 tickets left for the draw for the round of 16 on December 18.

Napoli would advance with a win on Wednesday at the home of Real Madrid, already classified as the leader of Group C. Otherwise, the reigning Italian champion will have to wait for a decisive finish when it hosts Braga of Portugal on December 12.

Arsenal, current leader of the English Premier League, would qualify with only a draw on Wednesday at home against Lens of France in Group B, and Atlético de Madrid would get into the fiefdom of Dutch champion Feyenoord on Tuesday Group E.

Everything is open in the exciting Group F: Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan, and Newcastle can finish anywhere from first or last place. On Tuesday, PSG hosts Newcastle, and Milan does the same against Dortmund.

The dispute is very close between Manchester United, Galatasaray and Copenhagen for second place behind Bayern Munich, winner of Group A.

Galatasaray hosts United on Wednesday in a duel with implications for each club and their respective countries. A defeat in Istanbul for either team would raise the risk of finishing last in the group, which would mean not being in European competitions in February.

The third places in each group in the Champions League next month will continue playing in February. Those eight teams will compete in the Europa League playoffs, which will also be drawn on December 18.

ADDITIONAL CLASSIFICATION TO THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Expanding the format of the next edition of the Champions League to 36 teams means four more teams will qualify and two additional matches guaranteed in a league stage.

Two of the four additional places will go to the countries whose teams collectively have the best record in this season’s European competitions.

When UEFA confirmed this regulation last year, Spain and England were candidates to obtain those additional places that will be granted to the teams that finish in fifth place in the Premier and the Spanish League. After all, English and Spanish clubs won most of the European trophies.

However, right now Turkey and Belgium are poised to take those additional places. Clubs from these countries have the best average total UEFA points rankings this season – 8.75 and 8.40, respectively.

In Turkey it is because Galatasaray advanced through three previous rounds to reach the group stage of the Champions League – where they beat Manchester United at Old Trafford – and Fenerbahce has won nine games since July in the Conference League.

The three Belgian clubs in the Conference League – Brugge, Gent, and Genk – are undefeated after four rounds, offsetting Antwerp’s difficulties in the Champions League.

CLUB WORLD CUP

The restructured FIFA Club World Cup with 32 teams – 12 from Europe – will be played at the end of next season in the United States.

Although June 2025 seems far away, the results of the current Champions League are helping to define which teams will qualify for what should be a great promotional opportunity every four years. FIFA will also pay tens of millions of dollars in tournament prizes.

The world governing body has not yet confirmed the classification criteria. This could happen at the meeting they will have next month in Saudi Arabia.

Man City, Real Madrid, and Chelsea are in the Club World Cup like the three previous champions of the Champions League. This season’s champion will also get his ticket.