Champions League: Who Can Qualify for the Last 16 on Matchday 6?
Matchday six of the 2020/21 Champions League group stage will determine which final seven clubs will join the nine already qualified for the knockout stages of the competition.
One group is fully decided, while others only have the Europa League consolation prize to play for, but there are a few where plenty is still up for grabs and even one where all four teams could still qualify for the last 16 or be knocked out completely.
Group E-H will play on Tuesday night, followed by A-D on Wednesday, which is the order they will appear in here…
Tuesday 8 December
Group E
Group is fully decided ahead of the final matchday, with nothing but pride left to play for.
Chelsea will go through as group winners, Sevilla will join them in the last 16 by finishing second, Krasnodar will drop into the Europa League and Rennes are stuck in fourth place.
Matchday Six Fixtures:
Chelsea (13pts) vs Krasnodar (4pts)
Rennes (1pt) vs Sevilla (10pts)
Group F
Borussia Dortmund are already assured of their place in the last 16 and will win the group if they beat Zenit St Petersburg or if Lazio drop points against Club Brugge.
Lazio only need to avoid defeat to Brugge to also go through to the next round and can actually still pip Dortmund to first place if they better the Bundesliga side’s result.
Brugge need to beat Lazio to qualify, but Zenit are out and can finish no higher than fourth.
Matchday Six Fixtures:
Zenit St Petersburg (1pt) vs Borussia Dortmund (10pts)
Lazio (9ts) vs Club Brugge (7pts)
Group G
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will be back on the pitch together for the first time since 2018 when Barcelona host Juventus, but 100% Barça are firm favourites to top the group.
Juve will only leapfrog the Catalans into first place if they win 3-0 at Camp Nou, thereby bettering Barça’s result in the reverse fixture, or by any two-goal margin that isn’t 2-0.
Dynamo Kyiv and Ferencvaros are battling it out for third place.
Matchday Six Fixtures:
Barcelona (15pts) vs Juventus (12pts)
Dynamo Kyiv (1pt) vs Ferencvaros (1 pt)
Group H
Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain and RB Leipzig are level on points ahead of matchday six kick-off and fighting it out for only two places in the knockout stages.
PSG have the advantage by facing fourth place Istanbul Basaksehir at home and need only avoid defeat as a minimum. They can even afford to lose as long as the other game isn’t drawn.
United must also avoid defeat to get through, but they will only top the group and be seeded for the last 16 if they better PSG’s result. Leipzig realistically need to win, or can afford to draw if PSG lose.
Matchday Six Fixtures:
Paris Saint-Germain (9pts) vs Istanbul Basaksehir (3pts)
RB Leipzig (9tps) vs Manchester United (9pts)
Wednesday 9 December
Group A
Reigning champions Bayern Munich are already through and assured of top spot, even though their run of 15 consecutive Champions League wins came to an end on matchday five.
But Red Bull Salzburg could yet pip Atletico Madrid to second place if the Austrians beat the Spaniards on home soil. A draw or better in that one is enough for Atletico to make it through.
Lokomotiv Moscow cannot qualify for the last 16 but can still finish third to drop into the Europa League knockouts if they beat Bayern and Salzburg don’t beat Atletico.
Matchday Six Fixtures:
Bayern Munich (13pts) vs Lokomotiv Moscow (3pts)
Red Bull Salzburg (4pts) vs Atletico Madrid (6pts)
Group B
Group B is incredibly open thanks to the matchday five results and all four teams could still qualify for the last 16 or be knocked out depending on how matchday six pans out.
Real Madrid begin the week in third place and will go though if they beat leaders Borussia Monchengladbach, who themselves only need to avoid defeat. Los Blancos can also still progress if they draw, but only as long as Shakhtar Donetsk lose to Inter.
Shakhtar just need a point if Real don’t beat Gladbach, but will qualify whatever if they win against Inter, who in turn can only go through if they win.
Matchday Six Fixtures:
Real Madrid (7pts) vs Borussia Monchengladbach (8pts)
Inter (5pts) vs Shakhtar Donetsk (7 pts)
Group C
Group C is done and dusted as far as first and second place are concerned, with Manchester City already confirmed as group winners and Porto following them into the last 16.
Olympiacos will finish third and get the Europa League place if they better Marseille’s result.
Matchday Six Fixtures:
Manchester City (13pts) vs Marseille (3pts)
Olympiacos (3pts) vs Porto (10pts)
Group D
Liverpool have already qualified as Group D winners, with Midtjylland already assured of finishing in fourth place.
Ajax and Atalanta will battle for second place in Amsterdam, with the latter only needing to avoid defeat to get into the knockouts for the second year in a row.
Matchday Six Fixtures:
Ajax (7pts) vs Atalanta (8pts)
Midtjylland (1pt) vs Liverpool (12pts)
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