Actual Madrid, Liverpool and Inter Milan could boast a mixed 24 European titles, however they nonetheless have their work minimize out to make sure their tickets to the knock-out levels of the Champions League.
Whereas the highest eight safe direct entry to the final 16, groups positioned ninth to twenty fourth should navigate an extra two-legged play-off spherical to affix them.
Arsenal, Bayern Munich, holders Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester Metropolis and Atalanta have all already secured their locations in at the very least the knock-out section play-offs.
This leaves various European heavyweights nonetheless not sure of their presence when the enterprise finish of the Champions League begins.
AFP Sport seems to be at 4 big-hitters bidding to seal qualification because the league section enters its penultimate matchday:
Inter Milan
Of the groups in pole place to make sure development on matchday seven, Serie A leaders Inter face the hardest process as they need to bounce again from defeat final day out in opposition to Liverpool once they tackle the one crew with a 100% report to this point, Arsenal.
Nonetheless, Cristian Chivu’s facet can rely on no favors from Arsenal on the San Siro on Tuesday because the Premier League leaders might be determined to stitch up a top-eight end forward of the ultimate spherical of league section fixtures on January 28.
Because the season turns the nook in the direction of its ultimate stretch, Chivu mentioned after Saturday’s Serie A win he believes his crew is basically beginning to perceive the best way he desires them to play.
“The need to study from this crew is outstanding,” mentioned the Romanian.
“What we’re displaying on the pitch is a testomony to the will of those gamers, as a result of it isn’t straightforward to vary habits.”
One behavior he would not need his gamers to vary, nonetheless, is Inter’s sturdy report in opposition to Arsenal, whom they’ve overwhelmed in three of their 4 Champions League conferences.
Actual Madrid
New Actual Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa might be below no illusions that his time within the Santiago Bernabeu hotseat might be judged largely on his performances in membership president Florentino Perez’s most-cherished competitors.
After crashing to defeat at second-tier Albacete within the Copa del Rey, Arbeloa oversaw a win in opposition to lowly Levante in La Liga on Saturday however the environment within the Bernabeu was poisonous with boos directed on the new coach, in addition to star gamers Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham.
“I’ve at all times revered the Bernabeu (crowd), they whistled me rather a lot too, and it is one of many features that make this membership so nice, the demand of the followers,” mentioned Arbeloa.
Madrid, seventh, host Monaco on Tuesday and if Arbeloa is to get the followers again on board along with his facet, something aside from development within the Champions League isn’t an choice.
Liverpool
Beneath-fire supervisor Arne Slot has stopped the rot with Liverpool now on a 12-match unbeaten run however with their possibilities of defending their Premier League crown dwindling with every passing week, the Anfield hierarchy might be placing increasingly more emphasis on a profitable Champions League run.
The six-time champions go to the cauldron-esque environment of Marseille’s Stade Velodrome on Wednesday the place a win would represent an enormous step in the direction of reserving their place within the final 16 and ease the stress on Slot following a run of 4 successive attracts within the league.
The Dutchman mentioned forward of Liverpool’s irritating 1-1 draw at dwelling to newly-promoted Burnley final weekend that he was “blissful” to have Mohamed Salah return from Africa Cup of Nations responsibility.
Ought to the Egyptian make his membership return midweek, he might deliver a much-needed leading edge to Liverpool’s lackluster assault of late.
Barcelona
Trailing barely behind the principle pack of qualification contenders are Hansi Flick’s La Liga-leading Barcelona, whose 11-match profitable run in all competitions ended with a 2-1 loss at Actual Sociedad on the weekend.
Final 12 months’s semi-finalists sit again in fifteenth place with 10 factors, and Flick is keen to rapidly flip the web page on Sunday’s home setback as they make the journey to Slavia Prague.
“The consequence would not replicate our efficiency,” mentioned Flick. “We now have to maintain going on this course.
“On Wednesday, it is time to win in Prague.”
