With one round remaining in the 2022/23 Champions League group stage, there’s still plenty to be determined.
Of the 16 knockout stage places up for grabs, 12 have been secured, with Chelsea, PSG, Inter, and Liverpool joining the likes of giants Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Manchester City, white-hot Italian side Napoli, and shock Belgian contender Club Brugge.
Barcelona are one of the surprise big clubs to crash out of the Champions League group stage and suffer elimination, while fellow Spanish club Atletico Madrid have also been knocked out early. Juventus have been eliminated too, but some places will go down to the final matchday.
A reminder that the Champions League tiebreakers are based on head-to-head results between teams even on points: points gained in direct matchups, followed by goal difference in those matches, and goals scored in those games. This means that if two teams are level on points in the standings, the side with the better performances across the two matches between the two teams in question will move ahead.
The Sporting News brings you a full look at what each team still in contention needs to do to secure advancement to the knockout stage, and for those already eliminated, what they need to do to find their way to a Europa League place.
MORE: How Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema escaped Cristiano Ronaldo’s Real Madrid shadow
Who has advanced to Champions League knockout stage?
While six teams have secured advancement to the knockout stage, no group has yet officially been settled, with at least one spot still up for grabs in all groups.
In fact, two groups still have yet to officially name even one knockout stage participant, with things mostly wide open with two matches to go.
| Group | 1st Place (Group Winners) |
2nd Place (Group Runners-up) |
|---|---|---|
| A | Napoli* | Liverpool* |
| B | Club Brugge* | Porto* |
| C | Bayern Munich | Inter Milan |
| D | TBD | TBD |
| E | Chelsea | TBD |
| F | Real Madrid* | TBD |
| G | Man City | Borussia Dortmund |
| H | PSG* | Benfica* |
* Current group standing reflected. Club has mathematically clinched a Round of 16 berth, but placement (1st or 2nd) has not yet been determined.
Champions League Group A scenarios
Group A standings
| Rank | Club | W-D-L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Napoli | 5-0-0 | +16 | 15 |
| 2. | Liverpool | 4-0-1 | +9 | 12 |
| 3. | Ajax | 1-0-4 | -7 | 3 |
| 4. | Rangers | 0-0-5 | -18 | 0 |
Group A scenarios
Napoli have obliterated everyone standing in their way amongst Group A with Liverpool also joining them in the knockout stages. Ajax look poised to secure a Europa League spot and must simply avoid a heavy defeat to Rangers in their final group game.
Knockout round clinched: Napoli, Liverpool
Knockout round eliminated: Ajax, Rangers
Napoli clinch top group spot with one of the following:
- Win or draw vs. Liverpool
- Loss vs. Liverpool by 1-goal or 2-goal margin
Liverpool clinch top group spot with:
- Win vs. Napoli by more than 3-goal margin
Ajax clinch Europa League spot with:
- Ajax win or draw vs. Rangers in final round
Rangers clinch Europa League spot with:
- Win vs. Ajax by more than 4-goal margin
Group B standings
| Rank | Club | W-D-L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Club Brugge | 3-1-1 | +3 | 10 |
| 2. | Porto | 3-0-2 | +4 | 9 |
| 3. | Atletico Madrid | 1-2-2 | -3 | 5 |
| 4. | Bayer Leverkusen | 1-1-3 | -4 | 4 |
Group B scenarios
Club Brugge were not expected to be crushing Group B like this, but here they sit, already having secured qualification to the knockout round via the head-to-head tiebreakers. Atletico Madrid were still clinging to life, but could not find a way to victory against Bayer Leverkusen at home on Matchday 5, and a point was not enough to stay alive. Bayer Leverkusen were officially eliminated upon Porto’s penultimate victory over leaders Brugge in the early kickoff.
Knockout round clinched: Club Brugge, Porto
Knockout round eliminated: Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen
Club Brugge clinch top group spot with one of the following:
- Win vs. Bayer Leverkusen
- Draw vs. Bayer Leverkusen AND Porto draw or loss vs. Atletico Madrid
- Loss vs. Bayer Leverkusen AND Porto loss vs. Atletico Madrid
- Loss vs. Bayer Leverkusen AND Porto draw vs. Atletico Madrid AND make up goal differential disadvantage (-1)
Club Brugge and Porto both beat each other 4-0 once, meaning their head-to-head tiebreakers are level. The tiebreaker will be their goal differential across all of group stage play.
Porto clinch top group spot with one of the following:
- Win vs. Atletico Madrid AND Club Brugge draw or loss at Bayer Leverkusen
- Draw vs. Atletico Madrid AND Club Brugge loss at Bayer Leverkusen
- Draw vs. Atletico Madrid AND Club Brugge draw at Bayer Leverkusen AND maintain goal differential advantage (+1)
Atletico Madrid clinch Europa League spot with one of the following:
- Win vs. Porto
- Draw vs. Porto AND Bayer Leverkusen loss vs. Club Brugge
Bayer Leverkusen owns the head-to-head tiebreaker with Atletico Madrid, meaning Atleti must beat Bayer on points to secure third place.
Bayer Leverkusen clinch Europa League spot with one of the following:
- Win vs. Club Brugge AND Atletico Madrid draw or loss at Porto
- Draw vs. Club Brugge AND Atletico Madrid loss at Porto
Group C standings
| Rank | Club | W-D-L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Bayern Munich | 5-0-0 | +14 | 15 |
| 2. | Inter Milan | 3-1-1 | +5 | 10 |
| 3. | Barcelona | 1-1-3 | -2 | 4 |
| 4. | Viktoria Plzen | 0-0-5 | -17 | 0 |
Group C scenarios
In what was dubbed the “Group of Death” for this year’s Champions League, Barcelona have suffered a second consecutive group stage elimination. Last year seemed like a blip after a summer spending spree, but they were thumped again by the other Big 5 opponents in the group.
The entire group is locked in place, with Bayern in first and Inter Milan in second. The Blaugrana are cemented in third, seeing them confirmed for a Europa League place.
MORE: Barcelona suffers Champions League group stage elimination for second straight season
Knockout round clinched: Bayern Munich, Inter Milan
Knockout round eliminated: Barcelona, Viktoria Plzen
Group D standings
| Rank | Club | W-D-L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Tottenham | 2-2-1 | +1 | 8 |
| 2. | Sporting CP | 2-1-2 | 0 | 7 |
| 3. | Eintracht Frankfurt | 2-1-2 | -2 | 7 |
| 4. | Marseille | 2-0-3 | +1 | 6 |
Group D scenarios
Group D is one of the most hotly contested groups, with everyone in the table still in reasonable contention for a knockout round place. Marseille’s loss to Eintracht Frankfurt on Matchday 5 was crippling for the French side, but with Spurs and Sporting finishing level, everyone is still within shouting distance.
Knockout round clinched: NONE
Tottenham clinch knockout round spot with:
- Win or draw at Marseille
Tottenham lose the tiebreaker with Sporting CP, meaning defeat to Marseille on Matchday 6 would see Spurs below two teams no matter what the result in the other match is.
Sporting CP clinch knockout round spot with one of the following:
- Win or draw vs. Eintracht Frankfurt
Sporting CP won the first game vs. Eintracht Frankfurt, meaning they need just a draw to secure the head-to-head tiebreaker. As they also hold the tiebreaker over Tottenham, they require just a draw on Matchday 6 to advance no matter the result in the other match. A loss, however, would see them out no matter the other result
Eintracht Frankfurt clinch knockout round spot with one of the following:
- Win at Sporting CP
Eintracht Frankfurt hold the tiebreaker over Marseille but lose the tiebreaker with Tottenham and lost their first game to Sporting. Therefore, they require victory on the final matchday to advance.
Marseille clinch knockout round spot with one of the following:
- Win vs. Tottenham
Marseille only hold a tiebreaker over Sporting, meaning they require victory in their final match to advance.
Group E standings
| Rank | Club | W-D-L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Chelsea | 3-1-1 | +5 | 10 |
| 2. | AC Milan | 2-1-2 | +1 | 7 |
| 3. | RB Salzburg | 1-3-1 | 0 | 6 |
| 4. | Dinamo Zagreb | 1-1-3 | -6 | 4 |
Group E scenarios
Like Group D above, Group E is hotly contested, with all three teams still in the hunt. In fact, all four teams still control their own destiny with victory in both their final two matches, including last-placed Dinamo Zagreb.
Chelsea clinched a spot in the knockout stage with victory over RB Salzburg in Round 5 of the group stage, and while at the time Dinamo Zagreb were within reach, the Blues officially confirmed their place atop the standings hours later as the Croatian side fell to AC Milan.
Knockout round clinched: Chelsea
Knockout round eliminated: Dinamo Zagreb
AC Milan clinch knockout round spot with:
- Win or draw final match vs. RB Salzburg
RB Salzburg clinch knockout round spot with one of the following:
- Win in final match at AC Milan
Dinamo Zagreb clinch Europa League spot with one of the following:
- Win in final match at Chelsea AND AC Milan win vs. RB Salzburg
Dinamo Zagreb do not hold the heat-to-head tiebreaker over either RB Salzburg or AC Milan, and therefore must rise above them on points to secure third place.
Group F standings
| Rank | Club | W-D-L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Real Madrid | 3-1-1 | +5 | 10 |
| 2. | RB Leipzig | 3-0-2 | 0 | 9 |
| 3. | Shakhtar Donetsk | 1-3-1 | +2 | 6 |
| 4. | Celtic | 0-2-3 | -7 | 2 |
Group F scenarios
RB Leipzig and Shakhtar Donetsk are fighting for the final knockout stage spot behind Real Madrid, who have clinched a place. The two clubs will duke it out on the final matchday, with the Ukrainian club needing to win to advance.
Celtic are not only eliminated from a Champions League knockout spot, but are also unable to secure a Europa League place, entrenched in the fourth position.
- Knockout round clinched: Real Madrid
- Knockout round eliminated: Celtic
RB Leipzig clinch knockout round spot with one of the following:
- Win or draw vs. Shakhtar Donetsk
Shakhtar Donetsk clinch knockout round spot with one of the following:
- Win vs. RB Leipzig
Shakhtar Donetsk won its first match against RB Leipzig, meaning a win in Round 6 would give them the head-to-head tiebreaker over the German side.
Group G standings
| Rank | Club | W-D-L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Man City | 3-2-0 | +10 | 11 |
| 2. | Borussia Dortmund | 2-2-1 | +5 | 8 |
| 3. | Sevilla | 1-2-2 | -4 | 5 |
| 4. | FC Copenhagen | 0-2-3 | -11 | 2 |
Group G scenarios
Group G is completely set. Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund are through to the knockout stage, while Sevilla and FC Copenhagen are out. Sevilla will drop to the Europa League, while FC Copenhagen are out.
Each club remains three points above the one below them, but each club holds the head-to-head tiebreaker on those one spot below, meaning no one can advance their placement on the final matchday. This makes the Round 6 matches meaningless, with all positions solidified.
- Knockout round clinched: Man City, Borussia Dortmund
- Knockout round eliminated: Sevilla, FC Copenhagen
Group H standings
| Rank | Club | W-D-L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | PSG | 3-2-0 | +8 | 11 |
| 2. | Benfica | 3-2-0 | +4 | 11 |
| 3. | Juventus | 1-0-4 | -3 | 3 |
| 4. | Maccabi Haifa | 1-0-4 | -9 | 3 |
Group H scenarios
The qualifiers in Group H are confirmed, but final places are still up for grabs. PSG and Benfica are through, but the head-to-head tiebreakers are dead even as the two sides drew 1-1 in both fixtures. It will come down to the final day, and PSG hold a goal differential advantage.
Juventus and Maccabi Haifa will both look for a spot in the Europa League with both still level on points heading into the final matchday.
Knockout round clinched: PSG, Benfica
Knockout round eliminated: Juventus, Maccabi Haifa
PSG clinch the top spot with one of the following:
- Win at Juventus AND maintain goal differential advantage over Benfica (+4)
- Draw at Juventus AND Benfica draw or loss at Maccabi Haifa
- Loss at Juventus AND Benfica loss at Maccabi Haifa AND maintain goal differential advantage over Benfica (+4)
Benfica clinch the top spot with one of the following:
- Win at Maccabi Haifa AND erase PSG’s goal differential advantage (-4)
- Win at Maccabi Haifa AND PSG draw or loss at Juventus
- Win or draw at Maccabi Haifa AND PSG loss at Juventus
Juventus clinch Europa League spot with one of the following:
- Win vs. PSG AND Maccabi Haifa draw or loss vs. Benfica OR maintain goal differential advantage over Maccabi Haifa (+6)
- Draw vs. PSG AND Maccabi Haifa draw or loss vs. Benfica
- Loss vs. PSG AND Maccabi Haifa loss vs. Benfica AND maintain goal differential advantage over Maccabi Haifa (+6)
Juventus and Maccabi Haifa are even on head-to-head tiebreakers, so their battle for third will come down to goal differential and goals scored amongst all group stage matches.
Maccabi Haifa clinch Europa League spot with one of the following:
- Win vs. Benfica AND Juventus draw or loss vs. PSG OR make up goal differential disadvantage vs. Juventus (-6)
- Draw vs. Benfica AND Juventus loss vs. PSG
- Loss vs. Benfica AND Juventus loss vs. PSG AND make up goal differential disadvantage vs. Juventus (-6)
Champions League group tiebreaker rules
Every goal matters in the UEFA Champions League because it could come into play in the tiebreakers should teams finish even on points at the end of the group stage (three points for a win, one for a draw, none for a loss).
If two or more teams are tied on points in the group standings, there is a series of UEFA Champions League group stage tiebreakers outlined in the official tournament regulations:
- points obtained in group matches played among teams in question
- superior goal difference from group matches played among teams in question
- goals scored in group matches played among teams in question
- superior goal difference in all group matches
- goals scored in all group matches
- away goals scored in all group matches
- wins in all group matches
- away wins in all group matches
- disciplinary points total based only on yellow and red cards
- UEFA club coefficient
One quirk to the tiebreaker rules: if there are three or more teams deadlocked on points and tiebreakers No. 1-3 help to separate only one of those teams, then tiebreakers No. 1-3 are reapplied to any remaining teams that are still tied before moving on to tiebreakers No. 4-10.
