Champions League fixtures today – your guide to Wednesday’s games

After twenty years, greater than 2,000 matches and 5,000 objectives, Wednesday brings the ultimate batch of Champions League group stage video games of their present format.

From 2024/25 onwards, Europe’s premier membership competitors will embody 4 extra groups and two further video games for either side. La Liga president Javier Tebas dramatically warned: “The brand new Champions League is the demise of the nationwide competitions.”

Earlier than the Premier League and its European counterparts crumble, the ultimate 4 teams of this season’s Champions League must be determined.

Here is every thing you have to know concerning the finish of an period.

UEFA Champions League fixtures – Wednesday 13 December

Manchester Metropolis introduced an finish to their “mini-crisis” within the Premier League with a scratchy victory over Luton Town on Sunday however no person can fault their European type.

If Metropolis had been to defeat winless Purple Star in Belgrade on Wednesday, they might change into simply the second English aspect to ever win all six group-stage video games – a feat Pep Guardiola has by no means achieved at any membership in his managerial profession.

Anticlimactically, each place in Group G has already been determined. RB Leipzig are assured to complete second whereas Younger Boys could be content material with a third-place spot that earns them passage into the Europa League.

Using excessive on the again of a 3-2 victory over Borussia Dortmund on the weekend, RB are ominous hosts having scored 14 objectives throughout their final 4 dwelling matches.

Lazio may end prime of Group E with a victory in midweek, leapfrogging their hosts and present group leaders Atletico Madrid within the course of. But, solely two members of Maurizio Sarri’s squad have scored extra Champions League objectives this season than their goalkeeper Ivan Provedel. The Italian shot-stopper (and taker) famously netted a Ninety fifth-minute equaliser when Atletico travelled to Rome in September.

Each golf equipment are assured of a spot within the knockouts however Lazio could must look past the gloved determine between the posts for objectives if they’re to get something in Madrid.

This fixture as soon as graced the ultimate of the European Cup. Half a century later, each golf equipment know that this yr’s Champions League journey will finish earlier than Christmas.

Celtic – the workforce that misplaced the 1970 showpiece – have taken the lead in each of their earlier European fixtures at Parkhead this season however are but to assert a victory. In reality, Celtic have not gained a Champions League sport in Glasgow since Neil Lennon oversaw a 3-1 win towards Ajax in 2013.

Belief Group F, the Champions League’s final nice ‘group of death‘, to ship some drama this Wednesday. Borussia Dortmund could already be certified however favourites Paris Saint-Germain are going through the prospect of a humiliating early exit.

PSG have by no means did not qualify for the Champions League knockout phases below their present state possession, final struggling such ignominy in 2004. But, if Luis Enrique’s aspect don’t defeat Dortmund in entrance of the Yellow Wall, their destiny might be determined by the opposite sport in Group F.

The most important sport of every membership’s season couldn’t have come at a worse time. Newcastle United’s damage disaster compounded by Eddie Howe’s full-throttle method has emptied the tanks of the few gamers not squeezed into the Tyneside remedy room.

Whereas Howe’s job safety isn’t doubtful, a darkish cloud has gathered over AC Milan boss Stefano Pioli. The out-of-form Italian giants haven’t gained a match on the highway because the October worldwide break, transport ten objectives in 4 video games.

If both aspect is to qualify, they must win Wednesday’s match at St James’ Park. Newcastle can progress even when PSG draw away to Dortmund whereas Milan want the French aspect to lose.

With Barcelona already via to the knockouts, the ultimate qualification spot in Group H might be determined on the Dragao. Regardless of their nomadic standing, Shakhtar Donetsk boast the identical document as Porto; 9 factors from 5 video games.

Nonetheless, Porto can qualify with a draw after defeating Shakhtar within the reverse fixture to begin the marketing campaign. The guests can lean upon a rock-solid defensive rearguard of their qualification quest, boasting six clear sheets from their final seven matches.

One of many few convincing performances Barcelona have been capable of string collectively this season got here in a five-star showing towards Antwerp in September.

As the next months have proven, that end result could have been dictated by the overawed guests reasonably than Xavi’s misfiring aspect. Antwerp are the one membership on this season’s competitors to have misplaced their first 5 Champions League video games.

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