Barcelona, Manchester United, Porto and unlikely contenders Malaga can book their tickets to the Champions League KO stages by winning their matches between today and tomorrow.
The quartet have all won the opening three group games and if they win a fourth will take their places in the last 16 with two matches to spare.
Schalke, Borussia Dortmund and Shakhtar Donetsk could also take a big stride towards qualification with victories while defending champions Chelsea, big-spending Manchester City and former winners Juventus are under severe pressure.
“The Champions League is reaching a critical phase and we cannot afford any more mistakes,” said Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.
“But this group of players is strong, we have belief and we go to Schalke (today) believing we can get a good result there.”
After beating Montpellier and Olympiakos Piraeus in their opening two Group B games, Arsenal lost 2-0 at home to Schalke two weeks ago and another defeat in Germany would put their hopes in the balance.
The Londoners are second in the group, one point behind Schalke but three clear of Olympiakos and five ahead of Montpellier who also meet tonight.
Things look far rosier for United who, without playing particularly well, have won their three Group H matches and go to Portugal’s Braga tomorrow in good spirits having gone top of the Premier League with a 2-1 win over Arsenal at the weekend.
Braga established a 2-0 lead at Old Trafford two weeks ago before losing 3-2 and coach Jose Peseiro believes they can grab all three points this time round.
“We know about the resources and the value of Manchester United but that doesn’t stop us thinking that we have our chances, that we have good players, that we have a good team, and that we are ready to do good things and win the match if we can,” he said.
Barcelona can guarantee a place in the last 16 by winning at Celtic tomorrow, as can Porto with a victory at Dynamo Kiev today.
Malaga need to triumph tonight at Milan to qualify. The Italians have only won six of their last 27 Champions League matches.
Chelsea, who have made an ordinary start to the defence of their crown with a win, a draw and a defeat, cannot afford another reverse at home to Shakhtar after losing in Ukraine two weeks ago.
That victory put Shakhtar top of Group E with seven points, three ahead of Chelsea who are a point clear of Juventus and three in front of Danish newcomers Nordsjaelland.
Since losing at home to Barcelona in the knockout round in 2006, Chelsea have lost just two of 34 Champions League matches at Stamford Bridge but a run of six successive wins there ended when Juventus secured a 2-2 draw in September.
Juve’s Nordic task
Juve have drawn a record nine successive European games and lost their 49-match unbeaten Serie A run when they were beaten 3-1 by Inter on Saturday.
They should be too strong for Nordsjaelland tomorrow but visiting coach Kasper Hjulmand believes his team can still reach the last 16 following their home draw with Juve two weeks ago.
“Every point we can get takes a major effort – and is a sensation. Our chances are not great but we believe in them,” he said.
Manchester City look to be heading out with just one point from nine in Group D behind leaders Borussia Dortmund (seven), Real Madrid (six) and Ajax (three).
Ajax outclassed City 3-1 in Amsterdam two weeks ago and the Dutch side travel to Manchester today hoping that a repeat can put their domestic league woes behind them.
Despite losing 2-0 at home to Vitesse Arnhem on Saturday and still being without striker Kolbeinn Sightorsson, Ajax coach Frank de Boer is confident.
“We lacked aggression and didn’t play our normal game but I am convinced that will be different at City,” said De Boer.
Group A
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Porto | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 9 |
| Paris SG | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 6 |
| Dynamo Kiev | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 3 |
| Dinamo Zagreb | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
D. Zagreb vs Porto - 0-2
Paris SG vs D. Kiev - 4-1
D. Kiev vs Dinamo Zagreb - 2-0
Porto vs PSG - 1-0
Porto vs D. Kiev - 3-2
D. Zagreb vs PSG - 0-2
D. Kiev vs Porto - today
Paris SG vs D. Zagreb - today
21/11/12: Porto vs D. Zagreb
21/11/12: D. Kiev vs Paris SG
04/12/12: D. Zagreb vs D. Kiev
04/12/12: Paris SG vs Porto
Group B
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Schalke | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 7 |
| Arsenal | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 6 |
| Olympiakos | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 3 |
| Montpellier | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 1 |
Montpellier vs Arsenal - 1-2
Olympiakos vs Schalke - 1-2
Schalke vs Montpellier - 2-2
Arsenal vs Olympiakos - 3-1
Arsenal vs Schalke - 0-2
Montpellier vs Olympiakos - 1-2
Schalke vs Arsenal - today
Olympiakos vs Montpellier - today
21/11/12: Arsenal vs Montpellier
21/11/12: Schalke vs Olympiakos
04/12/12: Montpellier vs Schalke
04/12/12: Olympiakos vs Arsenal
Group C
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Malaga | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 9 |
| Milan | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Zenit SP | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 3 |
| Anderlecht | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
Milan vs Anderlecht - 0-0
Malaga vs Zenit SP - 3-0
Anderlecht vs Malaga - 0-3
Zenit SP vs Milan - 2-3
Zenit SP vs Anderlecht - 1-0
Malaga vs Milan - 1-0
Anderlecht vs Zenit SP - today
Milan vs Malaga - today
21/11/12: Zenit SP vs Malaga
21/11/12: Anderlecht vs Milan
04/12/12: Malaga vs Anderlecht
04/12/12: Milan vs Zenit SP
Group D
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Bor. Dortmund | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 7 |
| Real Madrid | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 6 |
| Ajax | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 3 |
| Man. City | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 1 |
B. Dortmund vs Ajax - 1-0
R. Madrid vs Man. City - 3-2
Man. City vs B. Dortmund - 1-1
Ajax vs R. Madrid - 1-4
Ajax vs Man. City - 3-1
B. Dortmund vs R. Madrid - 2-1
Man. City vs Ajax - today
R. Madrid vs B. Dortmund - today
21/11/12: Ajax vs B. Dortmund
21/11/12: Man. City vs R. Madrid
04/12/12: B. Dortmund vs Man. City
04/12/12: R. Madrid vs Ajax
Group E
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| S. Donetsk | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 7 |
| Chelsea | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 4 |
| Juventus | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| Nordsjaelland | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 1 |
S. Donetsk vs Nordsjaelland - 2-0
Chelsea vs Juventus - 2-2
Juventus vs S. Donetsk - 1-1
Nordsjaelland vs Chelsea - 0-4
Nordsjaelland vs Juventus - 1-1
S. Donetsk vs Chelsea - 2-1
Juventus vs Nordsjaelland - tomorrow
Chelsea vs S. Donetsk - tomorrow
20/11/12: Nordsjaelland vs S. Donetsk
20/11/12: Juventus vs Chelsea
05/12/12: S. Donetsk vs Juventus
05/12/12: Chelsea vs Nordsjaelland
Group F
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Valencia | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 6 |
| B. Borisov | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 6 |
| B. Munich | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 6 |
| Lille | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 0 |
Lille vs Bate Borisov - 1-3
B. Munich vs Valencia - 2-1
Valencia vs Lille - 2-0
Bate Borisov vs B. Munich - 3-1
Bate Borisov vs Valencia - 0-3
Lille vs Bayern Munich - 0-1
Valencia vs B. Borisov - tomorrow
B. Munich vs Lille - tomorrow
20/11/12: Bate Borisov vs Lille
20/11/12: Valencia vs B. Munich
05/12/12: Lille vs Valencia
05/12/12: B. Munich vs Bate Borisov
Group G
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Barcelona | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 9 |
| Celtic | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| S. Moscow | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 3 |
| Benfica | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
Barcelona vs S. Moscow - 3-2
Celtic vs Benfica - 0-0
Benfica vs Barcelona - 0-2
S. Moscow vs Celtic - 2-3
S. Moscow vs Benfica - 2-1
Barcelona vs Celtic - 2-1
Benfica vs S. Moscow - tomorrow
Celtic vs Barcelona - tomorrow
20/11/12: S. Moscow vs Barcelona
20/11/12: Benfica vs Celtic
05/12/12: Barcelona vs Benfica
05/12/12: Celtic vs S. Moscow
Group H
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Man. United | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 9 |
| CFR Cluj | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
| Braga | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 3 |
| Galatasaray | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
Man. United vs Galatasaray - 1-0
Braga vs CFR Cluj - 0-2
CFR Cluj vs Man. United - 1-2
Galatasaray vs Braga - 0-2
Galatasaray vs CFR Cluj - 1-1
Man. United vs Braga - 3-2
Cluj vs Galatasaray - tomorrow
Braga vs Man. United - tomorrow
20/11/12: Galatasaray vs Man. United
20/11/12: CFR Cluj vs Braga
05/12/12: Man. United vs CFR Cluj
05/12/12: Braga vs Galatasaray