England’s Chelsea need to show the resilience that brought them success last season, rather than the recent failings they have shown in the Premier League, if they want to reach the last 16 of the Champions League this week.
With two matches to play, former champions Manchester United and Porto and impressive newcomers Malaga are the only teams mathematically certain of qualifying, although the make-up of the first knockout round will become clearer today and tomorrow.
UEFA use a complicated head-to-head and mini-league tiebreak system to work out the final rankings instead of goal difference, meaning uncertainties about who qualifies can last until the final kick of the final match.
But in reality, Arsenal, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Celtic, Borussia Dortmund, Milan, Paris St Germain, Real Madrid, Schalke 04, Shakhtar Donetsk and Valencia can all advance this week if results go their way.
Chelsea will also go through tonight if they win their Group E match against Juventus in Turin, sealing their place in the last 16 for a 10th successive season.
But Roberto Di Matteo’s men travel without a win in their last four league games and reeling from a surprise 2-1 defeat at West Brom on Saturday when defensive lapses cost them the points.
“For some unknown reason November seems to be a bad month for this club,” the Italian told reporters.
No European champion has failed to get through a group stage since the Champions League began but if Chelsea lose in Turin they will be in danger of becoming the first to do so.
Chelsea’s most important victory in recent weeks came two weeks ago when they beat Shakh-tar 3-2 at Stamford Bridge with a last-gasp header from Victor Moses sealing the points and making qualification more likely.
City’s prospects
Chelsea’s domestic form has been poor with only two points from 12 in their last four games, but at least their Champions League pros-pects are far brighter than those of English champions Man. City.
City rose to the top of the Premier League for the first time this season with their 5-0 demolition of Aston Villa on Saturday, yet their Champions League form has been dreadful, losing at Real Madrid and Ajax and only drawing at home with Dortmund and Ajax last time out.
They are bottom of Group D with just two points, behind Borussia (8), Real (7) and Ajax (4).
Captain Vincent Kompany is at a loss to explain their failings in Europe.
Speaking on BBC TV’s Match of the Day, he told presenter Gary Lineker: “If we had the answer to that we probably would not be where we are.
“But for some freakish reason, we still have a chance in the Champions League and I would like to think that in the two games that are left we can pull off a big surprise and qualify as we still have a chance.”
Real have a long-enduring European rivalry with Manchester United going back to the 1957 European Cup semi-final, but had never met City before until this season and will head to the Etihad tomorrow as favourites.
However, Real’s French striker Karim Benzema believes his compatriot Samir Nasri is a big threat to the Spaniards’ chances of sealing the victory that could see them through.
“City have great players but I know from training and playing with him for France that he can be a big problem for us. We want to win the group and players like Samir are dangerous to us achieving that,” he said.
While Real Madrid playing in Manchester evokes memories of the early days of European club competition, a match in Lisbon also revives memories of the 1960s when Celtic became the first British club to lift the European Cup.
Celtic scored one of the upsets of the season when they beat favourites Barcelona 2-1 at Parkhead two weeks ago but Barca still top Group G with nine points.
The Hoops are second on seven, three clear of Benfica and four ahead of Spartak Moscow.
Celtic beat Inter to win the 1967 final but if they win today’s match at Benfica’s Stadium of Light they will have cause for more celebrations in the Portuguese capital having secured a definite place in the knockout round.
Group A
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Porto | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 10 |
| Paris SG | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 2 | 9 |
| Dynamo Kiev | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Dinamo Zagreb | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 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 - 0-0
Paris SG vs D. Zagreb - 4-0
Porto vs D. Zagreb - tomorrow
D. Kiev vs Paris SG - tomorrow
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 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 5 | 8 |
| Arsenal | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 7 |
| Olympiakos | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 6 |
| Montpellier | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 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 - 2-2
Olympiakos vs Montpellier - 3-1
Arsenal vs Montpellier - tomorrow
Schalke vs Olympiakos - tomorrow
04/12/12: Montpellier vs Schalke
04/12/12: Olympiakos vs Arsenal
Group C
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Malaga | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 10 |
| Milan | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| Anderlecht | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| Zenit SP | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 3 |
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 - 1-0
Milan vs Malaga - 1-1
Zenit vs Malaga - tomorrow , 18.00
Anderlecht vs Milan - tomorrow
04/12/12: Malaga vs Anderlecht
04/12/12: Milan vs Zenit SP
Group D
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Bor. Dortmund | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 8 |
| Real Madrid | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Ajax | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 4 |
| Man. City | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 9 | 2 |
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 - 2-2
R. Madrid vs B. Dortmund - 2-2
Ajax vs B. Dortmund - tomorrow
Man. City vs R. Madrid - tomorrow
04/12/12: B. Dortmund vs Man. City
04/12/12: R. Madrid vs Ajax
Group E
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Chelsea | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 6 | 7 |
| S. Donetsk | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 7 |
| Juventus | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 6 |
| Nordsjaelland | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 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 - 4-0
Chelsea vs S. Donetsk - 3-2
Nordsjaelland vs S. Donetsk - today
Juventus vs Chelsea - today
05/12/12: S. Donetsk vs Juventus
05/12/12: Chelsea vs Nordsjaelland
Group F
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Valencia | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 4 | 9 |
| B. Munich | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 5 | 9 |
| B. Borisov | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 9 | 6 |
| Lille | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 12 | 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 - 4-2
Bayern Munich vs Lille - 6-1
Bate Borisov vs Lille - today, 18.00
Valencia vs B. Munich - today
05/12/12: Lille vs Valencia
05/12/12: B. Munich vs Bate Borisov
Group G
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Barcelona | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 9 |
| Celtic | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 7 |
| Benfica | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| S. Moscow | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 3 |
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 - 2-0
Celtic vs Barcelona - 2-1
Spartak vs Barcelona - today, 18.00
Benfica vs Celtic - today
05/12/12: Barcelona vs Benfica
05/12/12: Celtic vs S. Moscow
Group H
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Man. United | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 4 | 12 |
| CFR Cluj | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Galatasaray | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| Braga | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 3 |
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 - 1-3
Braga vs Man. United - 1-3
Galatasaray vs Man. Utd - today
CFR Cluj vs Braga - today
05/12/12: Man. United vs CFR Cluj
05/12/12: Braga vs Galatasaray