Atletico Madrid are one of several high-profile sides whose continued participation in this season’s Europa League will be at stake when the group phase concludes today and tomorrow.
Atletico ended a 48-year wait for major European honours when they won the inaugural edition of the re-styled tournament last season, but they travel to Bayer Leverkusen tomorrow knowing that their fate is not in their hands.
Third in Group B ahead of the encounter, Atletico must win at the BayArena and hope that second-placed Aris do not prevail at home to bottom side Rosenborg in the other group game.
Atletico and Aris are level on points, but having lost to the Greek side home and away, the defending champions will be eliminated by virtue of an inferior head-to-head record if they cannot better their result.
Sergio Aguero was on target twice as Atletico won 2-0 against Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday, sending them up to sixth in La Liga, and assistant coach Fran Escriba insists morale is good ahead of the trip to Germany.
“I think that we have possibilities of going through,” said Escriba, in comments reported on the club’s official website.
“We had qualification for the next round in our hands and we let it slip away. We’re going there with all the confidence that we can win, although obviously we’re not only depending on ourselves.
“The only thing going through our heads is winning. We’d feel really bad if Rosenborg did us a favour and we didn’t take advantage of it.”
Leverkusen, currently second in the German top flight, are already assured of a last 32 berth, but runaway Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund face a winner-takes-all game at Sevilla today.
The Spanish side hold a one-point lead over their Group J rivals, meaning Dortmund – 11 points clear in the Bundesliga after a record-breaking 43-point haul from their opening 16 games – have to win.
“We are delighted to have a final chance in Seville,” said Dortmund midfielder Sven Bender after a 3-0 defeat of Karpaty Lviv in their last outing.
“It’s a very difficult task, but we know what we have to do.”
French first division leaders Lille face a similarly high-stakes assignment at home to Gent.
The Belgians are two points ahead of Lille in second place in Group C, so Rudi Garcia’s men know that only victory will take them through.
Napoli, flying high in Serie A, must win at Steaua Bucharest to progress from Group G, while already-qualified Liverpool welcome FC Utrecht to Anfield for their final commitment in the pool.
“We have done really well in the Europa League and it would be nice to finish the group stage with a good performance at home,” said Liverpool’s former Utrecht forward Dirk Kuyt.
“I had some good times at Utrecht and a lot of people are still there at the club who I am good friends with.”
Two of the competition’s star attractions, Juventus and Manchester City, meet in Turin for what could have been a gala match, had City not already qualified and Juve not already been eliminated.
Fixtures and standings
Playing today
Group D
Club Brugge vs Villarreal
D. Zagreb vs PAOK
Standings: Villarreal 9; PAOK 8; D. Zagreb 7; C. Brugge 3.
Group E
AZ Alkmaar vs BATE Borisov
D. Kiev vs FC Sheriff Tiraspol
Standings: D. Kiev, BATE 10; AZ Alkmaar, FC Sheriff 4.
Group F
Lausanne vs Palermo
S. Prague vs CSKA Moscow
Standings: CSKA Moscow 15; S. Prague 8; Palermo 4; Lausanne 1.
Group J
Karpaty Lviv vs Paris SG
Sevilla vs B. Dortmund
Standings: Paris SG 11; Sevilla 9; B. Dortmund 8; Karpaty Lviv 0.
Group K
Liverpool vs FC Utrecht
Napoli vs Steaua Bucharest
Standings: Liverpool 9; Steaua Bucharest 6; Napoli, FC Utrecht 4.
Group L
Besiktas vs Rapid Vienna
Porto vs CSKA Sofia
Standings: Porto 13; Besiktas 10; R. Vienna, CSKA Sofia 3.
Playing tomorrow
Group A
Juventus vs Manchester City
FC Salzburg vs Lech Poznan
Standings: Manchester City 10; Lech Poznan 8; Juventus 5; Salzburg 2.
Group B
Aris Salonika vs Rosenborg
B. Leverkusen vs A. Madrid
Standings: B. Leverkusen 11; Aris Salonika, A. Madrid 7; Rosenborg 3.
Group C
Levski Sofia vs Sporting Lisbon
Lille vs Gent
Standings: Sporting 12; Gent 7; Lille 5; Levski Sofia 4.
Group G
AEK Athens vs Zenit SP
Anderlecht vs Hajduk Split
Standings: Zenit SP 15; AEK Athens 7; Anderlecht 4; Hajduk Split 3.
Group H
Getafe vs Young Boys
Stuttgart vs Odense
Standings: Stuttgart 12: Young Boys 9; Getafe, Odense 4.
Group I
Debrecen vs Sampdoria
PSV Eindhoven vs FC Metalist
Standings: PSV 13; FC Metalist 10; Sampdoria 5; Debrecen 0.
Kick-off times
Group A-F - 19.00
Group G-L - 21.05