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The 2021-22 UEFA Champions League is four matchdays old, and the race for the knockouts has begun to take shape in all the groups.
Four teams - Liverpool, Ajax, Bayern Munich and Juventus - have already qualified for the Round of 16 with two games to spare. The quartet have won all four group-stage games this season, with the latter three teams conceding only twice.
Other top teams are also on track to qualify for the knockout round. However, a few big teams are in danger of missing the Champions League knockouts this season.
Things could change on the last two matchdays. However, at the moment, here are the top five teams that may not reach the Round of 16 this campaign. These are:
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#5 Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund should not have made this list, considering the start they had to their 2021-22 Champions League campaign.
BvB opened their campaign with a 2-1 win at Besiktas and followed that up with a 1-0 home win over Sporting Lisbon. However, the former champions slumped to a 4-0 defeat at already-qualified Ajax on Matchday 3. It was Dortmund's biggest defeat in the Champions League, and Ajax's biggest win over German opposition in almost five decades.
Still smarting from that defeat in Amsterdam, Marco Rose's men slumped 3-1 at home against the same opposition. BvB were not helped by the absence of their injured star striker Erling Haaland, who is not expected to return to action this year.
Successive defeats mean Dortmund cannot win the group. BvB are level on points with Sporting Lisbon, but ahead because of a better head-to-head result against the latter.
BvB travel to Sporting on Matchday 5. Another defeat would seriously jeopardize their hopes of making the Champions League knockouts this season. Rose's men will close their group campaign with a home game against Besiktas.
#4 Atletico Madrid
Atletico Madrid have struggled big time in the Champions League this season. The reigning La Liga champions have won just once in four games in the competition this campaign.
Diego Simeone's men are perched in a tough group containing three former winners - Liverpool, Porto and AC Milan. However, the two-time Champions League finalists have done themselves no favor by struggling to eke out results.
They opened their campaign with a disappointing goalless draw at home against Porto before winning 2-1 away at Milan. However, they were beaten at home by Liverpool in a five-goal thriller on Matchday 3. Atletico failed to score in the return game at Anfield, succumbing to a 2-0 loss.
The sequence of results mean the Rojiblancos are a point adrift of Porto (5) with two games to go. They next meet Milan at home on Matchday 5 before concluding their group-stage campaign with a trip to Porto.
The Milan game appears winnable, considering the Rossoneri's stuttering Champions League campaign. If they beat Milan, Simeone's men could have everything to play for on the last day. It could be a winner-takes-all clash with Porto.
#3 AC Milan
Former champions AC Milan have struggled on their return to the Champions League after almost a decade.
The Rossoneri opened their campaign with a 2-3 defeat at Liverpool. Milan then succumbed 1-2 at home to Atletico Madrid to fall off the face. Stefano Pioli's men continued to struggle, slumping to a solitary-goal reverse at Porto.
Milan were on course for an early exit from the Champions League when they trailed against their Portuguese visitors at home on Matchday 4.
To their credit, the Rossoneri snatched a share of the spoils, but a winner was not to be. Rock bottom of their group, Milan need a win at Atletico Madrid on Matchday 5 to keep their slim hopes of a knockout place alive. The Rossoneri will conclude their group-stage campaign against group winners Liverpool on Matchday 6.
#2 Manchester United
Manchester United are leading their Champions League group after four games. But The Red Devils' recent form hasn't inspired much confidence, and that could cost them a place in the knockouts of the competition.
Cristiano Ronaldo and co. are level on points with Villarreal (7) after four matchdays. However, a tough game awaits United on Matchday 5. The struggling Premier League giants have been overly dependent on Ronaldo, who has scored on all four Matchdays. Two of his last strikes have been game-winners, the other being an equalizer.
With manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer facing the sack, United will have Michael Carrick at the helm for the game. United look good to go through to the next round, but a defeat to Villarreal could complicate matters.
Nevertheless, even if they falter in Spain on Matchday 5, Young Boys are not expected to do the double over United at Old Trafford on the last day. In other words, United, at the moment, do not need to depend on results elsewhere to book their place in this season's Champions League Round of 16.
#1 Barcelona
Barcelona made a torrid start to their Champions League campaign, slumping to defeats against Bayern Munich (home) and Benfica (away). That marked their worst-ever start to a Champions League campaign.
To their credit, the Blaugrana regrouped and eked out a 1-0 win at home against Dynamo Kyiv to get off the mark. Barcelona won by the same scoreline when the two teams renewed acquaintances two weeks later, this time in Ukraine.
Xavi's men, who are now second in their group, welcome Benfica to Camp Nou on Matchday 5. Any slip-up could prove costly as Barcelona travel to group winners Bayern Munich on Matchday 6.
On current form, the stuttering Blaugrana are not expected to win at the Allianz Arena, even against what could be a weakened Bayern team.
It remains to be seen if Barcelona will be able to keep alive their proud record of not enduring a group-stage exit in the Champions League.
