UEFA Champions League 2018-19: Group B, C, and F permutations - who needs what to qualify

There are some groups yet to be settled
There are some groups yet to be settled

Matchday 5 in the 2018-19 UEFA Champions League just concluded, and there are some groups yet to be settled, and more than one team can still progress from each of these groups.

As UEFA standings consider head-to-head record and away goals scored as the tie-breakers if teams finish on equal points and total goal difference, it opens up a lot of possibilities for the groups where the top 2 teams have not been decided yet.


Group B

The North Londoners are ahead of Inter at this stage
The North Londoners are ahead of Inter at this stage

Tottenham's 1-0 Victory over Inter at Wembley has set up an exciting final matchday where Spurs and Inter's results will determine who will go through to the Champions League knockouts, and who will be relegated to the Europa League.

With Barcelona already through to the last 16 with top spot confirmed, and PSV out of the competition, it remains to be seen which of Inter and Tottenham will make the cut, and who will join Chelsea and Arsenal in the Europa League knockout stages.

Inter won 2-1 against Spurs at the San Siro in the opening game of the UCL season, and Spurs stole a late winner in the return fixture at Wembley in the last game. But as both the sides have a win against each other, and the net goal difference between them stands at zero, the fact that Spurs scored an away goal and Inter didn't, puts the North Londoners ahead of Inter at this stage.

Inter will be expected to get all 3 points against PSV on Matchday 6, with the latter yet to record a win in the Champions League this season. Considering Inter do win their last group game, Tottenham will have a huge challenge of overcoming Barcelona in their own backyard, and getting the 3 points.

However, if Inter lose points against PSV, a draw or even a defeat against Barcelona will do for Spurs, depending on Inter's result.

Putting it all together, Spurs will need to at least match Inter's result at home against PSV to go through to the round of 16, as a win for Spurs irrespective of Inter's result, will see them through.

Inter may have a relatively easy fixture, but they cannot be complacent, as they'll have to get more points (and goals) than Tottenham do at Camp Nou, or face relegation.

Group F

City barely escaped defeat thanks toSergio Agüero
City barely escaped defeat thanks to Sergio Agüero

Lyon might be 15 points behind Tuchel's PSG in Ligue 1 this season, but sent shock waves around Europe after another scintillating display against Manchester City on Matchday 5, earning a 2-2 draw in France, with City barely escaping defeat thanks to a late header from Sergio Agüero.

City's only defeat in all competitions this season also came at the hands of Lyon at the Etihad Stadium on Matchday 1.

Despite Lyon being unbeaten in the UEFA Champions League this season, their draws against Hoffenheim and Shakhtar may come back to haunt them.

Lyon face Shakhtar on Matchday 6, with the former 2 points ahead of the Ukrainian side. Man City sit a further 3 points ahead of Lyon, and face Hoffenheim in Manchester.

Shakhtar will need a win, and nothing less against Lyon, if they are to qualify for the round of 16 this season.

Manchester City have secured qualification to the last 16, and will look to end their group stage campaign on a high with a win over Hoffenheim, though they only need a point to top the group, and Pep will look to rest some of his key men after an away fixture against Chelsea in the league.

A win for Lyon, and an unusual defeat for City will see Lyon top the group, boasting a win and a draw against the English Champions. This set of results will open the door for Hoffenheim to make it to the Europa League last 32, and Shakhtar will be knocked out of Europe completely.

A draw for Shakhtar and a win for Hoffenheim will bring the two teams level on 6 points, but Shakhtar will get to the Europa League due to a better head-to-head record, with a win and a draw in the bag against Hoffenheim.

Group C

PSG's qualification seems most likely, as they will play Red Star Belgrade in Serbia for their last match
PSG's qualification seems most likely, as they will play Red Star Belgrade in Serbia for their last match

The only group in this season's Champions League in which no team has yet made it to the last 16 is the one with Napoli, PSG, and Liverpool.

Like Lyon, Napoli haven't tasted defeat in the Champions League this season, and yet they haven't qualified for the round of 16. Ancelotti will rue his team's draws against Red Star on Matchday 1 and away at PSG, where Di Maria's stoppage time curler denied his team 3 points.

Had only one of those results gone in favour of the Italian side, they would already be in the knockouts, and that too as the group toppers.

Napoli face Liverpool at Anfield in their next game, arguably their toughest game in the group stage, but need only a point to proceed to the last 16. Liverpool sit 2 points behind PSG in 3rd place, and only a win will save them from the embarrassment of slumping down into the Europa League in December, having played the Champions League final in May.

PSG's qualification seems most likely, as they will play Red Star Belgrade in Serbia for their last match in the group stage. A point for PSG will send them through, independent of what happens at Anfield, as PSG scored more away goals against Liverpool than the English side did in Paris, with the two sides' head-to-head goal difference being zero.

A more embarrassing outcome for Liverpool will be exiting Europe, which is possible only if Napoli win at Anfield, and Red Star can pull off a famous win against PSG and go through to the Europa League knockouts.

If PSG end up defeating Red Star, Liverpool will have to beat Napoli by a margin of more than one goal, and an away goal for Napoli will surely ease things up for Ancelotti.

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Edited by Anthony Akatugba Jr.
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