Champions League Week 6

We reach the business end of the CL league phase, and so far just one team is guaranteed progression and no club is out...

TUESDAY 10th DECEMBER
Early kick-offs (5:45)

Top of the table Liverpool get this weeks action underway, and could seal a top 8 position with a win (depending on other results). Liverpool are the club already into at least the play-off, with 5 wins from 5. Their hosts, Girona, have found it tough. Just 3 points so far, and games with Liverpool and Arsenal plus a trip to Milan means they have a very tough task.
Celtic have had an up and down campaign, but 8 points in the bag ahead of their trip to Dinamo Zagreb puts them in the mix for top 16. With 7 points, Zagreb are just in the top 24, highlighting how important 3 points are for both.

8pms
One of the big games of the week is Atalanta vs Real Madrid. Atalanta have been strong at home, one of the three unbeaten teams remaining. For Madrid it has been surprisingly tough, and they sit in 24th with 3 defeats already. While you would fancy them to win their final 2 games and progress, failure to win in Bergamo would leave it tough to finish top 16 nevermind top 8.
PSG are even lower than Real, sitting in 25th on just 4 points. They are away to Red Bull Salzburg, who have just 3 points.
2nd placed Inter Milan - the third unbeaten side - go to German champions Bayer Leverkusen. They sit 6th on 10 points with work to do to seal a top 8 place.
13th isn't where Bayern Munich want to be, and they will expect a big result away in Germany against Shakhtar Donetsk, who have picked up just 4 points and are 26th.
Sporting took a big hit last time out, dropping out of the top 8 but are one of a host of clubs on 10pts. They travel to Belgium to play 22nd placed Club Brugge.
It is pot 1 vs pot 4 in Germany as RB Leipzig vs Aston Villa. However, against the seeding it is Villa flying high in 9th and Leipzig pointless and 34th. The Germans know they cannot get top 8, top 24 is looking a tough ask now. A Villa win will almost certainly put them back in the top 8.
Brest were one of the surprise teams and sit 11th, another team on 10 points. They host PSV, who sit in 18th on 8 points.


WEDNESDAY 11th DECEMBER
Early kick-offs (5:45)

Atletico Madrid sit in 15th on 9 points and will expect to strengthen their position at home to pointless Slovan Bratislava. Yet another team on 10pts, Lille, sit in 12th and have the chance to add to that at home to struggling Sturm Graz, who are 29th with 3 points.

8pms
Arsenal vs Monaco is massive, as 7th hosts 8th. A winner will fancy their chances of top 8 finish, while the losers will be pulled into the murky battle below.
Barcelona had a sticky start, but 4 wins after an opening day defeat to Monaco sees them 3rd with 12 points. In 4th, on the same points, are Dortmund, and they host Barcelona in a game where the winner will be pretty secure in the top 8.
Juventus and Manchester City meet in Turin with both clubs sitting outside the top 16 on 8 points. A win is imperative for both clubs hopes of top 8.
AC Milan vs Red Star Belgrade finds the Italians in 16th and their opponents down in 31st. VFB Stuttgart are one of the underachievers, 27th and just 4 points. They host bottom of the league, pointless and close to elimination Young Boys.
Feyenoord are in 21st on 7pts. They host Sparta Prague who sit in 28th on 4pts. Benfica vs Bologna sees 14th placed Portuguese side Benfica look to stay in the top 8 hunt against the pointless Italians.



EUROPA LEAGUE
Don't usually comment on this, but for Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United it looks an interesting time. Spurs go North of the Border to face Rangers, while United are in Czechia to play Viktoria Plzen. Both English sides are outside the top 8 - unlike Rangers - so will want to strengthen their positions.
On paper Ajax vs Lazio should be a good watch, with the Italians top of the table and Ajax 6th. Lyon vs Eintracht Frankfurt is another tie between top 8 sides - 7th vs 3rd. Fenerbache vs Athletic Bilbao should be good, with the Turks needing a win to keep their hopes of top 8 alive while Bilbao are 2nd.
Two teams massively underachieving are Porto and Roma. Sitting 23rd and 21st respectively, it is unthinkable they won't qualify, but they both have tricky ties. Porto host Midtylland while Roma are at home to Braga, with the away sides in 20th and 18th respectively.


CONFERENCE LEAGUE
No troubles for Chelsea so far, 100% record, but they do have anot so nice travel to Kazakhstan to face Astana.
Shamrock Rovers will be pleased with their campaign, sitting 10th. Before their trip to Chelsea in the final game they play Borac Banja Luka with the Bosnians 15th. Hearts in 17th go to Denmark to face 19th placed FC Copenhagen. Welsh representatives The New Saints host underachieving Greek giants Panathinaikos. TNS are 29th on 3 points, just 1 point behind their guests, who are 24th.
Larne remain pointless and bottom of the table, but face fellow pointless side Dinamo Minsk - so a chance of a famous win is there in Belarus for the Northern Irish side.
There are only 6 game weeks in the Conference, so this is the penultimate game.





Should be an interesting week, with CL and EL teams wanting to put themselves in a strong position before the month break.