We’re into the second half of the league phase now and it’s getting nervy for teams from the top to the bottom of the table! If some teams don’t start picking up points now, their European campaign could be all over. Whereas other sides need to pick up wins to ensure they qualify in the top eight and avoid the dreaded play-offs. Whatever happens, it’s sure to be dramatic.
Another week of Champions League action and it’s the biggest of the lot so far. Huge matches at both ends of the table as two of the early favourites in Bayern and Arsenal clash for top spot while the only two sides with zero points, Benfica and Ajax, duke it out to ignite a small hope they could scrape into the play-offs. Everything is still on the line and nobody’s quite out of it yet. Who will get themselves into the knockouts and who will be stranded at the foot of the table looking ahead to next year’s Champions League before this one’s really gotten started?
The Results:
Tuesday 25th November
Ajax 0-2 Benfica
The opening game of this week was the rubbish-off between the two sides rooted to the bottom of the table with zero points, and they did not disappoint. As long as what you were hoping for was two of the greatest and most storied clubs in European football being reduced to the shadows of their former selves. In many ways it was vintage Mourinho, Benfica opened the scoring early through one of the goals of the season from Samuel Dahl – a arrow into the top corner as the ball bounced out of the box following a set-piece – before sitting back and surrendering possession. Benfica were happy for Ajax to come at them because, honestly, Ajax are too terrible to inflict any harm. It had the energy of a bored older sibling holding their younger brother at arms length while they flail their arms and kick out to no effect. Benfica added a second on the counter as the clock ticked over to the 90th minute and left with a vital three points. Ajax are finished, you’d think. They’ve won once in their last ten games and look hopeless at both ends, but they do have Qarabag, Villareal and Olympiacos left. Even if they win all of their remaining games, it’s unlikely 9 points will ever be enough for a play-off spot. Benfica could sneak in there, but would have to overturn a significantly tougher run in of Napoli, Juventus and Real Madrid. The reality is, unfortunately, it’s over for both these sides this year.
Galatasaray 0-1 Union St. Gilloise
My pick for Galatasaray to go far in the tournament is looking a little bit shakier after this result. The Turkish side are in the midst of an injury crisis, most notably missing their talisman Victor Osimhen, and had to resort to having two goalkeepers and six teenagers on the bench just to make up the numbers. It was a massive three points for the Belgians, picking up their second win and keeping themselves well in the hunt for a play-off spot on their maiden Champions League voyage. Galatasaray have a grudge match against Fenerbahce in the league to worry about next, in this competition they should just need another win to qualify for the play-offs.
Bødo/Glimt 2-3 Juventus
It’s starting to feel like Bødo/Glimt’s foray into the Champions League is a twisted social experiment aiming to see how far they can push the people of Norway before they snap. The latest batch of heartache came baked by the Old Lady, Jonathan David grabbing a stoppage time winner for the Italian side to leave Bødo on just two points and well adrift of the knockouts. Somehow, despite being well in all five of their matches so far, the Norwegians are yet to win and are probably out of reach of the play-offs already. You have to feel for them. Juve finally got their first win of the campaign, and just in time. They’re hovering just inside the play-offs with some winnable fixtures on the horizon, they may just limp over the line but don’t expect to see them go deep in the competition.
Dortmund 4-0 Villareal
The German side held a narrow lead in a nervy game until former Spurs man Juan Foyth decided to make a save on the line and get himself sent off, as well as conceding a penalty. BVB ran riot with the man advantage, compounding their goal difference and even managing to miss another penalty on their way to victory. They sit pretty on ten points and will almost certainly play in the knockouts, the same cannot be said about their opponents. Just one point for the Spaniards at this stage and, while not mathematically impossible, it’s time to call it a day on their hopes of progressing.
Chelsea 3-0 Barcelona
The red card on the brink of half-time was a kindness for Barca as it provides them with an excuse to those who didn’t see the game. They couldn’t live with Chelsea’s relentless attack and their high line was being caught out every time the home side came forward, tactically bizarre from Hansi Flick. As for Chelsea, there was so much to be proud of in this game and if I were a supporter I’d be more than optimistic of their chances of winning at least one trophy this season, maybe even this one. Barca are now three points adrift of the top eight and, while they’ll definitely qualify for at least the play-offs, need to kick it up a gear to make sure they avoid having to play the extra matches. The jury is still out as to whether Chelsea’s young squad have the consistency and grit to get through tricky periods, but as it stands they’re doing fantastically.
Manchester City 0-2 Leverkusen
Manchester City made ten changes to their starting lineup for the arrival of Leverkusen, and the German side made them pay. City probably had the better of the game but were unable to get a proper handle on it before Leverkusen were already 2 goals up. Manchester City look listless without Haaland, are they now a one man team? Both of these will qualify, neither currently occupy the top eight but both will go all-out in the last three matches to grab one of those automatic spots I’m sure.
Marseille 2-1 Newcastle
A 5-minute brace from 36 year-old Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was enough to overturn a Harvey Barnes opener in France and enough to drop Newcastle out of the top eight for now. It was also enough to claim Marseille’s second win of the Champions League campaign and sneak them just inside the play-off positions at close of play this week. Both teams will fancy their chances with some winnable fixtures on the horizon and plenty of points on the board, they’ll have to avoid a slip up against lesser opposition to guarantee they don’t need points from Liverpool and PSG respectively.
Slavia Prague 0-0 Athletic Club
The most glamorous fixture and result of the round for sure. A wet night in Prague ended up with the spoils shared, a result that doesn’t really benefit anyone. Prague are yet to win, but have managed three draws, so are still within a distant shout of making a knockout fixture. Similarly, Atheltic Club sit on four points thus far so are still definitely in the conversation, but with PSG, Atalanta and Sporting coming up it may be too little to late for the Basque club on their Champions League return.
Napoli 2-0 Qarabag FK
The peoples’ champions Qarabag suffered defeat at the hands of man of the people Scott McTominay in Naples. The Scotsman bundled home a corner shortly after his teammate Rasmus Hojlund had his penalty saved then turned provider as his shot cannoned off a Qarabag defender into the net for an own goal. Both sides now sit on 7 points and will know they need at least another win to guarantee a spot in the knockout rounds. Napoli have strugglers Benfica and København before a tricky tie against Chelsea and will definitely fancy their chances to get over the line. Their Azerbaijani opponents have zero-point Ajax next and will be targeting that game as the one they have to win. Fixtures against Frankfurt and Liverpool follow, both winnable or potential 5-0 losses depending on which version of these sides turns up. All focus turns to the next gameweek for both of these sides.
Wednesday 26th November
FC København 3-2 Kairat Almaty
The Danes put on a domineering display and nearly threw it all away in the final moments. Two goals in the last ten minutes weren’t enough to claim a result for the 10 travelling Kairat fans that made the one million mile trip on Wednesday night. København’s first Champions League win of the season is enough to keep them in contention for the knockouts, but with Napoli and Barcelona to come they’re going to have to pull of a spectacular result to make it to the next stage. Kairat are still on just one point but have put on a valiant display in their first ever Champions League season. Plenty to be proud of for the Kazakhstani side.
Pafos FC 2-2 Monaco
David Luiz (yes, that one) became the second oldest Champions League goalscorer in history this week with a superb bullet-header from a corner to level the score at 1-1. Former Liverpool man Takumi Minamino opened the scoring, before former Chelsea and Arsenal defender David Luiz levelled things up. Former Arsenal man Florian Balogun then put Monaco back in the lead before half-time and they held the lead until the 88th minute. Former Southampton man Mohammed Salisu’s own goal made the final score 2-2 and made it a great night for the Cypriot side. These two occupy the final two places in the play-offs as it stands, and both would be delighted to make it to a knockout fixture. Particularly Pafos on their European debut. They’ve been solid and only lost once so far with Juve, Chelsea and Slavia Prague to come. They couldn’t, could they?
Arsenal 3-1 Bayern Munich
Arsenal are the business. Bayern gave them their best test of the season so far, dominating large portions of the first half before Arsenal really kicked into gear after the break. Arteta’s use of substitutes has been superb this season, with two goals and an assist off the bench again this game. He is making full use of his squad and has options all over the pitch, they look like a different beast to the perennial runners-up we’ve seen previously. 17 year-old Lennart Karl got another goal for Bayern and he looks fantastic, it’s nice for them to finally have a good player on their hands for a change. Arsenal are now the only side with a perfect record in the competition and look like an early favourite for every competition they’re in, will the pressure of competing on multiple fronts cause them to crumble and miss out on them all? Or can they prioritise, divide and conquer and win the elusive league title as well as a first ever Champions League triumph?
Atletico Madrid 2-1 Inter
Inter’s unbeaten European record came to an end with a 93rd minute José Giménez header from a corner that sent the Atleti fans into raptures. Since they were demolished by Arsenal, the Spaniards have won the subsequent six games and are in superb form. PSV, Galatasaray and Bødo await Simeone’s side, they can definitely turn their 9 points from the opening 5 games into a top eight position if this form continues. Inter shouldn’t be too downbeat about losing to a very good Atleti side, and their 12 points will be enough for the play-offs even if they are to lose the rest of their games. Liverpool, Arsenal and Dortmund to come – they could struggle to make the top eight despite their early dominance if their opponents hit form at the right time.
Frankfurt 0-3 Atalanta
Atalanta have struggled to get going this season and have only managed three wins in their last twelve games, but all three of those have been in the Champions League. They have fought off some tricky opposition and find themselves outside the top eight on goal difference and looking like a sure bet to make it to the next stage despite being sat down in 13th in Serie A. Their games are rarely firecrackers, managing to get to their record of 3 wins 1 draw and 1 loss by scoring just 6 goals and conceding only 5, 4 of those in an opening week pummelling by PSG. Chelsea are next, and that will be a test, but Athletic Club and USG will provide much easier opposition and any points picked up should all but guarantee a spot in the next round. The story is less rosy for their hosts. The German outfit have shipped goals on an industrial scale so far this season, boasting the third worst defensive record in the Bundesliga and second worst in the Champions League, only bettered (or worsened?) by nil-point Ajax. It’s all in Frankfurt’s hands. Wins against Spurs and Qarabag, which are entirely achievable, and potentially a shock result in Barcelona will see them get into the play-offs. With how they’re choosing to defend, however, it’s looking unlikely.
Liverpool 1-4 PSV
Oh, Arne. Liverpool’s recent record has been dreadful, obviously, but there was an inking of hope that they’d turned it all around with back-to-back wins against Villa and Real Madrid. That hasn’t happened, as Man City, Nottingham Forest and now PSV have discovered to their pleasure. 10 conceded and 1 scored in their last 3 games. Ouch. PSV were excellent, on the other hand. After their disappointing opening week loss to USG at home they have gone on a twelve game long unbeaten run that sees them comfortably atop the Eredivisie tree and within touching distance of the Champions League knockouts. Tricky tests against Atleti, Newcastle and Bayern to come may leave them short, however, and regretting a disappointing point at Olympiacos and the loss to USG early on. I have no idea what to say in Liverpool’s case. They might win the rest of their games and they might lose them all, there really is no telling which Liverpool side will turn up on any given day. Inter, Marseille and Qarabag left, they should have enough to get over the line – it’ll be interesting to see where Arne Slot stands if they don’t.
Olympiacos 3-4 Real Madrid
Kylian Mbappé, quite good at football as it turns out. FOUR goals, including a seven-minute first half hat-trick, were enough to quash a spirited uprising by the Greek side, who will be disappointed not to come away with anything from an excellent performance against one of the big dogs. Madrid started slow, but when you have Mbappé in your side you seldom have to worry about goals. They sit on 12 points and in 5th place, well primed to skip the play-offs entirely. Their hosts are languishing on just two points after another solid display went unrewarded, Kairat, Leverkusen and Ajax are their final opponents and a very achievable 9 points could see them steal a play-off spot. It’s not quite over yet in Athens.
PSG 5-3 Tottenham
Vitinha. Blimey. A superb hat-trick from the silky midfielder was the difference in a pulsating affair in Paris. PSG loanee Randal Kolo Muani showed his parent club what they’re missing with two goals and an assist in Spurs colours on their patch, that’s the last time PSG do the nice thing and let a loanee play against them. Spurs somehow dominated large swathes of the first half and the opening to the second before succumbing to the superior quality of PSG, the champions are still waiting on some of their superstars being fully fit to show what they really can do. It was Spurs’ first loss in Europe this season and they are pretty well poised, aside from any Spurs-esque slip ups, to reach the play-offs on their Champions League return. PSG will qualify, of course, probably in the top eight without having half their team fit and firing. Frightening.
Sporting CP 3-0 Club Brugge
The final tie of the round ended with an emphatic win for the home side, who now find themselves sneaking into 8th position against all odds. They have Bayern and PSG to come, so it may not last forever, but they’re in an excellent position to qualify if they get a result on the final day against Athletic Club. They won the game at a canter, taking their stunning domestic form and translating it to the big stage with ease, a tricky day out for the Belgians. Brugge face Arsenal next before easier games against Kairat and Marseille, they’re outside of the knockouts as it stands and will need to at least get 6 points to make it to the next stage. A tough ask, and probably a step too far.
Game of the Round:
Liverpool 1-4 PSV
Liverpool’s downfall is so reminiscent of Manchester City’s last season. They just can’t win. Even when they do win and you think it’s all happy families again, they go and lose by three goals three games on the bounce. Astonishing.
Take nothing away from PSV, they were excellent all night and fully deserve the victory and a famous night in their history books, but the defending on display from Liverpool was comical at times.
The first goal, a penalty, is conceded by Van Dijk jumping to meet a corner hands-first – for some reason. The second goal comes from Mauro Junior turning Salah inside out with a simple dummy and the Egyptian refusing to press or chase after his man after losing out to him, allowing him to run into acres of space and pick out a wonderful through ball for Guus Til to finish beyond the ‘keeper. The third, oh my god the third, comes from the most comical and nonsensical bit of defending you’ll ever see at the top level. Konate charges at the ball like a schoolboy, misjudging its path and allowing Ricardo Pepi in behind, his shot comes off the post into the path of his teammate Couhaib Driouech who taps home the third into a gaping net. And finally, for 4-1, Sergino Dest starts his run about 10 yards behind a sluggish Van Dijk who just cannot keep up when the ball is played to the USA international. He plods back as if making an attempt to challenge, but is never in any danger of actually having to get involved as the ball is pulled back to Driouech in miles of room to finish beautifully into the bottom corner.
PSV were brilliant, but Liverpool were once again their own worst enemies. Arne Slot’s days may be numbered.
Player of the Round:
I considered picking someone else, I really did. Vitinha’s hat-trick, old man Aubameyang’s winning brace and any number of superb Chelsea players could have made the cut. But he scored 4 goals. It’s Kylian Mbappé.
Just the 9 goals in the opening 5 matches of the Champions League for Real Madrid’s main man – 22 in 18 across Europe and LaLiga. Just sublime.
There isn’t much I can say that hasn’t been said, or that you don’t already know. Scored in two World Cup finals, including a hat-trick last time out, lightning quick, amazing on the ball and a lethal finisher. He’d get a game for every side in history.
If you were in any doubt, somehow, take a look at the numbers. He is the world’s premier attacking talent and doesn’t need me to tell him that. Four goals. Player of the week.
Table:
Nobody’s technically out and nobody’s technically automatically through, but this was the week a few teams finally began to essentially to confirm whether we will or will not be seeing them in the knockout phase.
Arsenal will be there! Probably in the capacity of top eight finishers – maybe even top of the tree entirely.
And it’s goodbye to Ajax, Kairat and Villareal for sure. Miracles can happen, I just have a feeling they won’t.
It really ramps up next time out, there’ll be tears, celebrations and red cards galore across another 18 hard-fought games. See you then.
White Noise 