MADRID 28 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The last day of the Champions League Phase 2024-2025 that will be played in full and unified schedule (21.00) this Wednesday aims to be frantic, with up to 25 teams immersed in the fight for the ‘top 8’ or for Follow living in the competition, with the FC Barcelona already classified directly for the round of 16, although with leadership options, with Atlétic Real Madrid.
Barça, after an excellent first phase only with the Mónaco blur (2-1) and with 18 points out of 21 possible, arrives at the last day with the opportunity to go to the round of 16 from the leadership. Although for that he will need to win his encounter against the Atalanta in Montjuïc and that the English Liverpool loses his undefeated during his visit to a Dutch PSV who is not yet mathematically in the ‘playoffs’.
But the European League champion, with 14 points and in seventh place, wants to get something positive from Barcelona so as not to abandon privilege posts and avoid that extra round. In addition, those of Hansi Flick, with +15 in the goal difference, know that a tie could allow Arsenal, who visits the Girona FC to two points and with +12, snatching the second place, while the defeat would give you options Also to Inter, which also has 16 points, but +7.
Below Liverpool and Barça, the only two teams that arrive at the last day with the ‘Top 8’ insured, there are up to 25 clubs that have not confirmed their goals. From 3 to 20, all have mathematical options to avoid ‘playoff’ and advance in the top eight. Among them are Atlético de Madrid and Real Madrid, although their situations are very different.
The rojiblancos, with a last push in the most recent days of four triumphs in a row (PSG, Sparta Prague, Slo Brastislava and Bayer Leverkusen), have risen to fifth place with 15 points. Therefore, with two on the cut of this’ top 8 ‘and classified for the’ sixteen. It would depend on Arsenal and Inter.
Atlético could also achieve its initial objective if it ties or loses, although it will then depend on third parties. In case of drawing, the triumphs of AC Milan, Atalanta, Bayer Leverkusen, Aston Villa, Lille or Feyenoord (they intersect on the last day) and Brest, which is measured to Real Madrid, they could appeal, although the difference would come into play of goals, which is now +5 for Madrid. And if they lose, they would need Aston Villa, Lille/Feyenoord and Brest not to win their games.
Real Madrid needs to advance eight teams
On the other hand, the desired ‘Top 8’ is already very complicated for a Real Madrid weighed for its continental irregularity and to which, except for carambola, he will not save his recent improvement and the final goals. The whites solved with ‘Manita’ (5-1) the poisoned process against Salzburg at home to tie the ‘playoffs’ and keep the dream alive, although distant, to avoid a poisoned first crossing, which would add two other meetings to a calendar Already very loaded.
The current champion, in the sixteenth place and with 12 points of 21 possible and +5 in the ‘Goal-Aaverage’, must win at home to the French Brest, a team that precedes him in the table by a point, to continue aspiring to the ‘ Top-8 ‘and wait for those above, although it is very complicated, because the calendar is very benevolent with the rest of the candidates and has to wait for the ruling of eight teams.
If he wins, he has safe to advance in the classification to his last rival and would also overcome Lille or Feyenoord, or both if they tie, while a large win could help him end up in front of two teams with which he is tied to points like the Borussia Dortmund, who has +8, and Bayern Munich, who has +6, although both play at home against a Ukrainian Shakhtar even with options and a Slovak Slovak Slovan already eliminated, respectively.
In addition, the Monaco (13), which visits Inter; The Aston Villa (13), against Celtic Scottish in Birmingham; the Bayer Leverkusen (13), with another apparent procedure at home against Sparta Prague Checo; and the Atalanta (14), who visits FC Barcelona. Very complicated that most leave points, but whites must do their job and wait, also with the option of finishing as high as possible to avoid a complicated playoff and, if advanced, some eighth also very hard.
As for other favorites, outside the ‘playoffs’, with 8 points, there is the English Manchester City, who knows that winning at the Etihad Stadium to the Belgian witches would get him in the cut. While the French PSG has it easier because a draw on its visit to Stuttgart, with which it is equal to 10 points, would allow it to be in those ‘playoffs’.
At the other extreme, Salzburg, Leipzig, Red Estrella, Sturm Graz, Slovan de Bratislava, Bologna, Young Boys, Sparta de Prague and the Girona, which will close their historic participation before the arsenal, they already said goodbye to the Champions League in their first participation and will try to take advantage of their lower pressure to improve their numbers.