There is still a lot to play for in the final day of the Champions League group stage, but it can be confusing what exactly needs to happen for each team to either make it to the round of 16 or finish in third place and get dropped down to the Europa League playoff knockout round.
I will try to identify what exactly each team needs to do to get to either win the group, qualify for the round of 16 or the Europa League knockout playoffs.
Here are the group stage tiebreakers, per UEFA.
1) Points in head-to-head matches among the tied teams;
2) Goal difference in head-to-head matches among the tied teams;
3) Goals scored in head-to-head matches among the tied teams;
4) If more than two teams are tied, and after applying all head-to-head criteria above, a subset of teams are still tied, all head-to-head criteria above are reapplied exclusively to this subset of teams;
5) Goal difference in all group matches;
6) Goals scored in all group matches;
7) Away goals scored in all group matches;
8) Wins in all group matches;
9) Away wins in all group matches;
10) Disciplinary points (direct red card = 3 points; double yellow card = 3 points; single yellow card = 1 point);
11) UEFA club coefficient.
Let's get into the current situation.
Champions League Group Stage Tiebreakers Explained
Group A
Bayern Munich – Already won the group
Copenhagen – Round of 16: Win; or draw with a Manchester United draw or loss to Bayern Munich
Europa League: If Copenhagen lose to Galatasaray, they need Manchester United to lose to Bayern Munich
Galatasaray – Round of 16: Win versus Copenhagen
Europa League: Draw or loss against Copenhagen with a Manchester United draw or loss to Bayern Munich.
Manchester United – Round of 16: Win versus Bayern Munich & Copenhagen/Galatasaray Draw
Europa League: Win versus Bayern Munich if Copenhagen/Galatasaray doesn't end in a draw or draw versus Bayern Munich with a Copenhagen loss.
Group B
Arsenal – Already won the group
PSV – Already qualified for round of 16
Lens – Europa League: Win or Draw versus Sevilla
Sevilla –Europa League: Win versus Lens
Group C
Real Madrid – Already won the group
Napoli – Round of 16: Win, draw or loss by one goal against Braga
Braga – Round of 16: Win by two or more goals against Napoli.
Europa League: Win or draw versus Napoli; If they lose Braga need Union Berlin to draw or lose to Real Madrid
Union Berlin – Europa League: Win versus Real Madrid with a Braga loss
Group D
Real Sociedad – To win group: Win or draw versus Inter
Inter –To win group: Win versus Real Sociedad
Salzburg – Europa League: Win, draw or loss by one goal against Benfica
Benfica – Europa League: Win by two or more goals against Salzburg
Group E
Atletico Madrid – To win Group: Win or draw versus Lazio
Lazio – To win group: Win versus Atletico Madrid
Feyenoord: Already qualified for the Europa League knockout playoffs
Celtic: Eliminated
Group F
Dortmund – To win group: Win or draw versus PSG
PSG – To win group: Win versus Dortmund
Round of 16: Draw & a Newcastle draw/loss to AC Milan; or loss & Newcastle/AC Milan tie
Newcastle – Round of 16: Win & PSG draw or loss to Dortmund
Europa League – Win or draw versus AC Milan
AC Milan – Round of 16: Win & PSG loss to Dortmund
Europa League – Win versus Newcastle
Group G
Manchester City: Already won the group
RB Leipzig: Already qualified for the round of 16
Young Boys: Already qualified for the Europa League knockout playoffs
Red Star Belgrade: Eliminated
Group H
Barcelona: Already won the group
Porto 0 Round of 16: Win or Draw versus Shakhtar
Shakhtar – Round of 16: Win versus Porto
Royal Antwerp: Eliminated
