The league part of this season’s Champions League is about to conclude in explosive style on Wednesday evening.
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With 18 video games happening concurrently and many nonetheless to play for, we take a look at 5 huge storylines from the motion.
⚔️ Match of the Day
Barcelona could already be assured of a final 16 berth and Atalanta are slated to have a 35% likelihood of becoming a member of them there once they meet within the Catalan capital, however that is nonetheless set to supply fireworks.
The golf equipment have by no means met earlier than, that means La Dea would be the 159th completely different European opponent Barça have come up towards – a document for continental competitors.
So why so excited by this match-up? It sees two of the three sides with the best xG totals on this season’s event face off (Atalanta topping the charts with 19.7 and the Blaugrana not far behind on 18.4), with Barcelona scoring greater than different crew (26) and Atalanta third in that rating (18).
There might be targets and pleasure, notably with Raphinha and Charles De Ketelaere, arguably the Champions League’s two standout performers this season, spearheading the respective assaults.
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There is no such thing as a doubt that the eyes of a lot of the footballing public might be centered on Manchester Metropolis and their makes an attempt to keep away from the humiliation of being eradicated earlier than the knockout part.
Previous to kick-off towards Membership Brugge on the Etihad Stadium, the Premier League champions sit twenty fifth within the standings – which might end in a humiliating automated elimination because of ending within the backside 12.
To keep away from that, Metropolis’s activity is easy: they have to beat the Belgians, who’re all however certified for the play-off spherical themselves, to make sure they make it to the following part.
However they should be cautious. Brugge are at the moment on a 16-game unbeaten run (together with 4 Champions League fixtures) and might be no simple activity.
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For the second time since leaving final summer season, Kylian Mbappé returns to his homeland for Champions League motion.
Final time towards Lille, issues didn’t go nicely because the holders have been overwhelmed 1-0 and the previous PSG celebrity was criticised for his half within the defeat.
He returns in significantly better type, warming up with a ruthless hat-trick final weekend as he goals to take France off the checklist of Champions League nations’ representatives he has confronted with out scoring (Russia being the opposite thanks to 2 scoreless conferences with CSKA Moscow).
His document towards Brest suggests he’ll just do that – having netted 9 instances in 10 profession outings towards them.
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Moderately than particular fixtures, we’re seeking to the Opta odds to find out the place among the extra fancied golf equipment may discover themselves in jeopardy.
Given they should win and produce other outcomes go their means (which are not past the realms of chance) Lille are slated with only a one in three likelihood of creating the highest eight and making historical past.
Elsewhere, fellow Ligue 1 aspect PSG’s comeback heroics towards Manchester Metropolis have put them in a powerful play-off place however a visit to Stuttgart isn’t any simple recreation and may issues go awry, they’re given a 14% likelihood of slipping again into the elimination spots.
Within the prime eight, Bayer Leverkusen are additionally in a really sturdy place as they welcome Sparta Prague to city however there’s a 25% likelihood they may fall out of the automated spots and into the banana pores and skin of a play-off.
📊 Fascinating stat
Girona face Arsenal having misplaced their final 4 Champions League video games with out managing to seek out the online.
No crew from Europe’s prime 5 leagues has ever misplaced five-in-a-row and failed to attain within the course of within the historical past of the competitors.
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