The revamped Champions League, featuring an expanded first stage, was expected to be a straightforward challenge for European powerhouses such as Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), and Manchester City. However, the reality has been far different.
As the competition approaches the sixth of eight rounds in its new 36-team format, these clubs are at risk of facing an early exit. Madrid and City, the champions of the last two editions, along with PSG, the current French champions, are struggling in the league. Notably, PSG is performing the worst among the four Ligue 1 teams in the tournament.
In this format, 24 clubs will progress to the knockout stage, with the top eight advancing directly to the last 16, while the remaining 16 will enter two-legged playoffs. Currently, PSG sits in 25th place, outside the qualifying spots, while Kylian Mbappé and Madrid are just above in 24th, clinging to the last qualifying position. Both teams face away matches this week, with Madrid taking on a formidable Atalanta and PSG facing what appears to be a more manageable challenge against Salzburg.
City is currently in 17th place with eight points—an amount predicted by UEFA’s statistics expert to be sufficient for advancement. However, a loss to Juventus on Wednesday could place the English champions in jeopardy.
The upcoming match between PSG and Manchester City in the seventh round is set to be critical, especially if either team falters this week.
Madrid’s Struggles
In previous Champions League campaigns, the sixth round typically marked the conclusion of the group stage, with Madrid—15-time European champions—often resting key players after securing their place in the last 16. This season, however, they have lost three of their five matches and are now preparing to face Atalanta, one of the few teams unbeaten so far, having conceded only one goal. Atalanta, who won the Europa League last season, recently defeated Madrid 2-0 in the UEFA Super Cup but now boasts nine consecutive wins and remains unbeaten in 14 matches across all competitions.
Kylian Mbappé has come under increased scrutiny following missed penalties in losses to Liverpool and Athletic Bilbao, but he did score a potentially confidence-boosting goal in a recent victory over Girona.
PSG’s Scoring Challenges
PSG’s offensive output was expected to decline after losing Mbappé to Madrid, following Lionel Messi’s departure to Inter Miami. However, the extent of their struggles has been surprising. With a frontline featuring Randal Kolo Muani, Ousmane Dembélé, Gonçalo Ramos, and Bradley Barcola, PSG has managed only three goals in five league-stage matches—ranking among the lowest in the competition.
Despite this, they face Salzburg, who have conceded 15 goals, including five in a recent match against Bayer Leverkusen. Salzburg currently sits fifth in the Austrian league, yet they will be competing in the Club World Cup next summer alongside PSG.
City’s Recent Form
Manchester City needs just one more win to secure progression, but recent performances have made victories far from guaranteed. In their last nine matches across all competitions, City has lost six times, drawn twice, and won only once. This streak includes two Champions League matches: a heavy 4-1 defeat to Sporting Lisbon and a dramatic 3-3 draw with Feyenoord after being down 3-0 in the 75th minute.
Liverpool’s Dominance
In contrast, Liverpool is the only team with a perfect record, sitting atop the standings with 15 points and already assured a place in the knockout stage. They will aim for their sixth consecutive win in an away match against Girona on Tuesday. Inter Milan, in second place, has yet to concede a goal and will face Leverkusen on the same day. Another key matchup features Barcelona visiting Borussia Dortmund, with both teams currently in third and fourth place, respectively.
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