The Spanish Trio Doesn’t Want to Play the Play-off
Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Atlético Madrid are striving to secure a place within the top eight and avoid playing in the Champions League play-off in the final round of the first phase, which will take place next Wednesday.
In contrast, Athletic Bilbao is doing its best to qualify for the play-off, while Villarreal has officially been eliminated from the competition.
It is worth noting that if two or more teams are tied in points, the following criteria will be used in order: goal difference, then goals scored, then goals scored away from home, then number of wins, then number of wins away from home.
The newspaper “AS” mentioned that Real Madrid is on the verge of direct qualification, as it occupies third place with 15 points after its victory over Monaco.
A win against Benfica away from home in the last round guarantees them a place among the top eight, and they may even snatch second place if Bayern Munich (who will face Eindhoven) loses.
Even a draw may be enough, given their superior goal difference (+11), which is the best among the ten teams that could reach 16 points.
Also, Barcelona’s valuable victory over Slavia Prague strengthened their chances of direct qualification, but they must win against Copenhagen in Spain and by as many goals as possible.
Barcelona occupies ninth place with 13 points (+5 goal difference), but they know that San German and Newcastle, who precede them in goal difference, will face each other.
A draw will reduce their chances of reaching the round of 16, and a loss will make it almost impossible.
For its part, Atlético Madrid drew with its host Galatasaray 1/1, bringing its score to 13 points (+3 goals) in 12th place, and it is now required to win its last match against Bodo/Glimt at the “Wanda Metropolitano” stadium and with the largest number of goals.
A draw does not completely eliminate Atlético, but it complicates matters for them greatly, while their mission becomes almost impossible in the event of a defeat.
Athletic Bilbao’s 3/2 victory over Atalanta in Italy revived its hopes of playing in the play-off, as it raised its score to 8 points, and a victory over its guest Sporting Lisbon will bring it closer to the play-off, and even a draw may be enough, but in this case it will depend on the stumbling of many of its competitors.
As for Villarreal, it occupies the 35th place from last with one point (ــ 10 goals), and will face its host Bayer Leverkusen in a marginal match.
