UEFA Champions League Match Day 6 brings down the curtain on another thrilling group stage. Seven clubs are in with a last-chance to claim one of the remaining four spots left in the Round of 16. Liverpool have it all to do in front of their fans to seal qualification with a victory over Carlo Ancelotti’s Napoli. No one would have imagined how the tables turned for the Reds who opened the group stage with a home win against Paris Saint-Germain. Shakhtar Donetsk face a must win home game against Olympique Lyon at the OblasnySportKomplex Metalist, Kharkiv if they aim to progress ahead of the French team that has scored twice or more in every group game. Tottenham Hotspur travel to the Camp Nou in search of a victory in Spain and a favorable outcome in Milan between Internazionale and PSV Eindhoven. Mauricio Pochettino won on his first visit to the Camp Nou as manager with Espanyol in the Catalan derby and the Argentine will home for similar outcome on his first trip there as Spurs boss.
Here is our preview of some UEFA Champions League Match Day 6 games across the eight groups.
Group B;
BARCELONA v TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR – TUE. 11 DEC 2018, 21.00HRS
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Tottenham Hotspur travel to Barcelona in their desperate final attempt to make it to the knock-out stages after making it to second spot in Group B thanks to a 1-0 win over Internazionale. The North Londoners need a win to hold off their Italian rivals in a must win game at the Camp Nou. Mauricio Pochettino’s team travel to Spain in good vein of form winning five of their last six matches except the North London derby defeat to Arsenal recently. Barcelona are building a head of steam as well, winning their last four games in all competitions including blowing away city rivals Espanyol in derbi Barceloni over the weekend. Barca skipper and talisman Leo Messi was the star of the derby,the Argentine wizard produced another top drawer performance to silence the city and lead his team to victory. Spurs won at Leicester too but they are the ones in need of a victory in Spain to progress.
VERDICT – Barcelona have lost only one of their last 16 matches Champions League matches. The Catalan giants have nothing at stake in this game except pride and the fact that their fans would love to see a former Espanyol player/coach lose at the Camp Nou. Barca dispatched Spurs with ease in London on Match Day 2 and would look to do a double over them. Spurs know their destiny is in their hands and only victory can guarantee qualification. Do they have it in them to win in Spain? They have the ability to go toe-to-toe with the best on their day; at Real Madrid and Juventus last year. Expect goals at the Camp Nou.
Group C;
LIVERPOOL v NAPOLI – TUE. 11 DEC 2018, 21.00HRS
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Group C has provided the biggest spectacle in the group phase till date and the excitement will go down to the wire. Crvena Zvezda host Paris Saint-Germain at Stadion Rajko Mitić, Belgrade in a game with significant meaning for both teams. The home team cannot progress to the knock-out phase but the incentive of continuing their European adventure in the Europa League is on the line if they secure a victory at home and Liverpool lose their game.Thomas Tuchel’s PSG team need a victory to secure passage to the next phase of a competition the Parisiens club board desperately wants after conquering France and all domestic competitions. Crvena Zvezda lost all three games away from home conceding 13 goals, but their displays at Rajko Mitic are totally different. Vladan Milojević and his troops held Napoli to a goalless draw on opening night and surprised everyone in an impressive 2-0 victory over Liverpool. PSG have been very dominant in Ligue 1 but that has not been the case in the Champions League especially on away trips where they are yet to win this season.
VERDICT – PSG recorded an emphatic victory over Crvena Zvezda in Paris on Match Day 2. Les Parisiens currently occupy second spot, one point behind Napoli and two ahead of Liverpool and will go through to the next round if they beat FK Crvena Zvezda or Liverpool fail to beat Napoli. Crvena Zvezda are the underdogs in the group but they have shown they can challenge on home turf and will be difficult to beat at home. Regardless of the solid home record of the host, PSG have the resources to win in Belgrade.
CRVENA ZVEZDA v PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN – TUE. 11 DEC 2018, 21.00HRS
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Last season finalist face the humiliation of missing out in the knock-out stage this season if they fail to beat table toppers Napoli at Anfield on Tuesday night. Jurgen Klopp’s team sit third on the table, three points behind their Italian visitors and in need a victory in this crucial Group C game to book a place in the Last 16. Both teams are in good form;Liverpool winning five of their last six in all competitions including a four nil victory over Bournemouth on Saturday while Napoli are unbeaten in their last six matches in all competition, the Partenopei brushed Frosinone aside easily to keep themselves prepared for the Anfield battle.
VERDICT – Napoli need only to avoid defeat to secure their place in the next round and they come into this clash on a 12-match unbeaten run. Carlo Ancelotti’s team has won three of their last four away matches and won the reverse fixture on Match Day 2. Liverpool need a victory to book their qualification spot and can draw on home form in the competition where they have secured three points against their visitors and will aim to do so against the Italians. We anticipate a thriller at Anfield with both teams getting on the scoresheet.
Group E;
AJAX AFC v BAYERN MUNICH – WED. 12 DEC 2018, 21.00HRS
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With qualification secured by both teams, top spot in Group E is at stake as Ajax host Bayern Munich in the last group game on Wednesday evening at the Johan Cruijff Arena. The Bavarian giants need a draw to win the group asthey are two points better than Dutch giants into the final Match Day fixture in Amsterdam. Ajax have over-achieved by sealing a spot in the next round and can put a cherry on it by winning the group. Erik ten Hag team are in good moment, winning five of their last six matches in all competition and scoring 22 goals in the process compared to Bayern’s four wins in last six.
VERDICT – This will be the tenth head to head encounter between these two European giants. Home sides held the upper hand throughout the history, as six of past nine head-to-head games saw home wins, while remaining three ended in draws. This season’s head-to-head clash saw a 1-1 draw in Munich. Ajax are undefeated in their last 13 Champions League matches while Bayern have won their last three Champions League matches. Bayern haven’t been entirely convincing this season but remain favorites; they have scored two goals in each of their last five away matches. Can the Bavarians keep up this trend in Amsterdam? Both teams will attack so we are guaranteed goals.
Group F;
SHAKHTAR DONETSK v OLYMPIQUE LYONNAIS – WED. 12 DEC 2018, 21.00HRS
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Second spot in Group F is up for grabs on Wednesday when Shakhtar host Lyon in the crucial last round game in Kharkhiv. The Ukrainian champions need a victory to overtake the French outfit at the second place being two points shy of them ahead of the fixture. Shakhtar Donetsk edge a five-goal thriller in Germany in a 3-2 win at Hoffenheim and thanks to the victory, the Miners require a point to book their place in the Europa League knockout stages while a victory at home will make things even better for the Ukrainians and see them advance to the next round of the Champions League. Lyon are the only unbeaten team in the group, but they drew four on the bounce after upsetting Manchester City away at Etihad in the opening round. Bruno Genesio’s men were unlucky to concede last-gasp equalizers in a double header with Hoffenheim both home and away.
VERDICT – Shakhtar and Lyon played an entertaining 2-2 draw on Match Day 2. Lyon have scored at least 2 goals in their last five Champions League matches while Shakhtar have conceded at least two goals in their last five Champions League matches. Lyon are two points above Shakhtar Donetsk and will go through if they avoid defeat on Wednesday. These two teams have scored and shipped in goals with ease and it is anticipated that goals would be a part of this final fixture in Group F.
This wraps us our Match Day 6 Focus. The remaining four spots in the Round of 16 would be filled by the end of this Match Day. You can win big by predicting in the money spinning competition by visiting our Sports shop Babaijebu.ng for mouthwatering offers for all UCL matches.