The denouement round, the round in which the current European champion could be eliminated already after three months of competition - tonight and tomorrow are the matches of the last round of the group stage of the Champions League.
Before the last round, the names of the eight teams that secured a place in the round of XNUMX are known - they are Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Bayern, Tottenham, Manchester City, Juventus, Barcelona and Leipzig. Looking for so much more...
KLOPP: WE ARE USED TO IT BEING DIFFICULT
Liverpool has come to a situation where everything depends on the last 90 minutes - they are visiting Red Bull Salzburg in a direct duel for placement in the knockout phase and must not lose in the city of Mozart if they want to continue the competition.
- I can't say that we needed this kind of pressure, but we are used to it. I've been here for four years and I don't remember when we were calm - says Jurgen Klopp. Salzburg would win the historic ranking among the top 16 if they knock down the champion, while Liverpool would pass in the event of a defeat only if Napoli loses in Naples against Genk.
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- I have no doubt that we are ready. This is the moment to do something big - says Salzburg's goal-scoring sensation Erling Haaland.
Napoli is in crisis in Serie A, but tonight they can secure a place with a point, which would probably save coach Carlo Ancelotti's job, at least for a while.
- I'm not thinking about anything else except that we beat Genk - Ancelotti is clear.
INTER OR BORUSSIA?
In the last round, Inter made the duel with Barcelona decisive by winning in Prague - a triumph for the "Nerazuri" guarantees passage. And his path will be made easier, even if it looks that way on paper - Barca, which is certainly the first in the group, arrived in Milan without Lionel Messi and Gerard Pique, supposedly Inter will be opposed by a combined team...
- I want a brave Inter that plays beyond the limit of current possibilities, regardless of the composition of Barca - said Antonio Conte.
Inter will earn between seven and a half and eight million euros from ticket sales from this match, which is a record in Italian football.
The chances of Borussia, who welcome the Czech Slavia in Dortmund, also depend on the events in the City of Fashion. Inter and the "millionaires" collected seven points each, with the Italian team having the better score. So, in the last 90 minutes, Borussia must achieve a better result than Inter...
- The first and only obligation is to play well and to win - said Borussia coach Lucien Favre.
THE MYSTERY OF GROUP H, THE FIGHT BETWEEN LION AND ZENIT
Ajax 10 points, Valencia and Chelsea eight each - this is the situation in group H before the last round. "Spears" welcome Valencia and in order to pass they need not to lose or Chelsea not to beat Lille at "Stamford".
Valencia will go to the round of XNUMX if they win in Amsterdam or if they end up with the same number of points as Chelsea (they are better in the head-to-head score). And the "blues" are doing calculations - if they beat Lille they will surely pass, and that would happen even if Ajax were better than Valencia.
And in group G - Leipzig has already passed, Lyon and Zenit are leading the fight to the end, with seven points each. The French side advance to the round of XNUMX with a win at home to Leipzig or a draw if Zenit loses to Benfica in Lisbon.
The Russians need to have at least the same number of points as Lyon after tonight's duel, because they are better in each other's duels.
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