CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
The carrot of qualifying for the last 16 of Europe’s premier club competition is dangling in front of some of the biggest teams involved in this year’s Champions League.
But finishing top of their groups is another incentive enticing the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool, Inter and Atletico Madrid ahead of today’s penultimate round of group games.
Of the 16 teams in action, only two — Barcelona and Sporting Lisbon — have qualified for the knockout phase.
For the teams in the three other groups, things are more open.
Chelsea lead Roma and Bordeaux by just a point in Group A, Cypriot surprise package Anorthosis are hoping to pip Panathinaikos to join virtually qualified Inter from Group B and Liverpool and Atletico have virtually sealed the top two spots in Group D.
With 10 points from four games Barcelona need only a draw away to Sporting Lisbon to retain the lead of Group C ahead of their final group game at home to Shakhtar Donetsk.
Barcelona beat Sporting 3-1 in their opening group fixture, but the possible absence of injured Argentine Lionel Messi and Barcelona’s unexpected 1-1 Spanish league draw at home to Getafe may have given hope to Sporting.
While Shakhtar host FC Basel hoping to hold on to third place and a UEFA Cup spot, Barca coach Pep Guardiola says he can cope with losing a key player such as Messi.
“He is a special player that is key for us but I have others,” Guardiola said.
Atletico and Liverpool are also battling for top spot, in Group D — and it could all come down to who scores the most goals.
Both sides are eyeing victory today with Atletico, who lead Liverpool only on goal difference, welcoming PSV Eindhoven while Rafa Benitez’s Reds host UEFA Cup-bound Marseille.
Group A is far more open and Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc will be hoping for an off-night from Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka, his former France teammate during Les Bleus triumphant Euro 2000 campaign.
Defeat for Chelsea would be prove disastrous for Luiz Felipe Scolari’s Blues, who have qualified for the knockout phase for the past six successive seasons, and would split the group wide open.
In Group B victory for Inter against resurgent Panathinaikos in Milan would guarantee they go through as group winners.
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