Crunch time for heavy weight clubs in crucial Champions League games

The UEFA Champions League heats up as teams battle for top 8 spots. Key matchups include Real Madrid, Man City, Atalanta, and more!

Atletico Madrid and Bayern Leverkusen must both win to ensure automatic qualification, it will be a huge battle at the Wanda Metropolitan on Tuesday. (Photo credit: GOAL)

Chelsea’s 3-1 win over Wolves on Monday night concluded the latest round of Premier League fixtures, and in a fast-paced month of lots of football, our attention turns to the UEFA Champions League.

The new format means there are two more games to play, and teams scramble to find their respective ways into the top 8, which knocks off two extra games. The likes of Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Juventus are in danger and do not have margins for error.

Atalanta and Borussia Dortmund started quite well, but both are now outside the top 8; Bayern Munich sits in 10th, and Atletico Madrid and AC Milan are in 11th and 12th, respectively, and the goal for all of them is to squeeze into the top 8.

Reigning champions Real Madrid sits in 20th and in danger of crashing out altogether; they’re not the only powerhouse in trouble; Manchester City is just two places above the drop zone (22nd), while French champions PSG are completely out of the top 24 and must win their remaining two games to be safe.

Atalanta can return to the top 8 with a win on Tuesday over Sturm Graz of Austria. The Italian side fell to Napoli at the weekend in the league, which has set them back in their title bid, but they can find joy in the Champions League in this fixture.

The big one is between Atletico Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen in Madrid; a draw is fine for Leverkusen, who must then win their final game to be sure of a top 8 finish, but Atletico Madrid cannot afford to drop points here; it’s a game they must win.

Benfica is at risk of dropping out of the Champions League altogether; a loss at home to Barcelona could heap more pressure on them, while the Catalan giants need a win to cushion the effects of their poor league form.

Bologna is believed to have given up on the Champions League this season, but Borussia Dortmund isn’t a team you can trust. Rumour has it that Nuri Sahin is nearing the end of his career; he must defeat Bologna or risk being replaced by Erik Ten Hag. This should be fun.

Liverpool is wobbling in the league of late, but they only need a draw here, and they will still keep their top spot in the continental championship; however, they need the win for momentum, so Lille is expected to face the full wrath of the Kops.

Juventus finally won a game in the league after lots of draws, beating AC Milan over the weekend, but their top 8 finish depends on their two remaining games and surrounding results. Thiago Motta’s side must win away in Brugge; it’s a must-win for Juventus.