Skip to content

Champions League permutations: What Liverpool and Tottenham must do to progress

UEFA Champions League trophy
Image: Liverpool and Spurs have work to do to reach the Champions League last 16

The Champions League returns this week with the final fixtures of the group stage, but what do Liverpool and Tottenham need to progress to the knockout phase?

Manchester City and Manchester United secured their places in the last 16 with a game to spare but Jurgen Klopp's and Mauricio Pochettino's sides still have work to do on the final matchday if they want to be in the hat for the draw on December 17.

Champions League last-16 draw - what you need to know

Here's the overall picture, as well as what Liverpool and Tottenham must do to keep their Champions League hopes alive...

As it stands overall

Through to round of 16: Ajax, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona*, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Juventus, Manchester City, Manchester United, Porto*, Real Madrid*, Roma, Schalke

*confirmed group winners

Can still reach round of 16: Inter, Liverpool, Lyon, Napoli, PSG, Shakhtar Donetsk, Tottenham

Also See:

Will move to Europa League round of 32: Benfica, Club Brugge, Valencia

Can still finish third: CSKA Moscow, Red Star Belgrade, Galatasaray, Hoffenheim, Lokomotiv Moscow, Viktoria Plzen

Will finish fourth: AEK Athens, Monaco, PSV Eindhoven, Young Boys

What Tottenham need

 during the UEFA Champions League Group B match between Tottenham Hotspur and FC Internazionale at Wembley Stadium on November 28, 2018 in London, United Kingdom.
Image: Christian Eriksen struck late against Inter to keep Tottenham alive in the competition
  • Barcelona are through as Group B winners but both Tottenham and Inter Milan can still join them in the last 16. Dutch club PSV Eindhoven are sure to finish bottom.

  • Spurs are currently second on head-to-head away goals, so will progress if they win in the Nou Camp or match, points-wise, Inter's result at home to PSV.

  • Inter will finish second if they pick up more points than Spurs.

Group B

P W D L F A GD Pts
Barcelona 5 4 1 0 13 4 9 13
Spurs 5 2 1 2 8 9 -1 7
Inter 5 2 1 2 5 6 -1 7
PSV 5 0 1 4 5 12 -7 1

What Liverpool need

 during the UEFA Champions League Group C match between Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool at Parc des Princes on November 28, 2018 in Paris, France.
Image: Liverpool's Champions League hopes remain in the balance after a 2-1 defeat at PSG
  • The most complicated of possible outcomes means current Group C leaders Napoli, second-placed Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool, in third, can still all qualify. Red Star Belgrade are bottom of the table, but could yet make it through to the last 32 of the Europa League.

  • Liverpool host Napoli and must win to have any chance of going through - victory by more than one goal will ensure qualification.

  • Should PSG beat Red Star away, Klopp's men will need a 1-0 triumph or victory by two goals or more to finish second behind the French side, but other win margins will not be enough.

  • If the game in Belgrade is a draw, Liverpool will advance with any win as it would leave them, PSG and Napoli all on nine points - with the English club finishing first on the three-way head-to-head.

  • Red Star will take third place if they win and Liverpool lose.

Group C

P W D L F A GD Pts
Napoli 5 2 3 0 7 4 3 9
PSG 5 2 2 1 13 8 5 8
Liverpool 5 2 0 3 8 7 1 6
Red Star 5 1 1 3 4 13 -9 4

Other ones to watch

Atletico Madrid will secure top spot in Group A if they beat Club Brugge or Borussia Dortmund fail to win at Thierry Henry's Monaco. Should the Germans win and the Spaniards lose in Belgium, then Dortmund would progress as group winners by virtue of their superior head-to-head goal difference.

Bayern Munich can secure first place in Group E with a draw away to Ajax, who can themselves finish top with victory in Amsterdam.

Manchester City will seal top spot in Group F with a draw at home to Hoffenheim - or if Lyon do not win away at Shakhtar. Lyon can take first place in the group with victory and if City lose, as they hold a better head-to-head record over the Premier League champions.

Juventus currently top Group H - two points ahead of Manchester United - and will make sure of first place if they beat Young Boys in Switzerland.

Follow the Champions League action with our liveblogs on skysports.com and the Sky Sports app.

Play Super 6
Play Super 6

Predict 6 correct scores for your chance to win £250K.

Around Sky