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Champions League: Who has qualified and who needs what

By Vincent Ashitey
Lionel Messi scored when Paris St-Germain beat Manchester City 2-0 in the French capital on 28 September
Lionel Messi scored when Paris St-Germain beat Manchester City 2-0 in the French capital on 28 September
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It's a huge and exciting week of Champions League action with heavyweight showdowns between Manchester City and Paris St-Germain and Chelsea and Juventus among the highlights.

But who needs what and who is already through?

Twelve of the 16 knockout stage spots are still to be claimed with two group games remaining.

Here is the state of play going into the last two rounds of group matches.

Champions League

Who is through to the knockout stage?

Qualifiers: Liverpool, Ajax, Bayern Munich, Juventus

Out: Besiktas, RB Leipzig, Malmo

Who still has something to play for?

Group A: Manchester City, Paris St-Germain, Club Bruges

Group B: Porto, Atletico Madrid, AC Milan

Group C: Borussia Dortmund, Sporting Lisbon

Group D: Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Sheriff Tiraspol, Shakhtar Donetsk

Group E: Barcelona, Benfica, Dynamo Kyiv

Group F: Manchester United, Villarreal, Atalanta, Young Boys

Group G: RB Salzburg, Lille, Wolfsburg, Sevilla

Group H: Chelsea, Zenit St Petersburg

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What do sides need to do to qualify?

Manchester City or Paris St-Germain to seal top spot?

Wednesday, 24 November - Club Bruges v RB Leipzig and Manchester City v Paris St-Germain (Both 20:00 GMT)

Manchester City will qualify with one game to spare if they beat Paris St-Germain in their next Champions League fixture. A draw would also see both sides progress if Club Bruges fail to win against RB Leipzig.

Falling in behind the Reds

Wednesday, 24 November - Atletico Madrid v AC Milan and Liverpool v Porto (Both 20:00 GMT)

Porto could advance with Liverpool if they beat Jurgen Klopp's side on Merseyside and AC Milan also win against Atletico Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano.

If Liverpool and AC Milan both win in the penultimate round of fixtures it would leave Porto needing to win at home against Atletico in their final group match to qualify.

Borussia Dortmund and Sporting Lisbon to fight it out

Wednesday, 24 November - Besiktas v Ajax (17:45 GMT) and Sporting Lisbon v Borussia Dortmund (20:00 GMT)

With Ajax already through, the final qualification spot could rest on the result of Borussia Dortmund's trip to Sporting Lisbon.

A victory for Dortmund would see them progress regardless of results in the final round of matches by virtue of their better head-to-head record against the Portuguese club.

The same would also apply if Sporting win by more than one goal, the margin of their defeat in the reverse fixture in Germany.

A draw would leave Dortmund seemingly the better placed going into their final group game which is at home to Besiktas, with Sporting travelling to Amsterdam.

Real in pole position

Wednesday, 24 November - Inter Milan v Shakhtar Donetsk (17:45 GMT), Sheriff Tiraspol v Real Madrid (20:00 GMT)

Victories for Inter Milan and Real Madrid would see both European giants go through before their meeting at the Bernabeu on 7 December, which would then simply decide which club finished top of Group D.

However, if Moldovan champions Tiraspol were to complete a remarkable double over Real, they would move above Carlo Ancelotti's side by virtue of their record against the Spanish club.

Barca to join Bayern?

Tuesday, 23 November - Dynamo Kyiv v Bayern Munich (17:45 GMT) and Barcelona v Benfica (20:00 GMT)

A Barcelona victory over Benfica would see them progress alongside Bayern Munich. The Catalan side will be looking to get the job done at the Nou Camp prior to a trip to Germany in their final match.

A Benfica win would leave them in pole position to qualify with a home game against Dynamo Kyiv to follow.

Man Utd in battle to qualify

Tuesday, 23 November - Villarreal v Manchester United (17:45 GMT) and Young Boys v Atalanta (20:00 GMT)

Manchester United travel to Villarreal knowing that a win will see them into the knockout stage, having already beaten the Spanish side at Old Trafford.

If Unai Emery's side were to win that encounter it may leave the English club needing to beat Young Boys in their final Group F game to give them a chance of qualifying depending on Atalanta's results.

A four-way battle

Tuesday, 23 November - Lille v RB Salzburg and Sevilla v Wolfsburg (both 20:00 GMT)

Austrian side RB Salzburg will progress to the knockout stage with a win over Lille. However, this group remains wide open with all four teams able to qualify.

Chelsea close to securing qualification

BBC