The expanded first stage of the revamped Champions League was expected to be a smooth journey for European football giants like Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), and Manchester City, but it’s been far from that.
Heading into the sixth of eight rounds in the new 36-team format, Madrid and City, the past two Champions League champions, along with PSG, the French titleholder, are at risk of early elimination. PSG is performing the worst among the four Ligue 1 clubs in the competition.
A total of 24 teams will progress to the knockout stage, with the top eight directly advancing to the last 16 and the remaining 16 competing in two-legged playoffs. Currently, PSG is in 25th place, outside the qualifying spots, while Madrid, in 24th, holds onto the final qualification position. Both teams face away games this week: Madrid faces a tough challenge at Atalanta, while PSG takes on Salzburg.
Manchester City sits in 17th place with eight points—enough for qualification based on UEFA’s simulations—but a loss to Juventus on Wednesday could put their progression in jeopardy. The upcoming PSG vs. Man City match could prove crucial if both teams fail to secure positive results this week.
In previous years, the sixth round would mark the end of the group stage, with Madrid—15-time Champions League winners—already securing a spot in the knockout rounds. However, this season, Madrid has suffered three losses in five games and faces a tough Atalanta side, one of the few undefeated teams in the competition. Atalanta, who won the Europa League last season, has been in excellent form, winning nine straight matches and conceding just one goal in 14 games.
Meanwhile, Kylian Mbappé, under increasing scrutiny following missed penalties in losses to Liverpool and Athletic Bilbao, could gain confidence from his recent goal in a win over Girona.
PSG’s offensive struggles were expected after Mbappé’s departure to Madrid and Lionel Messi’s move to Inter Miami. However, few anticipated the team would score so few goals. Despite having attacking talents like Randal Kolo Muani, Ousmane Dembele, Goncalo Ramos, and Bradley Barcola, PSG has scored just three goals in five group-stage matches—the fourth-lowest total.
However, PSG could find success against Salzburg, whose defense has been leaky, conceding 15 goals, including five in their recent loss to Bayer Leverkusen. Despite their defensive woes, Salzburg sits fifth in Austria’s 12-team league.
City needs just one more win to secure qualification, but recent results have been concerning for Pep Guardiola’s injury-hit squad. In their last nine matches, City has won only once, losing six times and drawing twice. This includes two Champions League games—an embarrassing 4-1 defeat to Sporting Lisbon and a 3-3 draw with Feyenoord, where they nearly blew a 3-0 lead.
Liverpool, in first place, is the only team with a perfect 15 points and has already secured a place in the knockout stage. The Premier League leaders will look for a sixth straight win in an away match against Girona on Tuesday.
Inter Milan sits second and remains unbeaten, heading to Leverkusen for their upcoming match. Another key fixture sees Barcelona visiting Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday, with both teams in third and fourth place, respectively.