When we first started these updates (shortly after the blog was launched), three teams had booked their place in 2012-13’s Champions League. Now, only four of the competition’s 21 automatic group stage spots are left unclaimed:
- In England, third place is still up for grabs, with four teams (Arsenal, Tottenham, Newcastle, Chelsea) still mathematically alive. Chelsea can also get in by winning the 2011-12 competition next Saturday against Bayern Munich, but if they do, England’s fourth place team heads to Europa.
- With one round left in Ukraine, Shakhtar has a overtaken Dynamo and need only a point at home on Thursday (against last place Oleksandria) to win the Premier League.
- In Turkey, Fenerbahçe will host Galatasaray on Saturday, the teams’ fourth derby of the year. If Fener wins, they claim Turkey’s group stage spot. Else, its’ Gala’s.
- And in Denmark, Copenhagen lost a crucial match at Nordsjaelland last week. After their Sunday draw at home to OB, Copenhagen’s lead is down to one point with three rounds remaining.
Brief reminder: 12 league qualify teams directly into group play, placing between one and three clubs in the competition proper. Every league in Europe has a chance to place a club in group stage, though most teams have to play their way in through late-summer qualifiers.
| England (3 group stage spots plus one play-in qualifier) |
Spain (3 group stage spots plus one play-in qualifier) |
| 1. Manchester City: 86 points, 37 games 2. Manchester United: 86 pts, 37 gp 3. Arsenal: 67 pts, 37 gp 4. Tottenham Hotspur: 66 pts, 37 gp |
1. Real Madrid: 97 points, 37 games 2. Barcelona: 90 pts, 37 gp 3. Valencia: 61 pts, 37 gp 4. Málaga: 55 pts, 37 gp |
| Germany (3 + 1) |
Italy (2 + 1) |
| 1. Borussia Dortmund: 81 pts, 34 gp 2. Bayern Munich: 73 pts, 34 gp 3. Schalke: 64 pts, 34 gp 4. Borussia Moenchengladbach: 60 pts, 34 gp |
1. Juventus: 81 pts, 37 gp 2. Milan: 77 pts, 37 gp 3. Udinese: 61 pts, 37 gp |
| France (2 + 1) |
Portugal (2 + 1) |
| 1. Montpellier: 76 pts, 36 gp 2. Paris Saint-Germain: 73 pts, 36 gp 3. Lille: 71 pts, 36 gp |
1. Porto: 72 pts, 29 gp 2. Benfica: 66 pts, 29 gp 3. Sporting Braga: 62 pts, 29 gp |
| Russia (1 + 1) |
Ukraine (1 + 1) |
| 1. Zenit: 85 pts, 43 gp 2. CSKA Moscow: 72 pts, 42 gp |
1. Shakhtar Donetsk: 76 pts, 29 gp 2. Dynamo Kyiv: 74 pts, 29 gp |
| Netherlands (1 + 1) |
Turkey (1 + 1) |
| 1. Ajax: 76 pts, 34 gp 2. Feyenoord: 70 pts, 34 gp |
1. Galatasaray: 47 (adjusted) pts, 39 gp 2. Fenerbahce: 46 pts, 39 gp Turkey has entered its four-team playoff round, where qualifiers’ season point totals are halved ahead of the six-match, home-and-home round-robin. |
| Greece (1 + 1) |
Denmark (1 + 1) |
| 1. Olympiacos – 73 points, 30 games 2. Panathinaikos – leading the four-team playoff |
1. Copenhagen: 62 points, 30 games 2. FC Nordsjaelland: 61 pts, 30 gp |
Bold – participants in 2011-12’s group stage.
Italic – entered into the 2012-13’s preliminary rounds.
