The Calm Before: The Clinching Scenarios in Matchday 10 of the 21/22 UEFA Champions League Group Stage

We’re back with a second day of clinching scenarios for the UEFA Champions League group stage. There aren’t any full, top-to-bottom chaos scenarios to root for here, but there are some pretty tight battles at the top. Here’s who can clinch things today, who could be eliminated, and who needs all the help they can get.

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Photo by Mustafa Yalcin/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Group A:

Current standings: 1) MCI — 9 pts 2) PSG — 8 pts 3) CLB — 4 pts 4) RB Leipzig — 1 pt

One of the more savory matches happens this weekend with both of the big name teams needing a win to clinch their spot in the Round of 16. If they end in a draw and Club Brugge pull out the win over Leipzig, it sets up an exciting final game between Les Parisiens and the Blauw-Zwart.

Who’s clinched: None

Who’s eliminated: RB Leipzig

Who can clinch:

• Manchester City:
  Win vs. PSG to clinch Round of 16 and 1st in Group A
• Paris Saint-Germain:
  Win vs. Manchester City to clinch Round of 16

Who can be eliminated:

• Club Brugge:
  Eliminated with loss
  OR
  Draw AND PSG win

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Photo by John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images

Group B

Current standings: 1) LFC — 12 pts 2) FCP — 5 pts 3) ATM — 4 pts 4) ACM — 1 pt

This is one of the more chaotic of the penultimate days for this half of the match week. Liverpool has already clinched. Porto can’t be eliminated this week. However, if Porto can find a way to win, there’s a way for them to eliminate both Atletico Madrid and AC Milan. On the flip side, if Liverpool continue their dominance and AC Milan can beat Atleti, we’ll have a final group stage day for the ages.

Who’s clinched knockouts and top spot: Liverpool

Who’s eliminated: None

Who can clinch:

• FC Porto:
  clinches knockouts with win over Liverpool

Who can be eliminated:

• Atletico Madrid:
  eliminated with loss to AC Milan AND Porto win
• AC Milan:
  eliminated with loss to Atletico Madrid
  OR
  eliminated with any result AND Porto win

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Photo by ANP Sport via Getty Images

Group C

Current standings: 1) Ajax — 12 pts 2) BVB — 6 pts 3) SCP — 6 pts 4) BJK — 0 pts

A group that has seen some exciting matches has a pretty mundane penultimate day. A win for Ajax gives them the top spot today, while Dortmund clinch the playoffs with a win over Sporting Lisbon thanks to the tiebreaker rule giving weight to the club with the better record against the other tied on points. A loss by BVB makes this a lot more interesting.

Who’s clinched knockouts: AFC Ajax

Who’s eliminated: Besiktas

Who can clinch:

• AFC Ajax:
  Clinch 1st in Group C with win or draw
• Borussia Dortmund:
  Win over SCP clinches Round of 16 on tiebreakers

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Photo by Pedro Castillo/Real Madrid via Getty Images

Group D:

Current standings: 1) RMA — 9 pts 2) INT — 7 pts 3) SHR — 6 pts 4) SHK — 1 pt

Nothing has been clinched. No one is safe, no one is dead. There is all to play for in Group D. We have a rematch of one of the biggest upsets of this tournament so far and an elimination match that could see Ukraine’s biggest side out of the UCL.

Who’s clinched: None
Who’s eliminated: None
Who can clinch:

• Real Madrid:
  clinches Round of 16 with win over Sheriff Tiraspol
  clinches top spot with win over Sheriff Tiraspol AND Inter loss

Who can be eliminated:

• Sheriff Tiraspol:
  eliminated with loss to Real Madrid AND Inter win over Shakhtar
• Shakhtar Donetsk:
  eliminated with loss to Inter Milan
  OR
  eliminated with win AND Sheriff win over Real

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Here are all the games for Wednesday (all times Eastern Daylight US):

12:45

• Beşiktaş JK v. AFC Ajax (Beşiktaş Park - Beşiktaş, Istanbul, TUR)
• Internazionale Milan v. FC Shakhtar Donetsk (Stadio Giuseppe Meazza [San Siro] - Milan, Lombardy, ITA)

15:00

• Atletico Madrid v. AC Milan (Estadio Metropolitano - Madrid, ESP)
• Club Brugge KV v. RB Leipzig (Jan Breydelstadion - Sint Andries, Bruges, West Flanders, BEL)
• Liverpool FC v. FC Porto (Anfield - Liverpool, Merseyside, GBR)
• Manchester City FC v. Paris Saint-Germain FC (City of Manchester Stadium - Manchester, GBR)
• Sheriff Tiraspol v. Real Madrid (Bolshaya Sportivnaya Arena - Tiraspol, Transnistria, MDA)
• Sporting CP v. Borussia Dortmund (Estádio José Alvalade - Lisbon, PRT)