Skip to content

Champions League: What Chelsea and Arsenal must do to make last 16

Cesar Azpilicueta tackles Hector Bellerin
Image: What must Chelsea and Arsenal do to join Man City in the last 16 of the Champions League?

With just one game left in the group stage of this season's Champions League, Chelsea and Arsenal still have work to do to join Manchester City in the last 16.

Here's a look at what each team needs to qualify for February's round of 16 - and how the situation is shaping up for the rest in Europe's premier club competition.

Arsenal (Group F)

Remaining fixtures: Olympiakos (a)

Per Mertesacker dejected, Bayern Munich v Arsenal, Champions League
Image: Arsenal's Per Mertesacker shows the strain after his side's 5-1 defeat to Bayern

Arsenal's hopes of reaching the last 16 were taken out of their own hands following their 5-1 thrashing at Bayern Munich, coupled with Olympiakos' home win against Dinamo Zagreb.

But a 3-0 win over Zagreb at the Emirates - as Bayern thrashed Olympiakos - has kept alive their hopes of reaching the knockout stage for the 16th year in a row.

Champions League odds
Champions League odds

Will the Gunners progress? Sky Bet give them a 9/4 chance of reaching the knockout stages here.

Wenger's side must now beat Olympiakos on the road to progress to the knockout phase of the competition but a 1-0 or 2-1 win wouldn't be enough.

Also See:

Arsenal need to beat the Greeks either by two clear goals, or by any margin with the Gunners scoring at least three goals in Piraeus.

A draw or a defeat would definitely end their involvement in the Champions League, but Arsenal cannot be overtaken in third and would go into the Europa League.

Arsenal in Champions League Group F after five games

Chelsea (Group G)

Remaining fixtures: Porto (h)

Gary Cahill celebrates scoring Chelsea's opening goal against Maccabi Tel-Aviv
Image: Gary Cahill helped Chelsea to a morale-boosting win over Maccabi Tel-Aviv

Chelsea have only failed to qualify for the Champions League knockout phase once, and a 2-1 win over Dynamo Kiev followed by a convincing 4-0 victory over Maccabi Tel Aviv mean they remain on course.

The Blues need a draw at home to Porto to guarantee their ball is in the pot for the draw in December, but could also qualify even if they lose to the Portuguese side should Dynamo Kiev slip up at home to the bottom club from Israel.

Chelsea in Group G after five games of the Champions League

Elsewhere…

Defending champions Barcelona secured their place in the knockout stages with a 6-1 win over Roma.

Champions League Group A

However, the race to join them from Group E is going down to the final round of fixtures with Roma, Bayer Leverkusen and BATE Borisov all still in with a chance of finishing as runners-up behind the holders.

And finally in Group H, Gent and Valencia are still battling it out to join Zenit in the knockout stage. Gent will make it if they can beat the Russian side but a slip up would allow Valencia to make it with a win at home to Lyon.

Around Sky