This season, a total of 137 goals have already been scored in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League. The players of Leverkusen's Bayer have become the most productive team of the tournament after the first round, with nine precise strikes scored. Among the players who stand out is Cristiano Ronaldo, owner of the Golden Ball, who has scored five goals. Meanwhile, the joy of forcing the opponents' goalkeeper to retrieve the ball from his net has not yet been experienced by the Shakhtar Donetsk and Maccabi Tel-Aviv teams.
These are the numbers of the sixtieth anniversary of the strongest tournament of the Old Continent. This season, like any other, promises great intrigue for football fans, and several teams are vying for the Champions League trophy. Let's look at the numbers and consider which clubs have the best chances to advance to the knockout stages.
Group A - Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid (7 points), Malmo (3 points), Shakhtar Donetsk (0 points)
It was no surprise to anyone that PSG and Real Madrid would advance to the quarterfinals in Group A, even before playing the first matches. The main argument for such speculation is that these two teams are among the best in Europe. And indeed, this is not an empty claim. PSG, as the leaders in France, and the "Royal" club in the Spanish league have shown excellent performances against the other two teams in the group. Both PSG and Real Madrid defeated the Swedish champions Malmo 2-0 and Shakhtar Donetsk 3-0 and 4-0, respectively. Furthermore, both teams rank among the best in ball control and number of completed passes. The fact that PSG outperforms even Barcelona in this aspect speaks for itself. So, after three rounds, almost nothing has changed, and the most exciting battle in this group undoubtedly revolves around the top spot.
The other two teams, competing against the Spanish and French giants, do not seem as impressive, but it is likely that the fight for the third spot and a ticket to the UEFA Europa League will also be interesting. While Shakhtar lost their first match and have not scored a single goal so far, it would be naive to expect Ukrainian club's attackers to awaken and score in the remaining three matches. It is worth mentioning that Shakhtar is ranked fifth in accurate passes throughout the tournament, so it is likely that they will eventually find a way to break through the opponents' defense. Malmo defeated Shakhtar at home 1-0, but they did not stand out in the other matches - the Swedes' attack also seems to be lacking. Based on shots on goal, Malmo only outperforms BATE Borisov. It seems unlikely that Malmo or Shakhtar will be able to surprise in the overall standings, so the ticket to the Europa League will likely be decided in the second match between them. The Swedes will most likely rely on defense in that match, while the Ukrainians will patiently try to find gaps.
Group B - Wolfsburg (6 points), Manchester United (4 points), CSKA Moscow (4 points), PSV Eindhoven (3 points)
Manchester United returned to the Champions League with a defeat against PSV, but just two weeks later, they defeated the Bundesliga runners-up Wolfsburg. The Germans, in turn, successfully defeated both the mentioned Dutch team and CSKA Moscow players. These results show that predicting the final standings of Group B is certainly not easy. It is interesting that three teams, except for Manchester United, are among the group of the lowest offenders, which indicates dynamic football. The "Red Devils" have such exceptional sprinters as Anthony Martial, Memphis Depay, and Antonio Valencia in their ranks, while Wolfsburg can boast of the pace of Julian Draxler, Andre Schurrle, and Daniel Caligiuri. PSV stands out with the speed of Luciano Narsingh and Maxime Lestienne, while CSKA features the incredibly fast Ahmed Musa and Seydou Doumbia. All the mentioned players make each evening game more exciting with their physical capabilities, but when they face each other, these matches are incredibly interesting to watch.
However, the teams will advance to the next stage not based on individual statistical indicators or the individual skills of the players. At the moment, the German club is leading the group, but the Manchester players already know how to defeat Wolfsburg. On the other hand, Wolfsburg will have a home advantage in this clash, but if the "Red Devils" achieve at least a draw in Germany, they will have a great chance to surpass Dieter Hecking's players since they will play the other two matches away. Despite having the label of the leader, Wolfsburg will find it equally difficult to secure a place in the next stage, just like Louis van Gaal's troops. CSKA and PSV should not give up, as the Russians have shown the effectiveness of their counterattacks multiple times in the past, and the Dutch delivered a serious blow to at least the third spot by defeating Manchester United. This victory was achieved at home, where there are still two more matches left for the Eindhoven club. Taking points from the Netherlands will certainly not be easy.
Group C - Atletico Madrid (6 points), Benfica (6 points), Galatasaray (4 points), Astana (1 point)
So far, the biggest surprise in Group C has been the equality between Galatasaray and Astana, in which they scored three goals into their own net. Nevertheless, Astana's entry into the Europa League is highly unlikely, so Galatasaray and Atletico Madrid and Benfica will fight for the two spots in the quarterfinals. Although the strongest Turkish team managed to defeat the Portuguese team at home, losing points against Astana could have a decisive impact after the remaining rounds. The revitalized Madrid team, controlling the ball 54 percent of the playing time, has shown that they are not just capable of demonstrating defensive football this season. They have already defeated the Turks in their own field, which further complicates Hamzaoglu's players' chances to advance. Benfica seems to have the best chance of taking the top spot at first glance, as the main opponents of the Portuguese champions will arrive at their home ground. However, the situation in this group is far from settled.
It is worth mentioning that the Lisbon team is struggling in the local championships, so there is a possibility that the performance of the capital's team will deteriorate in Europe. On the other hand, the Turkish team trails behind Besiktas, but the country's championship is not powerful enough to drain a lot of energy from "Gala." As usual, Atletico successfully breathes down the necks of La Liga favorites. In terms of injuries, only the "mattress" striker Luciano Vietto could be sidelined for several matches at worst. The key players of all three teams are healthy, so we can expect a game that reflects the current form of the teams. There will be plenty of action, as Atletico and Galatasaray are among the most frequent shooters on goal, and Benfica and even Astana are not far behind. The Kazakh team will surely try to trouble their opponents, especially since two out of three matches are played in front of their own fans.
Group D - Juventus (7 points), Manchester City (6 points), Sevilla (3 points), Borussia Monchengladbach (1 point)
The rivalry between Man City and the group of death is becoming inevitable. However, the English situation against their opponents seems more challenging than it actually is. Juventus is going through their worst season start in Serie A in almost thirty years, Sevilla is currently in 11th place in the Spanish league, and Borussia has nine injured players in the team. Despite not having players like Sergio Aguero, David Silva, and several others available, the chances of climbing to the top of Group D are within their reach. It must be admitted that it will not be easy for Juve and Sevilla to secure a spot in the knockout phase due to facing each other for the ticket to the quarterfinals, but Man City will still need to face Barcelona. The potential of the English teams is the strongest in the group, but it remains unclear whether they will seize the opportunity.
Manchester City's recurring issue is that they have been unable to organize their defense and have committed an average of 41 fouls per game, while their Italian and Spanish opponents only commit around 33. Juventus leads the group in shots on goal. The "Bianconeri" are among the leaders in terms of passing accuracy and have only conceded one goal so far, which is an excellent result. Although defensively trembling domestically, the future of the team in the Champions League will depend on their defensive capability - at least so far, that has been Italy's greatest advantage. Sevilla will have a home advantage in the upcoming matches against both City and Juve, so despite the current lag, counting out these two teams would be premature. Borussia will also play at home twice, but their chances, as indicated by the current group table, remain minimal.
