UEFA Champions League 2018-19: Group C Qualification Scenarios Explained
Liverpool have their fate in their own hands. Napoli have their fate in their own hands. Paris St. Germain have their fate in their own hands. There's one more match left for all three teams in Group C of this season's UEFA Champions League, and we're no closer to finding out who will qualify than we were when the group stage began in mid-September.
As it stands, Group C looks like this:
One would think that PSG are in pole position to go through, given that their last game is against Red Star Belgrade in Serbia. On the final day, Napoli travel to Anfield to face Liverpool.
Teams that finish level on points in the Champions League group stage are sorted by the following criteria:
- Points in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
- Goal difference in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
- Goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
- Away goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
- Goal difference in all group matches;
- Goals scored in all group matches;
- Away goals scored in all group matches;
- Wins in all group matches;
- Away wins in all group matches;
- Disciplinary points (red card = 3 points, yellow card = 1 point, expulsion for two yellow cards in one match = 3 points);
- UEFA club coefficient.
Here's what each team could face eventually, depending on their result on the final day.
#1 Napoli
If Napoli beat Liverpool at Anfield: They would end up with 12 points. They qualify as group winners.
If Napoli draw against Liverpool: They would end up with 10 points. That would be enough for the Neopolitans to qualify for the Round of 16. Neither Liverpool nor Red Star would be able to get to 10 points.
If Napoli lose at Anfield: This is where the different scenarios come in.
On the assumption that PSG get all three points in Serbia: if Napoli lose 1-0 to Liverpool, the Merseysiders would leapfrog them on the table and take second place, and qualification.
If they lose by any other one-goal margin, then they would stay ahead of Liverpool
If Liverpool win by two or more goals at Anfield, Napoli will be relegated to third place. PSG and Liverpool would qualify.
If PSG drop points against Red Star, Napoli will qualify irrespective of their result in their last match against Liverpool.