Champions League crunch time as pressure piles on Europe's elite

Real Madrid, Liverpool and Inter Milan may boast a combined 24 European titles, but they still have their work cut out to ensure their tickets to the knock-out stages of the Champions League.

While the top eight secure direct entry to the last 16, teams placed ninth to 24th must navigate an additional two-legged play-off round to join them.

Arsenal, Bayern Munich, holders Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester City and Atalanta have all already secured their places in at least the knock-out phase play-offs.

This leaves a number of European heavyweights still unsure of their presence when the business end of the Champions League begins.

AFP Sport looks at four big-hitters bidding to seal qualification as the league phase enters its penultimate matchday:

Inter Milan

Of the teams in pole position to ensure progression on matchday seven, Serie A leaders Inter face the toughest task as they must bounce back from defeat last time out against Liverpool when they take on the only team with a 100 percent record so far, Arsenal.

However, Cristian Chivu’s side can count on no favours from Arsenal at the San Siro on Tuesday as the Premier League leaders will be desperate to sew up a top-eight finish ahead of the final round of league phase fixtures on January 28.

As the season turns the corner towards its final stretch, Chivu said after Saturday’s Serie A win he believes his team is really starting to understand the way he wants them to play.

“The desire to learn from this team is remarkable,” said the Romanian.

“What we’re displaying on the pitch is a testament to the desire of these players, because it’s not easy to change habits.”

One habit he won’t want his players to change, however, is Inter’s strong record against Arsenal, who they have bested in three of their four Champions League meetings.

Real Madrid

New Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa will be under no illusions that his time in the Santiago Bernabeu hotseat will be judged in large part on his performances in club president Florentino Perez’s most-cherished competition.

After crashing to defeat at second-tier Albacete in the Copa del Rey, Arbeloa oversaw a win against lowly Levante in La Liga on Saturday but the atmosphere in the Bernabeu was toxic with boos directed at the new coach, as well as star players Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham.

“I’ve always respected the Bernabeu (crowd), they whistled me a lot too, and it’s one of the aspects that make this club so great, the demand of the fans,” said Arbeloa.

Madrid, seventh, host Monaco on Tuesday and if Arbeloa is to get the fans back on board with his side, anything other than progression in the Champions League is not an option.

Liverpool

Under-fire manager Arne Slot has stopped the rot with Liverpool now on a 12-match unbeaten run but with their chances of defending their Premier League crown dwindling with each passing week, the Anfield hierarchy will be putting more and more emphasis on a successful Champions League run.

The six-time champions visit the cauldron-esque atmosphere of Marseille’s Stade Velodrome on Wednesday where a win would constitute a big step towards booking their place in the last 16 and ease the pressure on Slot following a run of four successive draws in the league.

The Dutchman said ahead of Liverpool’s frustrating 1-1 draw at home to newly-promoted Burnley last weekend that he was “happy” to have Mohamed Salah return from Africa Cup of Nations duty.

Should the Egyptian make his club return midweek, he could bring a much-needed cutting edge to Liverpool’s lacklustre attack of late.

Barcelona

Trailing slightly behind the main pack of qualification contenders are Hansi Flick’s La Liga-leading Barcelona, whose 11-match winning run in all competitions ended with a 2-1 loss at Real Sociedad at the weekend.

Last year’s semi-finalists sit back in 15th place with 10 points, and Flick is eager to quickly turn the page on Sunday’s domestic setback as they make the trip to Slavia Prague.

“The result doesn’t reflect our performance,” said Flick. “We have to keep going in this direction.

“On Wednesday, it’s time to win in Prague.”