The UEFA Champions league is getting tougher as sisteen teams qualified from the group stage of 32 clubs. Premier league side, Red devils failed to reach the round of sixteen following their poor run in the competition. Real Madrid veteran striker, Cristiano Ronaldo proved to be the best as the he netted eleven goals to set a new record.
Wednesday night brought to end Champions League group stage and the best point to assess the strengths of the contenders for the crown – and where it all went wrong.
Here, we analyses the facts and figures 96 games into the current campaign after 32 teams became the last 16.
After plenty of scares along the way as three out of four Premier League’s four contenders made it to the round of sixteen. Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City are through to the next stage of the Champions League.
Surprise exit are Manchester United who failed to qualify from the group stage after 3-2 defeat to Wolfsburg that sent them to the Europe league
United are second only to Real Madrid in terms of annual income, and are far and away the richest club to be knocked out at the group stage this term.
Most impressive are the achievement of Dynamo Kiev and Gent who progressed into the knockout stages on a fraction of United’s yearly budget.
Former Manchester United midfielder Roy Keane said Louis van Gaal’s side are lacking both quality and character after they exited the Champions League.
For the traditional powerhouses of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, the opening round was a bit of a walkthrough this season.
Unsurprisingly, those three names top the goal charts with Bayern and Real the top scorers on 19 from just six games, an average of over three goals per game.
Real Madrid free-scoring forward Cristiano Ronaldo was the top-scoring individual, and broke the record for the most goals scored by a single player in the group stage with 11 to his cap.
French champions, PSG boasted the tightest defence, conceding just once across their six matches – to Real Madrid defender Nacho at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Only Barcelona and Real remain unbeaten. Astana and Maccabi Tel Aviv exit the comptition without a win.
When it comes to possession and passing, the competition’s favourites again unsurprisingly dominate – although those categories could provide some frustration for Manchester United fans.
Group A – Real & PSG through
Group B – Wolfsburg & PSV Eindhoven
Group C – Benfica & Atletico Madrid
Group D – Manchester City & Juventus
Group E – Barcelona & Roma
Group F – Bayern Munich & Arsenal
Group G – Chelsea & Dynamo Kiev
Group H – Zenit St Petersburg & Gent
Possible fixtures
Arsenal’s possible last-16 opponents: Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Wolfsburg or Zenit.
Chelsea’s possible last-16 opponents: Paris St-Germain, PSV, Juventus, Roma, Benfica or Gent.
Manchester City’s possible last-16 opponents: Paris St-Germain, PSV, Benfica, Roma, Dynamo Kiev, Gent.
The UEFA Champions League round of 16 draws will take place in Nyon on Monday 14 December.
Anthony Nlebem & Shittu Alaka
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