Champions League predictions: Matchday 7

If you’re not yet sold on this all new league phase lark, these final two matchdays may tip you onto the other side of the divide.

The extension of the Champions League means we’re getting continental fixtures in January, but we’ll know who’s secured a round of 16 berth and those competing in the two-legged play-offs by the end of the month.

The 36-team table remains condensed, only adding to the intrigue, and we can’t safely say whether it’ll take shape following the conclusion of the penultimate matchday.

Here’s how 90min predicts matchday seven the 2024/25 Champions League will unfold.

As usual, there will be two early kick-offs on each day of Champions League action. Tuesday begins with top eight Aston Villa travelling to Monaco, and Atalanta welcoming Sturm Graz to Bergamo.

Europa League holders Atalanta have endured a dip in recent weeks but will be expected to cruise on home soil to boost their chances of a top-eight finish before they travel to Barcelona next week. Villa, meanwhile are fifth, having won four of their six games. Monaco were once in a strong position, but have since lost back-to-back games and are now on the outside looking in.

Atletico Madrid’s remarkable run of form has thrust them to the top of La Liga, and three straight league phase wins means they should enter the top eight with another victory over Bayer Leverkusen. Fourth-place Leverkusen have recovered after succumbing to a heavy defeat at Anfield on matchday four.

Liverpool and Barcelona are both on the brink of securing their respective places in the round of 16. They face Lille and Benfica respectively on Tuesday night.

Slovan Bratislava are one of three point-less teams, and they’re facing an in-form Stuttgart side that harbours hope of sneaking into the knockout play-offs. Bundesliga compatriots Borussia Dortmund take on a Bologna side who have found themselves under Vincenzo Italiano. Dortmund are ninth in the league phase table, but the Italians have amassed just two points so far.

Juventus have surprisingly won more than they’ve drawn in the league phase, and they’ll be aiming to build on the momentum gained from a 2-0 domestic win over AC Milan at the weekend, against Club Brugge. The Belgians are looking good for a play-off spot, having matched Juve’s three wins.

PSV are a couple of points back and in a rather precarious position. They’re 23rd and currently scraping into the play-offs, but they should benefit from facing a Red Star Belgrade outfit that have lost five of their six Champions League outings so far.

The crunch fixture of the matchday arrives on Wednesday night, but before we head to Paris, RB Leipzig welcome Sporting CP, still unsure of themselves in a world without Ruben Amorim, to Saxony, while Brest visit Shakhtar Donetsk.

Leipzig have already exited the competition and are merely playing for pride, while Sporting have fallen to 17th following back-to-back defeats. Brest have embarked on a remarkable campaign up to this point, winning four games, and they’ll have one foot in the last16 if they win their penultimate fixture.

PSG and Manchester City met in the semi-finals of this competition less than four years ago, now the pair are fighting it out just to progress into the knockout stages. PSG have suffered amid a tough schedule and head into this duel 25th in the table. City, meanwhile, are 22nd and just a point ahead.

Pep Guardiola’s perennial domestic champions have shown signs of rediscovering their most potent form in recent weeks, while PSG have opened up a nine-point advantage at the top of Ligue 1.

Bayern Munich look set to recapture the Bundesliga title this season, and three successive league phase wins has placed them in an ominous position. They’re aiming to win their fourth European game on the bounce at Feyenoord on Wednesday.

The holders, Real Madrid, haven’t had it all their own way this term, and there’s still work for Carlo Ancelotti’s men to do to ensure they even claim a play-off spot. They should have no issues against RB Salzburg on home soil, however, Arsenal and Inter are also expected to cement their positions in the top eight as they face Dinamo Zagreb and Sparta Prague respectively.

Celtic have competed fiercely in the league phase after struggling in Europe for years, and their Champions League campaign should remarkably extend into February with a win over bottom-of-the-table Young Boys at Celtic Park.

Girona’s maiden adventure in this competition looks to be coming to an end, but they’ll doubtlessly enjoy one more big away day as they face AC Milan at San Siro. The Rossoneri could be a tricky opponent in the knockout stages with ex-Inter winger Sergio Conceicao at the helm.

READ THE LATEST CHAMPIONS LEAGUE NEWS, PREVIEWS & RATINGS HERE