Champions League Preview

Six places in the UEFA Champions League's last 16 remain up for grabs going into Matchday 6 when FC Barcelona will look to avoid an unwanted piece of history and two Anglo-Portuguese contests also catch the eye.

Group A:
With Chelsea FC already assured a place, the Camp Nou meeting of FC Barcelona and Werder Bremen will decide who joins the English champions in the first knockout round. With ten points, Bremen need only a point in Catalonia, while Barcelona, who have eight points, must win or face becoming the first defending champions not to reach the knockout stage. Chelsea will make sure of first place by winning their home match against PFC Levski Sofia although a draw will do if Bremen fail to beat Barcelona.

Group B:
FC Bayern München and FC Internazionale Milano are already through to the next stage but will now contest first place when they face off in Munich. With a two-point advantage over the Italian side, Bayern need only a draw to finish top of the section, while Inter must win. Third-placed Sporting Clube de Portugal will secure a UEFA Cup berth with a home draw against FC Spartak Moskva. Three points behind Sporting at the foot of the standings, only victory will suffice for Spartak if they are to avoid taking the wooden spoon.

Group C:
Everything is decided in this section with Liverpool FC and PSV Eindhoven confirmed as the two top and FC Girondins de Bordeaux set for the UEFA Cup. Although PSV could yet climb level on 13 points with Liverpool, they cannot overtake them due to the English side's superior head-to-head record. The same applies with Bordeaux, who are sure of third place even though Galatasaray could still join them on four points.

Group D:
With a six-point lead, Valencia CF are already confirmed as group winners. However, the other three teams all still have something to play for. Second-placed AS Roma have seven points and need only draw at home to Valencia to pip FC Shakhtar Donetsk (five points) to a place in the first knockout round. A draw would take Roma on to eight points and although Shakhtar could match that total by beating Olympiacos CFP, the Italian team would advance on the head-to-head rule. Roma can even afford to lose provided Shakhtar do not win. Fourth-placed Olympiacos must beat Shakhtar to pip them to third place and a UEFA Cup berth.

Group E:
The standings were settled on Matchday 5, with Olympique Lyonnais and Real Madrid CF first and second, and FC Steaua Bucuresti securing third place. Draws for Lyon and Steaua – against Madrid and FC Dynamo Kyiv respectively – ensured them superior head-to-head records against their rivals. This means that although Madrid could yet match Lyon's total of 13 points, they would still have to settle for second place. Ditto Dynamo, who lie three points behind Steaua.

Group F:
Celtic FC's win over Manchester United FC carried the Scottish champions into the UEFA Champions League knockout stage for the first time – and upped the ante for United's Old Trafford showdown with SL Benfica. With a two-point lead over the Portuguese side, United need only draw to secure their progress but three points alone will do for Benfica, who must otherwise settle for third place. Celtic visit eliminated FC København needing only to match United's result to finish top of the group.

Group G:
Arsenal FC and FC Porto go into the final-day meeting in Portugal level on ten points at the top of the group, with PFC CSKA Moskva two points behind. Victory for either Arsenal or Porto will guarantee them first place while a draw will carry them both through with Arsenal top. If they draw and CSKA win at Hamburger SV, all three sides will have eleven points but it will again be Arsenal and Porto who advance. CSKA must beat the eliminated German team and hope the game in Porto produces a winner.

Group H:
With AC Milan already confirmed as group winners, AEK Athens FC and LOSC Lille Métropole are left to fight it out for second place. AEK are in pole position with seven points to Lille's six, and they visit RSC Anderlecht knowing they need only match their French rivals' result at Milan to continue in the competition. If AEK and Lille finish level on points, however, the French team will progress via their superior head-to-head record. Anderlecht can still qualify for the UEFA Cup, meanwhile, if they beat AEK and Milan win – a scenario that would leave them and Lille level on six points with Anderlecht boasting the better head-to-head record.

Taken from Uefa.com

Matchday 6 fixtures look like this:

Matchday 6 - 05 December 2006
Group
A Barcelona 20:45 Bremen
A Chelsea 20:45 Levski
B Sporting 20:45 Spartak Moskva
B Bayern 20:45 Internazionale
C Galatasaray 20:45 Liverpool
C PSV 20:45 Bordeaux
D Olympiacos 20:45 Shakhtar
D Roma 20:45 Valencia

Matchday 6 - 06 December 2006
Group
E Dynamo Kyiv 20:45 Real Madrid
E Lyon 20:45 Steaua
F Man. United 20:45 Benfica
F København 20:45 Celtic
G Porto 20:45 Arsenal
G Hamburg 20:45 CSKA Moskva
H Anderlecht 20:45 AEK
H Milan 20:45 Lille

All those times are in British time, all of them start at 1:30CST in Canada.