The 2022/23 Champions League: The Road to the Final

The Race for Group Stage Dominance Heats Up

The UEFA Champions League, Europe's elite club competition, is back with a bang, and the battle for group stage supremacy is already reaching fever pitch.

With just a few match days remaining, the top two teams from each of the eight groups are vying for automatic qualification to the knockout phase, while the third-placed sides will drop into the UEFA Europa League.

Here's a closer look at the race in each group:

Group A

* Napoli (12 points) * Liverpool (9 points) * Ajax (6 points) * Rangers (0 points)

Napoli and Liverpool look set to battle it out for top spot, with Ajax needing a miracle to overturn a six-point deficit.

Group B

* Club Brugge (10 points) * FC Porto (6 points) * Bayer Leverkusen (5 points) * Atlético Madrid (4 points)

Club Brugge have surprised many by topping the group, but Porto and Leverkusen are still in contention for a top-two finish.

Group C

* Bayern Munich (12 points) * Inter Milan (7 points) * Barcelona (4 points) * Viktoria Plzen (0 points)

Bayern Munich are runaway leaders, leaving Inter, Barcelona, and Viktoria Plzen to battle it out for second place.

Group D

* Tottenham Hotspur (8 points) * Sporting CP (7 points) * Eintracht Frankfurt (7 points) * Marseille (6 points)

Tottenham, Sporting CP, and Eintracht Frankfurt are all level on points, setting up a thrilling three-way battle for the top two spots.

Group E

* Chelsea (10 points) * AC Milan (7 points) * RB Salzburg (6 points) * Dinamo Zagreb (4 points)

Chelsea look strong favorites to finish top, with AC Milan and RB Salzburg battling for second place.

Group F

* Real Madrid (10 points) * RB Leipzig (9 points) * Shakhtar Donetsk (5 points) * Celtic (1 point)

Real Madrid and RB Leipzig are in a tight race for first place, while Shakhtar Donetsk are well-placed to finish third.

Group G

* Manchester City (11 points) * Borussia Dortmund (7 points) * Sevilla (5 points) * FC Copenhagen (2 points)

Manchester City are clear favorites to win the group, with Borussia Dortmund and Sevilla set to battle for second place.

Group H

* Paris Saint-Germain (11 points) * Benfica (8 points) * Juventus (3 points) * Maccabi Haifa (3 points)

Paris Saint-Germain and Benfica are well-placed to qualify for the knockout phase, with Juventus and Maccabi Haifa battling for third place.

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The UEFA Champions League knockout phase begins in February, with the final scheduled to be held at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul on June 10, 2023.