We are past the half waypoint in the Champions League group stage and one can start to observe the teams to beat and the teams that are sputtering. Several teams have already secured their position in the next round of the champion’s league. Looking into each group and their games, one can easily paint a picture each team can contribute to the drama of the UEFA champion’s league. Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid have secured spots in the knockout round of the champion’s league. With them Real Madrid, and Paris Saint Germain would only need a result in their upcoming fixture to book their places into the knock-out stage. Each group, in particular group F, have been building up to the final games of the group stages.

Group A hosts the Manchester United, Shakhtar Donetsk, Real Sociedad, and Bayern Leverkusen. In fact this group poses a strong set of opposition for Manchester United, especially in a year in transition from Sir Alex Ferguson to David Moyes at the helm of the club. In the current standing Manchester United sit in first with eight points and two games in hand (one going to Leverkusen in Germany). Bayern Leverkusen sits in second a point behind United (7) and Shakhtar in third are two points Leverkusen (5) all have equal opportunity to progress to the next round. Although both Shakhtar and Leverkusen have to face United, Leverkusen have the better opportunity to gain the result they need since they will be entertaining Manchester United in the next upcoming fixture on the 27^th of November. All is not lost either for the Ukrainians as they will entertain the lowly Sociedad (who sit in last in the group with one point), if Shakhtar can defeat Sociedad at home, their fate in the group will lie in the next fixture and on the result from both matches.

In Group B we see one easily foreseeable pick to progress in the group, but for many who follow Serie A will be disappointed with the current performance by the bianconeri. Juventus the current defending Serie A champions sit in the bottom of group B with three points in four games. Its crisis mode in Torino Italy as Juventus needs to win their last two games to keep their dreams for European glory alive. The bianconeri will entertain Copenhagen in the next fixture but could endure a trip to "hell" when they face Galatasaray in Istanbul on the final day of the group. Real Madrid currently is in first in the group and will seal their place in the round of 16 with a result against Galatasaray in Madrid, which on paper and pedigree should be assured.

Looking into group C Paris Saint Germain are just a draw or victory away from solidifying their place in the next round of the champion’s league. Benfica the once Portuguese giants have hit a few stumbling blocks in both the champions league and in Liga Sagres, and early in the week the eagles endured a harsh lost in Athens to Olympiakos. Much like Shakhtar in group A Benfica's fate doesn't rest solely in their hands, the eagles have to win their remaining fixtures and hope that a certain scenario will unfold in the other two matches. Paris Saint Germain is handily in the driving seat in-group C needing only a result at home to Olympiakos. In light of the hopes of the Benfica faithful many will hope that the Parisians will comfortably dispatch Olympiakos in Paris later in November.

The results from group D painted a completely different picture from the first three groups. In fact we already have the two winners of the group to progress into the knockout round of 16, Bayern Munich and Manchester City. The only question that remains of the group is who will take the third place position in the group. Third place of group stages of the champions league "parachute" into the Europa League competition, which is a quality competition but not as economically inclined as compared to Champions league. CSKA Moscow is indulged with having the upper hand between them and Victoria Plzen. CSKA in the next fixture will entertain Munich hoping the Germans will send out younger and more vulnerable squad, the Russians will hope to capitalize on the possibility.

To be Continued groups E-H