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PARIS. — Xavi Hernandez faces his first critical test as Barcelona coach with the club at risk of failing to make the Champions League football knockout stages for the first time in two decades.
A goalless draw at home to Benfica last month left Barca with their destiny in their own hands, but with a much trickier final game away to Group E winners Bayern Munich.
Spanish champions Atletico Madrid have their work cut to secure one of the five unclaimed last-16 tickets after three defeats on the spin, while all four teams remain in the hunt in an unpredictable Group G.
Barca find themselves on the ropes ahead of tomorrow’s trip to Germany, but it could have been far worse were it not for Benfica forward Haris Seferovic’s glaring miss in stoppage time at Camp Nou. Bayern are one of three teams with a perfect record in this season’s competition, and Robert Lewandowski’s perceived Ballon d’Or snub may give the star striker extra incentive to prove a point.
UEFA Champions League Fixtures
Today: RB Leipzig v Manchester City (7:45pm); Paris Saint-Germain v Club Brugge (7:45pm); FC Porto v Atletico Madrid (10pm); Dortmund v Besiktas (10pm); Shakhtar Donetsk v Sheriff Tiraspol (10pm); AC Milan v Liverpool (10pm); Real Madrid v Internazionale (10pm); AFC Ajax v Sporting CP (10pm).
Tomorrow: Juventus v Malmo (7:45pm); Zenit St. Petersburg v Chelsea (7:45pm); VfL Wolfsburg v LOSC Lille (10pm); SL Benfica v Dynamo Kiev (10pm); Atalanta v Villarreal (10pm); Bayern Munich v Barcelona (10pm); RB Salzburg v Sevilla (10pm); Manchester United v Young Boys (10pm). — AFP
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