Real Madrid, Man United, Inter on brink of Champions League disaster

Three of the biggest clubs in Europe could be dropping down from the continent’s elite competition this week following inconsistent form.

UEFA Champions League is the ultimate club competition in Europe, indeed the world, and it is where the biggest clubs believe they belong.

While some of the giants of Europe have ensured progress into the knockout rounds of the competition, some others have left their fans in agony as they wait anxiously for Tuesday and Wednesday nights to see if they advance or drop down to the Europa League, a competition no truly great club wants any part of.

Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Juventus, Chelsea and Manchester City have all booked their spots in the round of 16 as expected but Real Madrid, Inter Milan and Manchester United could be sent down to the Europa League after the final round of Champions League group games this midweek.

Real Madrid, by far the most successful club in Europe with 13 Champions League titles, could be made to pay dearly for their poor start to this season’s competition.The Spanish giants were drawn in the same group with Inter Milan, Borussia Monchengladbach and Shakhtar Donetsk; Real Madrid and Inter were expected to claim the first two spots.However Real Madrid stumbled in their first match, losing at home to Shakhtar Donetsk, and they have been struggling to get back up since.

Two wins over Inter seemed to have revived Zinedine Zidane’s side’s prospects but they tripped up again with another defeat to Shakhtar.Now the 2018 champions are third in Group B and must beat leaders Monchengladbach on Wednesday night to progress.

A draw is enough to see the Germans through.It would be seen as a monumental disaster if Madrid get eliminated and Zidane would be facing the sack, not minding that he led the club to three successive Champions League titles.Incidentally, Inter Milan are in the same group as Real Madrid and both former champions could get kicked out of the competition on the same night.Inter also struggled at the beginning of the campaign with just two points from their first four games. 

The Italians got themselves a lifeline with a tense 3-2 win at Monchengladbach last week and they will need another on Wednesday night at San Siro.For Inter Milan, who are bottom of the table with five points, to make it through, they must not only beat Shakhtar Donetsk, who have seven points, they will hope Monchengladbach and Real Madrid do not draw.

The group is still so open that any of the four teams could go through and any could be eliminated.In contrast to Real Madrid and Inter Milan’s slow starts, Manchester United flew off the blocks in their group by winning their first two matches against Paris Saint Germain and RB Leipzig, who both reached last season’s semi-finals.But Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side slipped up at Istanbul Basaksehir in their third match and they could be paying a big price for that defeat.

The English club are still on top of their group with nine points, but PSG and RB Leipzig are also on nine points and the fate of the group will be decided on Tuesday night.

United, who beat PSG 2-1 away but lost 3-1 at home to the Parisians last week, must avoid defeat at RB Leipzig on Tuesday night to fend off the humiliation of being demoted to the Europa League.Although RB Leipzig lost 5-0 to United at Old Trafford earlier in the campaign, any margin of victory on Tuesday night would take the Germans through.Given the inconsistency of United’s performances, there are real fears that they would crumble again, although captain Harry Maguire is talking tough.

“First and foremost, I joined this club to play in the biggest games possible, so the big players step up in those pressured games,” he said during the pre-match press conference on Monday.

“So, for sure, over the years, the big players step up in the big games. 

“It’s a bit similar to Leicester last year (in the Premier League), where we had to go and get a result to reach the Champions League, and we managed to do that, so we’ll take great confidence from that. But like I said, we feel ready, prepared and we’re looking forward to it.”

Maguire’s Manchester United, Inter Milan and Real Madrid would need much more that tough talk though to stay in the competition meant for clubs their sizes and pedigrees.

Group B

                          P   W  D  L  F   A  GD  Pts

 M’gladbach  5    2   2  1  16  7   9    8

Shakhtar         5    2   1  2  5   12  -7   7

Real Madrid   5     2   1  2  9   9    0    7

 Inter                5     1    2   2  7   9   -2   5

Group H

                            P      W    D   L    F     A     GD   Pts            

Man Utd          5        3      0   2   13    7      6        9

PSG                   5         3     0     2   8     5      3       9

 RB Leipzig         5        3      0    2     8    10   -2       9

Basaksehir      5         1       0   4     6     13     -7      3