Yahoo Sports Champions League table: Inter and Atalanta close to qualification
Liverpool remain the only team with a 100 per cent record in the Champions League after five rounds, but Inter and Atalanta are very close to securing qualification while Milan leapfrog Juventus.
The new format was introduced this season where all the results go into a single table.
The top eight will go directly into the Round of 16, while the teams from ninth to 24th will face each other in a play-off stage.
As for the sides in the bottom sector, they are simply eliminated from Europe at the end of this phase.
Liverpool beat Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid 2-0 this evening and are on 15 points, so effectively already guaranteed at the very least a play-off spot.
Inter are in second place on 13 points and one more victory would practically lock down a top eight finish.
Atalanta aren’t far behind in fifth place on 11 points.
Milan have now leapfrogged Juventus in the standings on nine points, leaving the Bianconeri behind them on eight.
Bologna are to all intents and purposes doomed to an early exit, managing only one point and one goal scored in five Champions League games.
The biggest surprises are Real Madrid on six points and Paris Saint-Germain with just four, on the verge of elimination in January.
There are another three games to be played in this Champions League phase.
