01/21/26 02:37:00
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01/21 14:36 CST Liverpool and Barcelona risk missing automatic qualification to
the Champions League round of 16
Liverpool and Barcelona risk missing automatic qualification to the Champions
League round of 16
By JAMES ROBSON
AP Soccer Writer
MANCHESTER, England (AP) --- Liverpool and Barcelona are leaving it late to
secure automatic qualification to the Champions League round of 16.
With just two rounds remaining, the defending champions of England and Spain
currently sit outside of the top eight spots that will advance automatically.
Teams placed from nine to 24 enter a two-legged playoff.
Liverpool topped the league phase last year but then faced the daunting task of
playing eventual winner Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16. Arne Slot's team is
going about it differently this time and may have to navigate a playoff to
advance.
Liverpool is at Marseille on Wednesday and could be boosted by the return of
Mohamed Salah from the Africa Cup of Nations. He was put straight back into
Liverpool's starting lineup after he headed off to represent his country last
month with doubts hanging over his future.
Salah was unhappy with his lack of game time and aired his views in an
explosive interview. But manager Arne Slot immediately recalled him for the
crunch trip to Marseille.
Barcelona was runner-up to Liverpool during the league phase last year and
progressed to the semifinals before losing to Inter Milan.
Now it is playing catch up as it heads to Slavia Prague.
Chelsea's new coach Liam Rosenior takes charge of his first Champions League
game with the club hosting Pafos.
Rosenior replaced Club World Cup-winning coach Enzo Maresca this month after
leading Chelsea's sister club Strasbourg to the top of the third-tier
Conference League standings.
Bayern Munich --- one of this season's favorites --- hosts Union Saint-Gilloise.
Qarabag wins again
Tiny Qarabag is making a big impression in the competition and picked up its
third win in the league phase after Bahlul Mustafazade scored deep into
stoppage time on to beat Eintracht Frankfurt 3-2.
The Azerbaijani team edged closer to securing a place in the playoffs with just
one game remaining thanks to its late comeback, which also confirmed
Frankfurt's elimination.
Camilo Duran had put the home team ahead in the fourth minute, but Frankfurt
responded through Can Uzun and Fares Chaibi. Duran leveled the game in the 80th
before Mustafazade's winner in the 94th.
A Marcos Llorente own goal denied Atletico Madrid victory as the Spanish team
drew 1-1 at Galatasaray. Giuliano Simeone scored early for Atletico before
Llorente's own goal in the 20th.
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James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
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