Three-quarters of the last 16 qualifiers are already known, but Tottenham go to Marseille desperate to join them. And Man Utd need to score goals in Spain…
Game to watch – Marseille v Tottenham
With a dozen teams already through to the Champions League knockout stages, eight teams are vying to join them on the final matchday of the group stage. Four of them are in Tottenham’s group.
Spurs currently top Group D but Antonio Conte’s men could finish the day in third and bundled into the Europa League knockout round play-offs if they lose at Marseille. OM are currently bottom, but could finish top if they turn over Tottenham and Sporting draw with Eintracht Frankfurt.
It could be an anxious night for Spurs to wrap up a fraught week. They could have enjoyed a serene trip to the south of France had Harry Kane’s last-gasp goal against Sporting last week not been ruled out, causing Conte to lose his sh*t. As a consequence, the Italian boss will be confined to the stands at Stade Velodrome. Thoughts and prayers go out to the poor sod allocated the seat next to him.
Because Kane’s strike was chalked off, Spurs are left needing to avoid defeat to progress. A draw would be enough to go through; a win would guarantee top spot and earn seeding for the last-16 draw.
At least Conte and his men go to France in better mood than they travelled to Bournemouth, where they scored another injury-time winner which, this time, was allowed to stand after coming from 2-0 down. Marseille, in contrast, were 2-0 up against Strasbourg at the weekend, before they caved and conceded a leveller in the 93rd minute.
“This win has to give us enthusiasm and passion to go to Marseille and play a final,” said Conte on Saturday, like all of us, unaware which Spurs will show up on the Mediterranean coast. The significance isn’t lost on Marseille either – they also view it as ‘a final’ – and a bit more. “It’s going to be a war,” said Chancel Mbemba after they lost in Frankfurt.
Team to watch – Manchester United
In the Europa League, Arsenal and Manchester United could each finish first or second in their respective groups, with the Gunners heavy favourites to finish the Group A campaign at the summit, despite dropping points to PSV last week.
In Group E, however, United are playing catch-up. They go to Real Sociedad on Thursday needing to win while scoring twice to overturn the Spaniards’ head-to-head advantage after they won 1-0 at Old Trafford earlier…
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