With the final day of the Champions League league phase upon us, Barcelona are hosting Copenhagen in what could be the highest scoring match of the entire day of soccer. As things stand, Barcelona are on the outside looking in at a top eight place in the table. That’s an important goal since it grants an automatic place in the round of 16. For any team, not only does it remove room for error when Barcelona could be stuck with a team like Napoli in the play in phase, but it also provides a chance for much needed rest.
Coming into this match, Pedri, Gavi, and Frenkie De Jong are all set to miss out, which accounts for the entire Barcelona starting central midfield. It leaves manager Hansi Flick with quite a few things to think about, but Barcelona will need to score as many goals as they can in this match to ensure that as much is left in their hands as possible.
How to watch Barcelona vs. Copenhagen, odds
- Date: Wednesday, Jan. 28 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Location: Camp Nou — Barcelona, Spain
- Live stream: Paramount+
- Odds: Barcelona -900; Draw +850; Copenhagen +1800
The league phase table is a logjam with a whopping eight teams all on 13 points entering the final day of play. If teams are level on points, the tiebreakers are as follows:
- Overall goal difference
- Goals scored in all league matches
- Away goals scored in all league matches
- Total wins
- Away wins
- Strength of schedule, includes points, goal difference, and goals scored of all opponents faced in the league phase
- Fewer disciplinary points, one point for a yellow card, three points for a red card, and three points for two yellow cards
- Higher overall ranking in the UEFA Club Coefficient
Because of this, while Barcelona’s goal difference of plus five may be competitive, with the teams ahead of them on plus six and plus 10, they need to score as many goals as possible to move up the table.
Champions League Matchday 8: Everything to know about top-eight odds, Napoli’s chances, PSG-Newcastle, more
James Benge
Copenhagen may not be eliminated from making the knockout stage themselves, but to score away to Barcelona, they’ll need to leave themselves vulnerable in defense. It’s a tough balance that the final day of action brings, but it’s one that each manager has to come into the day prepared for. At this stage of the season, everyone is dealing with injuries, which is why even with Flick being without his first choice midfield and potentially Ferran Torres, his attacking trio will be counted on to make things happen.
In Champions League play, Copenhagen have conceded four goals twice, and that’s the number that Barcelona will need to aim to beat. Teams around them could drop points, but getting to a goal difference of plus 11 will give them the best chance possible to finish in the top eight. To do that, they’ll have to find the back of the net quickly and continue to keep pressure on while also ensuring that they keep a clean sheet.
Full Champions League standings
| 1 | Arsenal | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 2 | +18 | 21 |
| 2 | Bayern Munich | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 20 | 7 | +13 | 18 |
| 3 | Real Madrid | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 19 | 8 | +11 | 15 |
| 4 | Liverpool | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 8 | +6 | 15 |
| 5 | Tottenham Hotspur | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 7 | +8 | 14 |
| 6 | PSG | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 20 | 10 | +10 | 13 |
| 7 | Newcastle United | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 16 | 6 | +10 | 13 |
| 8 | Chelsea | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 8 | +6 | 13 |
| 9 | Barcelona | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 18 | 13 | +5 | 13 |
| 10 | Sporting CP | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 9 | +5 | 13 |
| 11 | Manchester City | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 9 | +4 | 13 |
| 12 | Atletico Madrid | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 16 | 13 | +3 | 13 |
| 13 | Atalanta | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 9 | +1 | 13 |
| 14 | Inter | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 7 | +6 | 12 |
| 15 | Juventus | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 14 | 10 | +4 | 12 |
| 16 | Borussia Dortmund | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 19 | 15 | +4 | 11 |
| 17 | Galatasaray | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 10 |
| 18 | Qarabag | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 15 | -2 | 10 |
| 19 | Olympique Marseille | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 9 |
| 20 | Bayer Leverkusen | 7 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 14 | -4 | 9 |
| 21 | Monaco | 7 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 14 | -6 | 9 |
| 22 | PSV | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 15 | 14 | +1 | 8 |
| 23 | Athletic Club | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 11 | -4 | 8 |
| 24 | Olympiacos | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 13 | -5 | 8 |
| 25 | Napoli | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 12 | -5 | 8 |
| 26 | FC Copenhagen | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 11 | 17 | -6 | 8 |
| 27 | Club Brugge | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 12 | 17 | -5 | 7 |
| 28 | Bodo/Glimt | 7 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 12 | 14 | -2 | 6 |
| 29 | Benfica | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 10 | -4 | 6 |
| 30 | Pafos | 7 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 10 | -6 | 6 |
| 31 | Union Saint-Gilloise | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 17 | -10 | 6 |
| 32 | Ajax | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 19 | -12 | 6 |
| 33 | Eintracht Frankfurt | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 19 | -9 | 4 |
| 34 | Slavia Prague | 7 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 15 | -11 | 3 |
| 35 | Villarreal | 7 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 15 | -10 | 1 |
| 36 | Kairat | 7 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 19 | -14 | 1 |
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