The Champions League group stages start on the week of 19th/20th September and run until the week of 12th/13th December.
There are four teams in each group. They each play each other twice, and at the end of the six matchdays, the top two teams qualify for the knockout stages.
Which two teams will qualify? The market will resolve as 50% to each of the two teams.
๐ Top traders
| # | Name | Total profit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | แน69 | |
| 2 | แน30 | |
| 3 | แน22 | |
| 4 | แน20 | |
| 5 | แน20 |
Resolves to Barcelona and Porto.
These markets resolve to 50% for each of the two qualifying teams. In future, it will probably make sense for markets like this to be unlinked markets where each team can resolve to 100% - but those kind of unlinked markets didn't exist when I created this year's group stage markets back in September!
Here are some markets for the next round of the Champions League:
/SimonGrayson/champions-league-round-of-16-which-f810ea42c38c
/SimonGrayson/champions-league-round-of-16-which-be1f71c65c62
Barcelona should be favourites to qualify. Despite being second in their group, they are yet to play Royal Antwerp - who have lost all 4 matches so far - and will play their next match at home against Porto who they have already beaten in the away game in Portugal. Barcelona also boast a record of 8 wins in 9 at home this season - the 1 loss coming against a formidable Real Madrid side.
Having convincingly seen off Antwerp in the first game of the UCL season, Barca can be confident that the last match of the season will be a walk to 3 points. In the unlikely event that they do lose to Porto in their next match, they still have the game against Antwerp as a lifeline. Shakhtar, who are the other team in the group battling for qualification, also play Antwerp before travelling to Portugal to face Porto. They have already lost to Porto embarrassingly at home, and would not have high hopes for the return leg.
Barring a complete capitulation from Barcelona against either side they will face, their goal difference would be sufficient to get them through if they do lose to Porto at the Camp Nou, as unfathomable as that is. They essentially have their fate in their hands. Comfortable wins against both teams should be expected, especially seeing as they were able to see off Porto at their home ground in the reverse fixture, and that Antwerp has been so bad thus far.