(Image): Chelsea’s Champions League chances assessed after gameweek 5 results | OneFootball

The dust has settled on Champions League gameweek 5, and it’s time to take a look at the big table.

Back in the old group stage days, we’d have just one game left. Things would be wrapped up, or close to it. Instead, we’ve still got 3 to go, and anything can happen.

The key for Chelsea is getting into the top 8. That means they don’t have to play a playoff in February. How likely are the Blues to make it? Well, after a win over Barcelona on Tuesday, it’s in their hands. They’re 7th, but four teams level on points with them.

It will all come down to those final 3 matches, and Chelsea have a mixed bag to come. Paphos, Napoli and Atalanta. They’re 24th, 10th and 20th, but each can offer some danger. Going to Naples is never easy, and Atalanta have plenty of attacking firepower too. Even underestimating Paphos would be a mistake – they have 5 points.

You can see the top of the table in the image embedded here:

Champions League table after 5 games.

The Atalanta game up next is key – they’re level on points with us. Beat them and we knock them down while cementing our place in the table. That should then mean that getting the job done against Paphos in the subsequent game can then guarantee us a top 8 finish, or at least make a draw against Napoli enough.

But the opposite is true too – mess up our next game and we could tumble to 11th.

In other news…

Chelsea are still being linked with top young talents, and Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes is just the latest name to come up.

The Blues face Arsenal this weekend, and one key battle in midfield will be Moises Caicedo against Declan Rice. According to the latter, it’s not a fair comparison…