What Chelsea need to qualify for Champions League knockout stage | OneFootball

Blues have taken ten points from six games in the league phase

Chelsea are back in Champions League action on Wednesday night

Chelsea FC via Getty Images

Chelsea are in a strong position to qualify for the Champions League knockout stages, but face a fight to avoid the play-offs.

The Blues sit 14th in the League Phase standings following Tuesday’s results, dropping from 11th, three points off a top-eight finish which bypasses the play-off round.

Chelsea host Pafos at Stamford Bridge tonight looking for the win to close the gap on the top eight, before completing the League Phase away to Napoli next week.

What Chelsea need to qualify for Champions League knockout stage

Chelsea look like they need at least four points from their remaining two games to finish in the top eight.

Beating both Pafos on Wednesday night and then Napoli in their final League Phase game would leave them on 16 points.

According to Opta, that would give Chelsea a 98 per cent chance of finishing in the top eight.

Last season, 11 points were needed to finish in the top 24 and reach the play-off round. Cheslea currently sit on 10 points.

The number of points needed to qualify directly for the round of 16 by finishing in top eight last season was 16.

Qualified for knockout stages

Arsenal

Qualified for at least play-offs

Atalanta

Atletico Madrid

Bayern Munich

Inter Milan

Liverpool

Man City

Paris

Real Madrid

Sporting

Tottenham

Eliminated

Kairat Almaty

Villarreal