Champions League: Chelsea and Arsenal will be in 8th, Gent also

Chelsea, Arsenal, AS Roma, Dynamo Kyiv and AA Gent, for the first time in its history Wednesday took the last tickets for the 8th finals of the Champions League at the end of the last day the group stage.

Overview of forces before drawing final fate on Monday 8th, played in February and March, which oppose the first groups, which have the advantage of receiving the return leg, the second (knowing that two clubs chicken or even a federation can not meet).

Three favorites

Barcelona, ​​Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, the first of their groups, have monopolised five of the last seven C1 and are still shaking the football Europe.

Barca, the momentum of its tripled in 2014-2015 (C1, Liga Cup), administered several monumental beatings (4-0 against Real Madrid in the league, 6-1 against Roma C1). Licked his possession game, his trident MSN (Messi, Suarez, Neymar) and the reinforcement of Arda Turan and Aleix Vidal make it a must favorite.

Bayern, he thrives on almost 3 goals per game on average, driven by the constant goals of Müller-duo Lewandowski and good adaptation of Douglas Costa. The German club and Guardiola are hungry for revenge after two failures in the last four.

Real has certainly lost some of its luster under Rafael Benitez, deemed defensive game between accumulation and squabbles of all kinds. But with such Cristiano Ronaldo, author of a new record of 11 goals in the group stage, the Spanish club can claim his "undecima (11th C1).

Accustomed to go

Atletico Madrid, the 2014 finalist, finished at Benfica in a little tough group. The combativeness of the band at Diego Simeone and his hermetic (140 goals conceded in 21 games this season) are always a formidable opponent, with Griezmann unleashed.

Manchester City is extracted from the top of a spicier chicken and will seek its first historic quarter of C1. Much will depend of Aguero, striker often injured. But at least the Citizens do not they meet Barca, their tormentor in 8th last two seasons.

Chelsea, in total dormant in the league, played Wednesday its season and Jose Mourinho perhaps his head. The Blues managed to beat Porto (2-0) and finish top of Group G. Sortis from the eighth last season, they will have to raise their level, singularly Hazard and Diego Costa, hoping to find the quarters.

Second but mighty

Juventus, finalist 2015 season started badly but recovers the bar, like Pogba. His defeat in Seville Tuesday (1-0) was however relegated to 2nd place. The Old Lady does not pay this fake 8th?

PSG - Ibrahimovic makes a close-season perfection in France but failed to overtake Real in his group, bowing 1-0 to Madrid, albeit against the run of play. After three failures quarters, Paris, which plays its season on the C1, seems better armed. But it will have to go.

Arsenal was hot but thanks to a tripling of Giroud Wednesday on the ground of Olympiakos (3-0) will be present in 8th for the 16th time in a row. It is at this stage that the Gunners were eliminated in the last five seasons ...

Surprises and outsiders

Zenit St. Petersburg finished first in its group and grazed the full house, beaten Wednesday by AA Gent (2-1). A dangerous Russian team with his attackers Hulk and Dzyuba (6 goals).

Wolfsburg and PSV have less scope than other clubs but still donated Manchester United in the Europa League. The Germans will see for the first time the 8th of C1, the Dutch no longer had played since 2007.

Roma trembled to the end, unable to beat BATE Borisov (0-0), but taking advantage of zero between Leverkusen and Barcelona (1-1). Italians suffer from poor defense.

Benfica, more comfortable than in C1, C3, may be considered by the first group as an excellent draw, as Gent, Tom Thumb who made the lunch in Lyon and Valence. Or Dynamo Kiev.

Results of the group stage of the 2015/2016 edition of the Champions League. The first two of each group are qualified in 8th finals, the third will play the Europa League.

The draw of the eighth finals played out in February and March Monday oppose the first groups, which have the advantage of receiving in the second leg, to the second. Two clubs from the same group or federation can meet.

The first group:  Real Madrid (ESP), Wolfsburg (GER), Atletico Madrid (ESP), Manchester City (ENG), FC Barcelona (ESP), Bayern Munich (GER), Chelsea (ENG), Zenit St Petersburg (RUS)

The second group: Paris SG (FRA) PSV Eindhoven (NED), Benfica (POR), Juventus (ITA), AS Roma (ITA), Arsenal (ENG), Dynamo Kiev (UKR), Gent (BEL)

The third group, donated C3: Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR), Manchester United (ENG), Galatasaray (TUR), Sevilla (ESP), Leverkusen (GER), Olympiakos (GRE), FC Porto (POR), Valencia CF (ESP)

The last group eliminated: Malmö FF (SWE), CSKA Moscow (RUS), Astana (KAZ), Mönchengladbach (GER), BATE Borisov (BLR), Dinamo Zagreb (CRO), Maccabi Tel Aviv (ISR), Lyon (FRA)