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Matchday 6 of this season's UEFA Champions League came to a conclusion and just like contours on a map, we now know the respective teams who will vie for Europe's premier club competition in the knock-out phase.
For the third year in a row, all four English clubs advanced to the round of 16 with Chelsea leaving it late to confirm their spot thanks to a nerve-shredding 2-1 victory over Lille.
Among the 16 teams heading for Monday's draw will be surprise newcomers Atalanta who thumped 10-man Shakhtar Donetsk 3-0 in Ukraine. It was a spectacular turnaround for Gian Piero Gasperini's men after losing their opening three matches in the competition.
Both Madrid clubs - Real and Atletico - progressed as runners-up in their respective groups leaving the possibility of a heavyweight meeting in the Round of 16 against group winners. After yet more drama, records and goals galore we analyse the top five teams on Matchday 6.
5. Atalanta
This may be an eyebrow-raising name in the UEFA Champions League knock-out phase, but Atalanta have fully merited their place and they are in our list this week. The team from Bergamo who finished as last season's Serie A top scorers (77 goals scored), and who have retained that mantle this season so far, were playing in their maiden European competition after finishing third in Serie A last season.
But after losing their opening three matches in the group, they needed a minor miracle to qualify. However, they held Premier League champions Manchester City to a 1-1 draw at Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia and it was a result which quite possibly served as a catalyst to their progress in the next phase.
Gian Piero Gasperini's men beat Dinamo Zagreb 2-0 in their penultimate fixture and heading into Matchday 6, all three teams in Group C had the chance to join Manchester City in the Round of 16. With the Croatians losing emphatically to the group leaders, Atalanta and Shakhtar had their fate in their own hands. It was the Italians though who played with purpose in Ukraine and with the match finely in the balance at 1-0, Shakhtar defender Dodo was sent off for slapping Remo Freuler in the 77th minute. Gasperini's men would take advantage of that moment of madness by Dodo and scored two more goals to progress.
Also check out: Champions League Schedule Champions League table Champions league top scorers
4. Chelsea
For Chelsea, Matchday 6 was not an occasion to fret about permutations and they did not have to worry about what was happening between Ajax and Valencia in Amsterdam. Chelsea needed to beat Lille to guarantee their place in the Round of 16 and as straightforward as that may sound, Frank Lampard's side almost made a melee of that opportunity.
Dips in concentration particularly at the back remain a cause for concern for Chelsea. After Cesar Azpilicueta and Tammy Abraham had the blues in cruise control, Loic Remy's finish 12 minutes from time cut Chelsea's lead leaving Stamford Bridge in anxious wait.
Chelsea despite being wasteful and ponderous in the second half were largely impressive and it was a moment of celebration especially when all factors considered, this was a very difficult group pipping them against last season's surprise semifinalists Ajax.
The Blues' finished second behind Valencia, but they remain a huge threat to Europe's heavyweights in the knock-out stages. With the FIFA transfer ban now lifted, Chelsea could add to their squad this January.
3. Manchester City
Manchester City had already advanced to the Round of 16 in Group C leaving Pep Guardiola with a chance to ring the changes in their dead rubber against Dinamo Zagreb. City though could not afford another lethargic outing especially on the back of a damaging defeat to crosstown rivals Manchester United in the derby last Saturday. The Cityzens were also in dire run of form of two wins in seven matches heading to Croatia.
But Guardiola's men responded emphatically after going a goal down to the Croatian champions with Gabriel Jesus who is still filling in for their injured talisman Sergio Aguero, scoring a match-winning hattrick and Phil Foden who enjoyed a rare start slotting a fourth late on.
City have not won the Champions League in their entire history, but for a squad replete with talent and sorcery of Guardiola's tactics, it is understandable why they remain the bookmakers' favourites to win the crown this year.
2. Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich capped off their group stage campaign in perfect style, making it six wins out of six following their 3-1 victory over Jose Mourinho's Tottenham Hotspur. The German champions became just the seventh club to achieve that feat and subsequently the first German team to do so.
The notion that many had before the game was that Bayern would be there for the taking having lost their last two Bundesliga matches. There is also a sizable gap as well at the top of the Bundesliga standings where Bayern are now seven points behind leaders Borussia Monchengladbach.
However, Mourinho, who was wary of Tottenham's last defeat to Bayern - a 7-2 mauling in London - opted for caution and his experimental lineup paid a heavy price as Hansi Flick's men were ruthless from the get-go. Bayern still haven't found a permanent solution to take the reins just yet, but they possess an embarrassment of riches up front. Serge Gnabry is lethal, a rejuvenated Coutinho is in the side, and Robert Lewandowski is scoring for fun. Whatever transformation they may be undergoing in the Bundesliga, it hasn't affected their form in Europe one bit.
1. Paris Saint-Germain
At the top of the leader-board this week are French champions Paris St. Germain who posted the biggest win on Matchday 6. PSG had comfortably confirmed their spot in the knock-out phase as Group A winners ahead of 13 times champions Real Madrid even before they took to the field to play Galatasaray.
But it turned out to be a 5-man show as Thomas Tuchel's side demolished their Turkish counterparts 5-0 at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday. What perhaps made PSG's progress even more special was the fact that they conceded a mere two goals across six matches.
Could this possibly be PSG's year to win the prestigious trophy? That is certainly not an exaggeration, to say the least. Tuchel's side have had their fair share of mishaps, near-misses and complacency in their previous Champions League campaigns, but their increasingly frightening attack is something none of the remaining teams would want to draw on Monday's draw.
