Liverpool and Sevilla eye progress, unwanted record threatens BVB – Champions League in Opta numbers

Many eyes will be trained upon Champions League Group E on Wednesday, where any of Liverpool, Spartak Moscow and Sevilla could finish top and none of the trio are guaranteed to progress.

They must envy the position enjoyed by Tottenham and Real Madrid in Group H, where Borussia Dortmund and APOEL fighting for third place remains the only point of intrigue.

Shakhtar Donetsk host Group F winners Manchester City, holding a three-point advantage over third-placed Napoli. Maurizio Sarri’s swashbuckling side travel to already-eliminated Feyenoord.

Porto and RB Leipzig remain in contention to join Group G victors Besiktas in the last 16, with last season’s semi-finalists Monaco left playing for pride.

Below, we examine the key Opta numbers behind Wednesday’s clashes.

Maribor v Sevilla

17 – Maribor have lost 10 and drawn six of their 17 Champions League group games, an encouraging statistic for Sevilla who will qualify with a draw irrespective of events at Anfield.

5 – Sevilla are aiming to reach the round of 16 for the fifth time, although they have never progressed any further.

Liverpool v Spartak Moscow

7 – Liverpool are unbeaten in their last seven Champions League games, although five of those have ended in draws. Another stalemate would see them progress, but only as runners up if Sevilla win.

26 – Spartak have lost 26 of their past 40 Champions League games, winning only six.

Let’s finish off the job #MyLFCMatchdayImage pic.twitter.com/AAWoFJJV23

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 5, 2017

Feyenoord v Napoli

8 – Feyenoord have lost their last eight Champions League games, including all five so far this season.

3 – Napoli have lost their last three Champions League away games, conceding at least twice on each occasion. They must beat Feyenoord with City overcoming Shakhtar to progress.

Shakhtar Donetsk v Manchester City

41 – None of Manchester City’s 41 Champions League group games have ended goalless. Raheem Sterling averted such an occurrence with an 88th-minute winner against Feyenoord last time out.

12 – With four wins and eight defeats, Shakhtar are 12 games without a draw in the Champions League. They have kept a solitary clean sheet during this period.

#PEP: (On the #ManchesterDerby) We just play to win the game. I assure you, sooner or later we will lose, but the next day we will recover. I can promise you we are going to try to win the game. #fcsdvcity pic.twitter.com/6EZbOV4PRZ

— Manchester City (@ManCity) December 5, 2017

RB Leipzig v Besiktas

50 – All nine of RB Leipzig’s Champions League goals this season have been scored before the 50th minute.

2 – Besiktas have won both their away games in the competition this term, already more than in any of their previous six campaigns.

Porto v Monaco

3-0 – The margin of victory enjoyed by Porto in each of the previous two encounters between the sides – in September and in the 2004 final.

1-1 – The result in Monaco’s two other Champions League away games this season.

Real Madrid v Borussia Dortmund

10 – Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund have met 10 times in the Champions League since 2012-13. No fixture has been played more often during this period.

0 – Dortmund must win at the Santiago Bernabeu to avoid a winless group stage for the first time in their history. Two draws and five defeats, dating back to last season, mean a failure to beat Madrid would establish their longest ever run without victory in the competition.

Top bins!
@Lucasvazquez91#RMCity | #HalaMadrid pic.twitter.com/XtUq2uvaOJ

— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadriden) December 5, 2017

Tottenham v APOEL

14 – No Cypriot side has beaten English opposition in 14 attempts, with three draws and 11 defeats.

15 – The number of goals Tottenham have managed in five matches against sides from Cyprus (W4 D1).