Reds in danger of early exit – 5 Champions League talking points

Liverpool know defeat away to Red Bull Salzburg would likely see them eliminated.

The Champions League group stage concludes this week with a host of issues still to be resolved.

Barely a third of the 32 teams know exactly what position they will finish in, with eight places in the round of 16 yet to be claimed and a handful of sides still hoping to secure Europa League berths.

Here, the PA news agency considers five things to look out for in the final round of group fixtures.

Red alert

Ronaldo records under threat

Cristiano Ronaldo is the only player in Champions League history to have scored in every group match in the same season, but he may soon have to share that record with Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski and Erling Braut Haaland of Salzburg. The duo have been in stunning form this season, netting over 50 times between them for club and country, and one more goal for either this week would see them equal Ronaldo’s mark. Lewandowski, who struck four against Red Star Belgrade in the previous round, is also just one goal behind Ronaldo’s all-time group record of 11. The Pole could now make history when Bayern, looking to become only the seventh team ever to win all six group matches, host Tottenham on Wednesday.

All hail Haaland

Irrespective of what damage he might do to the personal interests of Liverpool and Ronaldo this week, Haaland will not forget the past few months in a hurry.  The 19-year-old Norway striker has scored 28 goals in just 21 appearances for Salzburg this season, including five hat-tricks and eight goals in the Champions League. Unsurprisingly that has seen him linked with some of the game’s biggest clubs, and he could add a few more suitors to his collection – and euros to his price tag – against the holders on Tuesday.

Chelsea blues?

Adios Atletico and arrivederci Inter?