The bloody race for 6th place between France and Portugal

[Todor]

Portugal re-claimed 6th place from Russia by less than 0.3 pts, both countries have 3 teams left but Braga are in a danger of being dumped out. Losing Sporting is a big blow on Portugal chances to win this battle.

[Thunder_PT]

Portugal back to 6th, but there's nothing to celebrate about. With Sporting out and Rostov in, our situation is a lot worse than expected. Now t's even more crucial that Braga qualify tomorrow!

[Todor]

As both Porto and Benfica finished 2nd and both Barca and Atletico possible opponents limited to 5 (they can't draw Real, Sevilla and the runner-ups from their groups), there should be something like a 70% chance that there will be at least one Spanish-Portuguese tie in the last 16. This should make Portugal's chances of retaining the 6th spot, even smaller.

[bugylibicska]

CSKA just not good enough and also lack the plucky attitude of Rostov. Anyway 3 teams in the EL for Russia and all eyes on Zenit and the draw, of course. Sporting out a big blow for Portugal and both Benfica, Porto in the CL could be out after the 1st round, so Russia definetely have a chance. And France still not bulletproof sure to get 5th spot, though strong favourites. Still 5 games tomorrow, 2 for Russia and France and 1 for Portugal. And then the luck of the draw!!!!

[Thunder_PT]

There's been a Portuguese team in the CL quarters in the last 2 seasons and, now with 2 teams in the round of 16, that chance is greater. It'd be very unlucky if both got a tough draw, they could "switch opponents", Porto facing Napoli and Benfica facing Leicester, or one of them drawing Monaco. Then there's always Arsenal, who should lose whoever they draw. Unless they draw FC Porto, Porto hate playing against English teams and the last time Arsenal won in the R16 was precisely against FC Porto in 2010, the 2nd leg being one of my worst memories as a FC Porto supporter.

[bugylibicska]

I`d say Benfica drawing Leicester probably the best for Portugal. For Porto maybe Monaco or Napoli. There`re only very few teams Rostov and Krasnodar have a realistic chance against, all depends on Zenit how far they are able to go. France need a very bad draw for their 5th spot to be in jeopardy.

[Thunder_PT]

Portugal are doing everything in their power to lose this race.

Another absolutely disastrous week! Only one win and 3 losses, who could predict this? The bonus points put us above Russia, but with Zenit and Krasnodar playing now, we may not even be 6th during winter (weird saying this in Buenos Aires, I'm wearing shorts and flip flops right now).

[Aliceag]

Absolute disgrace campaign for Portugal. Forget about 5th and 6th place for a long time.
Porto ended up with 11 points seems the only "positive" normal point, bar the fact they should had qualified on MD5 and discuss the 1st place in MD6, thus ending with 13 and not 11 points.

Benfica qualified but 8 points is also negative campaign. They should had qualified on MD and discuss 1st place on MD6. 11 points would be the minimum acceptable not 8.

Sporting "deserved" 9 points and ended up with 3. I cannot even qualify this campaign. Jorge Jesus help Portugal to have 5th place with a CLQF with Benfica and then two consecutive runs to EL final. But the campaigns with Sporting last year and this year are absolute disgrace, and they will cost us the same 5th place.

Braga should have qualified on MD5 as well. Braga had team to make 10 points not 6.
Even with a good draw in CL octavos and disaster draws for the Russians I don't see it happening.

[Digitaldude555]

I heard Jorge Jesus was not very good in CL got kicked out of the groups 3 times with Benfica, can't expect something different all of a sudden.

[Dragonite]

I heard Jorge Jesus was not very good in CL got kicked out of the groups 3 times with Benfica, can't expect something different all of a sudden.

FOUR with Benfica in five attempts, plus losing against CSKA last season (who loses against CSKA these days beside him???), and now this Legia thing... The Master of Tactics, that's his reputation domestically... more like the master of uselessness.

[bugylibicska]

With St.Etienne`s unexpected win in Brussels and now being seeded France cannot be caught on 5th place, bar some miracle. I certainly give up on them. Portugal and Russia in a deadly race who can lose the 6th spot. Both have a disastrous round. Portugal only 2 points from 4 games and Russia 1 point from 3 games, Krasnodar playing in Nice right now. Very close. Russia have 3 teams and Portugal only 2, but Zenit proved again how unreliable they are.

[Malko]

First the win of Saint-Etienne in brussels is all but unexspected, or do you mean, unexspected, after anderlecht has a 2-0 lead?...because otherwise, it's a quite normal result, the draw in Saint-Etienne was unexspected for the belgian team.

But you are right that France now has a 4 point advantage to portugal, still 4 teams engaged, while Portugal has only 2,...and both in the much more difficult Championsleague, where they probably won't make the nessesary amount of points (36 !!!! if France makes 0 points ) to catch France.
After your post, Nice made some points vs Krasnodar....
So it's clear. France will be 5, ....but there is still a match between Portugal and Russia concerning the 6th place....and so to get a third team able to play CL.

[Thunder_PT]

Well, we know the draw would be important and Russia won it. Zenit and Rostov had good draws, it'll be very difficult for Portugal to hold on.

[bugylibicska]

I`m not convinced about Russia`s chances, maybe still under the spell of the last round debacle. If one of Benfica or Porto advance Russia need a big performance. Very difficult to play in February after 2 months winter break. Too bad the French are so ahead, only Lyon got a good draw, the other 3 nightmare draws.

[Aliceag]

Last year's double victory against Zenit was the cream of the cream that allowed us to remain ahead of France by a hairpin. This year I don't think even a double victory against dortmund or juventus is enough. Probably we need both Porto and Benfica advancing since all 3 russian teams have chances to overcome their opponents or at least win the home game even if some are KO... I'm just not seeing it happening. We needed Sporting and Braga. They failed us and it will cost us for the years to come. A coeff of +10.000 per year is mandatory and we will be below that.