(Football news) The 2023/24 Champions League group stage is in full swing, with the first three matchdays having been completed. Matchday 4 is just around the corner and several clubs are close to mathematically securing qualification for the next round, especially the four teams who boast a 100 percent record: Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Manchester City and Bayern Munich.
In addition to those four clubs, there are four others who remain unbeaten at this halfway stage of the first round, and they are Atlético de Madrid, Real Sociedad, Inter and Lens. Interestingly, half of these eight sides are Spanish clubs competing in LALIGA EA SPORTS, while England, Germany, Italy and France have one invincible each.
There are five Spanish teams competing in the Champions League this campaign, more than from any other national association. That’s because the four Spanish clubs mentioned above finished in the top four of LALIGA EA SPORTS last term, while Sevilla FC also secured qualification for Europe’s top club competition courtesy of their seventh Europa League title. The Andalusian outfit have also competed well to start this year’s group stage, losing just once and drawing the other two fixtures held so far.
If looking at the average number of points collected so far by the teams from each national association, the Spanish quintet boast the best figure as they have taken 6.40 points each on average across the first three matchdays. In joint-second place are the Ligue 1 and Premier League participants, who have earned 5.50 points on average so far. The Bundesliga teams are fourth with an average of 4.75 points, the Serie A representatives are fifth with 4.25 points and the clubs from the Netherlands and Turkey are joint-sixth on 4.00 points.
Making the Spanish teams’ achievements even more noteworthy is the fact that they have, on average, played more away games so far than home games. Three of the four unbeaten sides have had two road games already, which is the case with Real Madrid, Atlético de Madrid and Real Sociedad, with the Basque side having done especially on their return to the competition by drawing with last year’s finalists Inter at home before winning away at RB Salzburg and Benfica.
What the Spanish teams have accomplished shouldn’t be understated, and those inside the clubs understand how tough it is to consistently pick up points on the continent. As Atlético de Madrid striker Álvaro Morata put it in one Champions League press conference: “The Champions League is the Champions League and you can’t switch off.” FC Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández echoed that sentiment, stating: “This is the Champions League and it takes a lot to win in this competition.”
Still, the Spanish teams have managed to consistently pick up points in the 2023/24 Champions League and all five of them maintain a good chance of reaching the next round. The four Spanish invincibles are currently on course to qualify for the last 16, while Sevilla FC are within touching distance too, as they’re only three points behind second place in their group. As Matchday 4 arrives this midweek, the various invincibles will look to keep their unbeaten runs intact.
