Champions League fixtures today – your guide to Tuesday’s games

Here it is, folks. We’re going to do this together. We’ll get through this together. This week marks the last-ever final round of Champions League group stage matches as we know it.

Even beyond the blockbuster showdown between Manchester United and Bayern Munich – and with it, the World Cup-style jeopardy – there’s plenty of intrigue to go around, plenty left up for grabs as we prepare for the knockout stages.

Here’s everything you need to know about Tuesday’s action.

Tuesday’s football begins with Group B runners-up PSV Eindhoven hosting winners Arsenal.

Peter Bosz’s side ensured qualification to the last 16 on Matchday 5 and so can rest easy with one game to spare.

Mikel Arteta is in line to make near-wholesale changes to his XI given the busy festive period ahead of the Gunners, who lost on this ground in the Europa League last season.

Europa League specialists Sevilla will be looking to return to Thursday night action by beating Lens in Group B’s other encounter.

The Spanish side are struggling in La Liga once more and they could depend on another deep continental run to salvage their season.

Lens are similarly off the pace in Ligue 1, so they will be licking their lips at the chance to extend their European campaign into the second half of the 2023/24 campaign.

Chances are this will be the game of evening. It didn’t need Man Utd to be on the verge of early elimination again but that’s a nice added bonus.

The Red Devils must defeat group winners Bayern Munich – fresh from a 5-1 humbling at the hands of Eintracht Frankfurt – to give themselves a chance of qualifying for the last 16. They’ll also need Copenhagen vs Galatasaray to end in a draw.

How’s your nerve, Man Utd fans?

During the opening round of group games this season, Galatasaray scored twice in the final five minutes to salvage a 2-2 draw at home to Copenhagen.

It’s likely we’ll see late drama when the two reconvene at Parken on Tuesday – if Man Utd beat Bayern, then both sides will need three points in order to advance. If Man Utd do not win, then Copenhagen will only need a draw, but Galatasaray need a win regardless.

Everyone got that?

Upon completion of the Champions League group stage draw, this is the fixture Union Berlin fans will have circled on their calendars – the day Real Madrid come to town.

After Jude Bellingham broke their hearts with a last-minute winner on Matchday 1, the Bundesliga strugglers will be looking to sign off their maiden Champions League campaign with a famous win.

Carlo Ancelotti’s men are out to go through the group with a perfect record, while they are not in danger of losing top spot.

Napoli aren’t quite into the last 16 yet, but it would take a collapse of proportions in-keeping with their recent history to be relegated to the Europa League instead.

If the Italian champions avoid losing by a scoreline greater than the 2-1 they beat Braga by in September, then they’re through. Simple as.

Real Sociedad have not typically been successful in their previous Champions League ventures, so it’s a bit of a surprise they lead a group with the previous season’s runners-up heading into the last round of fixtures.

Inter must beat their Spanish opponents in order to book a seeded spot in the last 16 draw. Given their domestic form, it’s hard to look past them doing just that.

What an utterly disastrous Champions League campaign this has been for Benfica.

If they are to even reach the Europa League, they must win by at least two goals in Salzburg on Matchday 6. What a great position to be in.

READ THE LATEST CHAMPIONS LEAGUE NEWS, PREVIEWS & RATINGS HERE