Halfway points tallies – What are the chances of progressing? | UEFA Champions League
It's common for teams to reach the middle point of the UEFA Champions League group stage without a victory. However, it's important not to automatically dismiss their prospects of making it to the last-16 round.
Tottenham only had one point after their first three matches in the 2018/19 season but still managed to make it to the final. However, Atalanta, who were new to the competition, had a tougher start in the following season as they lost their first three games. Despite this setback, they rallied towards the end and secured second place in their group. It's worth noting that Atalanta's comeback is a rare occurrence when looking at the overall statistics.
We reflect on all the seasons since the current format was introduced in 2003/04 and examine what teams' aspirations were in the last-16 based on historical data.
Keep Hope: There's Still Something To Gain
Atalanta serves as a guiding light for clubs who are yet to secure any points halfway through the season. Previously, 54 teams have found themselves in this unfortunate position, however, Atalanta is the only club to have successfully overcome it this season.
In the 2019/20 season, Atalanta managed to make it to the quarter-finals. However, there were two teams who went even further despite not winning any of their first three games. Liverpool moved on to the semi-finals in 2007/08, and Tottenham surpassed that by making it to the final in 2018/19. Unfortunately, they lost to Liverpool in Madrid.
Successful Teams Despite 3 Consecutive Losses
There are several soccer teams that have earned different amounts of points throughout the years. Atalanta did not earn any points during the 2019/20 season, while Tottenham, Gent, Galatasaray, Panathinaikos, Liverpool, Bremen, Porto, and Arsenal earned one point during their respective seasons. LOSC Lille and Roma earned two points in the 2021/22 and 2015/16 seasons, respectively, while Man City, Stuttgart, and Celta Vigo earned two points in past seasons. Finally, Leverkusen earned a total of three points during the 2016/17 season.
Be Vigilant: Don't Get Too Confident
Let's start with the basics: Out of all the teams, 66 had a perfect record after three rounds, and all of those teams ended up finishing in the top two.
Even though having seven points is a good position to be in, it doesn't always guarantee success in the knockout rounds. Throughout the seasons since 2003/04, there have been four teams that have reached the halfway point with seven points and haven't made it to the knockout rounds: Porto, Rangers, Marseille, and CSKA Moskva. In fact, Porto even had a winning streak before faltering towards the end.
The situation is not finished until it is truly finalized.
