John Bennett
BBC reporter on Football Daily podcast 5 Live

It would be really significant if Manchester City were to win. They would go up above the likes of Benfica and Stutgartt and level with Club Brugge. Both City [24th] and Paris St-Germain [26th] are in serious danger of not making it through to the knockout stages.

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It seems remarkable to be talking about Manchester City needing results to remain in the Champions League rather than secure a top eight place but that's where we are.

In fact, Wednesday evening's match for City away at Paris St-Germain has entered "must-win" territory for both.

City currently sit in the final play-off spot in the table in 24th on eight points with PSG just behind in 26th with seven points.

They may not need both, but at the moment, only two wins from two would guarantee Pep Guardiola's side a place in the knockout play-off round.

Of the sides playing in the Champions League tonight, we have shown you what Arsenal and Real Madrid need to do to progress.

Let's have a look at Manchester City and Celtic next...

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Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has dismissed speculation that he has decided to leave the club at the end of the season.

Speaking in his pre-match news conference before Madrid's Champions League match against Red Bull Salzburg, Ancelotti explained that while the day will inevitably come, it will never be him that makes the decision.

"I will never decide to leave Real Madrid," he said.

"This day will come, but it won't be me the one who decides. It could be tomorrow or in five years. The plan is to be here with Florentino [Perez] for another four years and say goodbye."

So there it is folks, Kylian Mbappe is warming to the task at Real Madrid and his goal return is starting to improve.

Could it be that the real Mbappe is about to hit top gear at the Bernabeu, just in time for the business end of the season?

Just a reminder as well that an under-performing Mbappe has scored 18 goals in 30 appearances for Real Madrid this campaign.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe says a "mentality issue" prevented him from finding his best form earlier this season.

"I believe it was a mentality issue and that was a point I realised that I had to work harder," said Mbappe.

"I was thinking too much about how to do things. Whether to go into space, whether to go to Vini's [Vinicius Jr's] area of the pitch, to Rodrygo's area. When you overthink, you don't focus on your game.

"I was fine physically and with the group but I knew I had to do more, that was the time to change the situation.

"I couldn't do any worse, so when you hit rock bottom you can only go up."

Since the defeat by Athletic Bilbao on 4 December, Mbappe has scored eight goals in 10 appearances in all competitions.

Avoiding the extra play-off games would have been the goal for Europe's elite going into the new-look Champions League, but teams like Paris St-Germain, Manchester City and Real Madrid will be giving it all they have got to secure them now.

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Three points for Real Madrid against Red Bull Salzburg will all but secure their passage into the Champions League knockout play-off round.

Madrid sit 22nd on nine points and should they get the win here - a victory for Arsenal over Dinamo Zagreb plus a winner in the match between Paris St-Germain and Manchester City will see them progress.

It won't be straightforward for Carlo Ancelotti's side, however, as they face a Salzburg side that face elimination if they don't win at the Bernabeu.

Madrid travel to Brest next week in their final fixture for a safety blanket, should they need it.

While we wait for news from the Manchester United training session, let's have a quick look in more detail at how Real Madrid are doing in this season's Champions League [not great] and what they need to qualify for the next round.

Manchester United

Just to mark your card folks, as we build up to tonight's Champions League games we will also be looking at the latest from those sides playing in the Europa League on Thursday.

Manchester United will be holding an open training session this morning, and we will bring you any news from there, including which players are taking part.

Manager Ruben Amorim will also be holding a news conference this lunchtime and will certainly be quizzed further on his comments - that the current "United side is maybe the worst in the club's history".

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Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski, Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)

Goals: 59

Assists: 24

Total: 83

Luis Diaz, Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo (Liverpool)

Goals: 46

Assists: 24

Total: 70

Harry Kane, Jamal Musiala, Michael Olise (Bayern Munich)

Goals: 46

Assists: 21

Total: 67

Vinicius Jr, Kylian Mbappe, Rodrygo (Real Madrid)

Goals: 42

Assists: 18

Total: 60

Luckily Tom, we have been looking at the stats so our readers can make an informed decision.

We absolutely know what you mean about how good the Real Madrid attacking line-up looks on paper, and who knows they may click into top gear as the season progresses.

But the actual stats - on paper and on the football field - show their trio of Vincius Jr, Kylian Mbappe and Rodrygo are languishing behind the front lines of Bayern, Liverpool and Barcelona...

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Barcelona forward Raphinha speaking to reporters after Tuesday evening's 5-4 victory over Benfica: "I'm someone who respects everyone. When I was leaving the pitch, people were insulting me. I returned the insults. I know I shouldn't. It got heated with the Benfica players - they preferred to insult me.

"I'm someone who doesn't let anything lie. I respect them if they respect me, but I don't shut up if they insult me. It's normal after an ending like that to a match."

On his form and the belief to turn the game around: "I think I am in the best moment of my career, yes. We knew it would be hard here, we knew how good they were, especially playing in front of their fans, their players individually and as a team, but what matters is that we knew to keep our focus during the entire game.

"We had the mindset that we could turn the game around after the break, scoring a second to get back into the game and we managed to do it in the end. We never gave up and grabbed a win."

Image source, Getty Images

Barcelona twice fought back from two goals down - and two Wojciech Szczesny howlers - to snatch a dramatic victory at Benfica.

The hosts made a dream start as Greek striker Vangelis Pavlidis hit a 30-minute hat-trick, helped by two mistakes from Polish keeper Szczesny, while Robert Lewandowski replied from the penalty spot for the Spanish side.

Goals for Raphinha and Lewandowski, either side of a Ronald Araujo own goal, then left Barca one behind at 4-3.

But Eric Garcia headed home a late equaliser and in the 96th minute, just after Szczesny had made a fine block from Angel di Maria and Benfica were denied a penalty, Raphinha broke away and slotted past Anatoliy Trubin to leave the home crowd stunned.

It was a sensational comeback from Barca, who clinched their place in the last 16 with their 18-point tally.

Click here to read the full story.

We know how Liverpool's front three fared last night - Mohamed Salah took centre-stage with the opening goal of a 2-1 win at home to Lille that took his career tally of European goals for the Reds to 50.

Barcelona were also in action, and what a game it was too...

Right, don't put the thinking cap away just yet, we have a poll for you to take part in.

We would like to know which club in Europe you believe has the best front three right now.

There are four to choose from - Barcelona, Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.

Check out the poll at the top of this page for the full list of forwards at each club then take your pick...