As it stands: ranking of second-placed teams

As it stands: ranking of second-placed teams

How the best second-placed teams are rankedAll nine group winners qualify automatically. The eight best runners-up with the best records against the sides first, third, fourth and fifth in their groups go into the play-offs for UEFA's remaining four berths (the exclusion of results against sixth-placed sides was retained to alleviate any possible imbalance between the qualifying groups caused by the late introduction of Gibraltar and Kosovo). With matches against the bottom side in the six-team groups discounted, the runners-up are ranked by the following criteria, in this order, as per FIFA competition regulations, article 20 paragraph ... UEFA.com - News

The 2017/18 Champions League group stage as it stands

The 2017/18 Champions League group stage as it stands

What would the 2017/18 UEFA Champions League group stage look like if Europe's major domestic leagues ended now? This is how things are shaping up.*ESP: Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atlético MadridGER: Bayern München, RB Leipzig, DortmundENG: Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, LiverpoolITA: Juventus, RomaPOR: Benfica, PortoFRA: Monaco, Paris Saint-GermainRUS: Spartak MoskvaUKR: Shakhtar DonetskBEL: AnderlechtNED:UEFA.com - News

Kenny Dalglish stands by banned Suarez

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish has stated his support for Luis Suarez after the striker received an eight-game ban for racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra. GettyImagesKenny Dalglish fully backs Luis Suarez •  Suarez banned for eight games•  Liverpool hit back over ban Suarez was charged by the Football Association with abusing Evra and referring to his "ethnic origin and/or colour and/or race" in a disciplinary hearing last week. Dalglish, though, has backed the Uruguay international since the incident took place on October 18, and continued to show staunch support after the verdict was handed down. "Very disappointed with today's verdict. This is the time when [Luis Suarez] needs our full support. Let's not let him walk alone. KD," Dalglish said via Twitter. Liverpool, meanwhile, issued

Brolly stands by criticism of Cork

"Cork have failed against Kerry" - Joe Brolly Joe Brolly has stood by his sharp criticism of the Cork football team despite their victory over Down in the All-Ireland quarter-final on Saturday. A Gaelic Life column by Brolly drew the ire of Rebel fans in the run-up to the Croke Park clash with Down. Before the Rebels' 2-20 to 0-14 victory, he wrote: "They have been able to bludgeon and bore their way through every team in the country with their primitive approach, but as we saw for the umpteenth time in the Munster final, the Kingdom are far too smart for them." In a heated Sunday Game discussion with fellow analyst Tony Davis, the former Derry star stated that Cork "played like champions"