Champions' league groups

[HowardKennitby]

Can someone explain group E positions for Chelsea and Valencia?
Table shows Chelsea second and Valencia third. They are equal in everything except Goals Scored and in that Valencia are ahead 12 - 10.
I would have thought that put Valencia above Chelsea.

Appreciate being educated on this.

Howie

[x-ray]

I would agree with you Howard. Chelsea have an inferior goal difference than Valencia and therefore should be in third position, not second.
Makes no difference really - the match between the two in a couple of weeks time will be the decider

[Fibonacci]

Overall goal difference is not the first rule to separate teams on equal number of points in the group stage of UEFA Champions League

http://www.uefa.com/M.../1630244_DOWNLOAD.pdf
- See Article 7

If two or more teams are equal on points on completion of the group
matches, the following criteria are applied to determine the rankings:
a) higher number of points obtained in the group matches played among the
teams in question;
b) superior goal difference from the group matches played among the teams
in question;
c) higher number of goals scored away from home in the group matches
played among the teams in question;
d) superior goal difference from all group matches played;
e) higher number of goals scored;
f) higher number of coefficient points accumulated by the club in question,
as well as its association, over the previous five seasons


So it mostly hinges on the matches played between the teams equal on points.

Chelsea & Valencia are level on points
There has been one match between Chelsea & Valencia – a draw
But Chelsea were away from home so according to rule c) there are at present above Valencia.
So if Chelsea draw 0-0 in the home match they will remain above Valencia.
According to rule c.

Same reason why Benfica are above Man Utd
They scored more goals way from home in the matches between them
B v MU 1-1 MU – B 2-2

[x-ray]

Hi Fibonacci,
Thanks for that info - very complicated isn't it - will be very interesting to see if any of these qualifications are brought into play after the next (final) set of matches.
I fear Man City have the biggest task, although Chelsea also have a lot to do.

[HowardKennitby]

Thank you for the clarification

[Duncer]

UEFA really do love to make things complicated, and that is one of the cloudiest yet.

I remember it used to be good old plain and simple goal difference and then, the year they changed it, Rangers finished level with Galatasary, but with a vastly superior goal difference, (about four or five if I remember correctly), but UEFA had changed it to "head to heads", so Rangers went out 4-3 on aggregate, as it were.

How long before simply being a big club gives you an advantage in the event of finishing level, as if they don't already have massive advantages?