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After four games of the Champions League group stages City are often scrambling around, vainly searching for favourable permutations or scenarios that could still point to progression to the last sixteen.
No such trouble this time around of course and with two games remaining attention can turn towards the knock out round and assessing juts who City are likely to face.
Trailing Bayern Munich by three points and having to come on top in terms of the head to head battle means it is extremely unlikely City will top the group, even if they were to be victorious in Germany. Whilst it remains possible however it will leave Manuel Pellegrini facing a dilemna as to whether he takes the opportunity to rest key players in the final two fixtures.This could be crucial given the number of fixtures on the horizon towards the end of November and into December.
But either way let's assume City finish up in second position behind Bayern. This means that they will face one of the group winners but although eight group winners will be in the pot the potential opponents for City will only come from a select group. Firstly, City cannot draw Bayern and then you have to also discount any sides from the same country, meaning that City will not face Chelsea, Arsenal or United should they top their groups - which with two games remaining looks a distinct possibility.
So this is four sides either likely to be or already out of the equation, leaving four possible opponents for City coming from either Group B, C, G or H. A look at the respective tables shows that it is extremely likely that Real Madrid, PSG, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona should progress through in first place. Take your pick as all would undeniably be formidable opponents.
Of course, should the final two fixtures throw up some interesting results - with United and Arsenal most at risk - this could all change but it does highlight that whilst City have got the monkey off their back in terms of progressing from the group stage their task isn't about to get easier anytime soon.