Tension mounts on Matchday 5

Five places to fill
Although the three qualifiers are already confirmed from Group E with Middlesbrough FC, FK Partizan and Villarreal CF safely through and only their final positions to be decided, eight other clubs have their eyes on the five vacant spots in Groups F, G and H. The agony will be heightened for all those concerned with FC Zenit St. Peterburg of Russia whose destiny in Group H is out of their own hands and will be determined by a match taking place hundreds of miles away in Greece.

Three into two
Rangers FC, AJ Auxerre and Grazer AK are all hoping to join AZ Alkmaar in the knockout round after completing their Group F fixtures. Rangers are at home to Auxerre while GAK entertain Alkmaar, with Rangers the favourites to take one of the available spots as they start the night two points clear of both Auxerre and GAK.

Similar situation
A similar situation has developed in Group G with SL Benfica already through and three teams - VfB Stuttgart, NK Dinamo Zagreb and SC Heerenveen - chasing the remaining two places. Heerenveen take on already eliminated Belgian rivals KSK Beveren in what is bound to be a passionate night in the Netherlands where Beveren will be looking to avoid a fourth straight defeat, while Stuttgart are at home to Dinamo. Like Rangers in Group F, Stuttgart have a two-point advantage over their rivals and look favourites to progress.

Zenit wait
Sevilla FC and LOSC Lille Métropole, who meet in Lille, have both qualified regardless of any other results, but their match will help settle the finishing order in Group H - complicated by the fact that Zenit, in third place, have completed their fixtures and will have to sit and wait to see whether they have qualified or not.

Tense night
That depends on the outcome of the game between AEK Athens FC and TSV Alemannia Aachen in Greece. AEK are already out but will be desperate to avoid a fourth straight loss. Aachen will be equally desperate to win and leapfrog Zenit to go through. If they draw or lose they are out and Zenit can breathe a sigh of relief.