The league section of the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League has introduced loads of thrills and unbelievable targets, however the knockout rounds are quick approaching. We’re lower than one week away from understanding which 24 groups will advance for a shot at European glory.
However first, the ultimate matchweek of the league section have to be performed, and the stakes might hardly be increased for among the continent’s largest golf equipment. Liverpool, Barcelona, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain are all competing for top-eight spots, which might ship them straight to the spherical of 16. Manchester Metropolis additionally discover themselves amongst that group, having suffered a surprising 3-1 loss to Bodo/Glimt final week.
The video games will all happen Wednesday at 3 p.m. ET for what guarantees to be two hours of pure chaos. Each purpose might make an enormous distinction in figuring out who strikes on and whose European goals come to a swift, premature finish.
As a reminder, the groups that end first by means of eighth get to skip the knockout playoff spherical. The golf equipment that place ninth by means of twenty fourth will go head-to-head in that spherical in February, and people in twenty fifth to thirty sixth are eradicated. And similar to final 12 months, no groups will drop into the Europa League from the Champions League.
Which groups are nonetheless within the working for the knockout rounds? What’s at stake for each membership? Here is every thing it’s essential to know earlier than the ultimate matchweek of the league section.
Who’s already by means of to the knockout rounds?
Spherical of 16 (2):
Arsenal are assured to complete first or second, and thus take a high seeding place within the bracket.
Bayern Munich sealed their round-of-16 spot with a 2-0 win over Union Saint-Gilloise on Wednesday.
Assured not less than a spot within the knockout playoff spherical (13):
Actual Madrid, Liverpool, Tottenham, PSG, Newcastle, Chelsea, Barcelona, Sporting CP, Manchester Metropolis, Atletico Madrid, Atalanta, Inter, Juventus
Will make knockout rounds or be eradicated (17):
Borussia Dortmund, Galatasaray, Qarabag, Marseille, Bayer Leverkusen, AS Monaco, PSV Eindhoven, Athletic Membership, Olympiacos, Napoli, F.C. København, Membership Brugge, Bodo/Glimt, Benfica, Pafos, Union Saint-Gilloise, Ajax
Out (4):
Eintracht Frankfurt, Slavia Prague, Villarreal, Kairat Almaty
The battle to undergo: How groups can qualify
We’re set for an exhilarating ultimate matchweek, as each the top-eight and top-24 races will go all the way down to the wire. On the high, solely Arsenal and Bayern can really feel totally safe with their positions within the desk, whereas 32 out of 36 groups might nonetheless make the knockout rounds.
(Every group under is listed with its opponent within the ultimate matchweek on Wednesday)
1. Arsenal (21 factors, plus-18 purpose distinction)
Kairat Almaty (Dwelling)
The Gunners are by means of and sure to complete within the high two. That ensures they’ll have the benefit of taking part in the second leg of every tie at dwelling till the ultimate.
2. Bayern Munich (18, plus-13)
PSV Eindhoven (Away)
Bayern have assured their place within the spherical of 16 and can safe a top-two spot with a draw or win in opposition to PSV. That might make sure the Bavarians keep away from Arsenal till the ultimate, if each groups make it that far.
3. Actual Madrid (15, plus-11)
Benfica (A)
4. Liverpool (15, plus-6)
Qarabag (H)
The 2 powerhouses are in comparable positions — win within the ultimate matchweek, and passage to the spherical of 16 awaits. Nevertheless, whereas a draw in opposition to Benfica would nearly actually ship Actual Madrid by means of to the spherical of 16, Liverpool’s inferior purpose differential locations them in barely larger jeopardy if they do not take all three factors at Anfield in opposition to Qarabag.
5. Tottenham Hotspur (14, plus-8)
Eintracht Frankfurt (A)
Whereas Spurs’ Premier League marketing campaign has seen its fair proportion of struggles, they’re in a great spot in Europe. A win in opposition to Frankfurt would assure a round-of-16 spot, and a draw might do the identical if Thomas Frank’s membership receives assist from elsewhere.
6. Paris Saint-Germain (13, plus-10)
Newcastle (H)
7. Newcastle United (13, plus-10)
Paris Saint-Germain (A)
8. Chelsea (13, plus-6)
Napoli (A)
9. Barcelona (13, plus-5)
FC København (H)
10. Sporting CP (13, plus-5)
Athletic Membership (A)
11. Manchester Metropolis (13, plus-4)
Galatasaray (H)
12. Atletico Madrid (13, plus-3)
Bodo/Glimt (H)
13. Atalanta (13, plus-1)
Union Saint-Gilloise (A)
Here is the place issues get a bit of wild. Six computerized spots within the spherical of 16 stay up for grabs, and all of those golf equipment are firmly within the working. Actual Madrid, Liverpool and/or Spurs dropping factors of their matches could be a boon for these golf equipment in rising the probabilities {that a} win might land them within the high eight.
Aim differential might play an enormous position in figuring out who will get a type of locations, and it is attainable that additional tiebreakers shall be wanted. The subsequent ones, for reference, are targets scored and away targets scored. (Scroll down for the total tiebreaker checklist.)
Particularly, PSG vs. Newcastle guarantees to be a must-see match. Whereas either side might make it to the spherical of 16 with a draw, neither would really feel comfy with that, and their stable purpose differential implies that a win is extremely more likely to ship them by means of.
One factor that is for sure: It doesn’t matter what occurs elsewhere, the three groups on this grouping that win their ultimate match and find yourself with essentially the most factors and finest purpose differential will advance to the spherical of 16.
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14. Internazionale (12, plus-6)
Borussia Dortmund (H)
15. Juventus (12, plus-4)
Benfica (H)
This pair of Italian golf equipment additionally has an out of doors shot of incomes passage to the spherical of 16. In all chance, they’d must win their ultimate match. That might put them on 15 factors, in order that they’d want (for instance) six of the eight golf equipment presently with 13 factors to attract or lose their ultimate match.
Inter’s comparatively sturdy purpose differential of plus-6 — equal to or higher than seven of the 13 golf equipment above them within the desk — places them in respectable place for any tiebreakers.
On the very least, the golf equipment know they’ve made it out of the league section.
16. Borussia Dortmund (11, plus-4)
Internazionale (A)
17. Galatasaray (10, even)
Man Metropolis (A)
18. Qarabag (10, minus-2)
Liverpool (A)
These groups are all technically nonetheless within the working for the spherical of 16, however their consideration (particularly Galatasaray’s and Qarabag’s) will probably be directed towards these under them. Dortmund should win or draw to ensure that they’re going to make the knockout rounds, whereas Galatasaray and Qarabag should notch wins in opposition to top-tier competitors. It will nonetheless take numerous outcomes going in opposition to them to overlook the knockouts, however a blowout loss might have them nervously checking scores as full time approaches.
19. Marseille (9, even)
Membership Brugge (A)
20. Bayer Leverkusen (9, minus-4)
Villarreal (H)
21. AS Monaco (9, minus-6)
Juventus (H)
Generally the duty is easy: Win your ultimate match, and also you advance to the knockout rounds. So it’s for these three golf equipment, and although a draw would possibly nonetheless get the job performed, it will give the six golf equipment instantly beneath them within the desk purpose to hope.
Dropped factors might be significantly disastrous for Monaco. 5 of the six golf equipment beneath them with seven or eight factors have superior purpose differentials.
22. PSV Eindhoven (8, plus-1)
Bayern Munich (H)
23. Athletic Membership (8, minus-4)
Sporting CP (H)
24. Olympiacos (8, minus-5)
Ajax (A)
25. Napoli (8, minus-5)
Chelsea (H)
26. FC København (8, minus-6)
Barcelona (A)
27. Membership Brugge (7, minus-5)
Marseille (H)
On the coronary heart of the top-24 race, the second tiebreaker (targets scored) presently separates Olympiacos and Napoli on the dividing line.
The precise matchups go an extended approach to figuring out how these groups will really feel about their probabilities of qualifying. Olympiacos, for instance, are absolutely glad to see Ajax (presently thirty second within the desk) on their fixture checklist. In the meantime, PSV, Napoli and København could have monumental duties forward of them in the event that they wish to seal a spot, dealing with off with among the largest groups in Europe.
Successful their ultimate matches would do any of those groups a world of excellent, though nothing might be assured impartial of different outcomes.
28. Bodo/Glimt (6, minus-2)
Atletico Madrid (A)
29. Benfica (6, minus-4)
Actual Madrid (H)
30. Pafos (6, minus-6)
Slavia Prague (H)
31. Union Saint-Gilloise (6, minus-10)
Atalanta (H)
32. Ajax (6, minus-12)
Olympiacos (A)
It is win and hope for these groups presently on the skin wanting in. Something much less, and their European campaigns will come to an finish.
33. Eintracht Frankfurt (4, minus-9)
Tottenham Hotspur (H)
34. Slavia Prague (3, minus-11)
Pafos (A)
35. Villarreal (1, minus-10)
Bayer Leverkusen (A)
36. Kairat Almaty (1, minus-14)
Arsenal (A)
The underside 4 golf equipment have been eradicated.
What are the league section tiebreakers?
1 – Aim distinction
2 – Objectives scored
3 – Away targets scored
4 – Wins
5 – Away wins
6 – Greater variety of complete factors collected by league section opponents
7 – Greater purpose distinction attained of league section opponents
8 – Greater targets scored by league section opponents
9 – Disciplinary factors
10 – UEFA membership coefficient
Does it matter the place you end within the desk?
Doubtlessly, as a result of the league-phase placements form the knockout spherical bracket.
The “seeding” system launched for 2024-25 means the highest-placed groups will not face one another till the late phases of the knockout rounds.
Final season offered a notable instance of how the brand new system could make a huge effect. Manchester Metropolis did not qualify for the knockouts till the ultimate day of the league section, and their Twenty second-place end meant they needed to compete within the knockout spherical playoffs. That set them on a collision course with Actual Madrid, who received 6-3 over two legs. Nevertheless, PSG appeared unaffected by the additional spherical of matches, rolling previous Brest within the playoffs and all the way in which to the title.
The graphic under reveals how the ultimate desk impacts the bracket.
When is the draw for the knockout spherical playoffs?
The draw for the knockout spherical playoffs — that includes the golf equipment that end ninth to twenty fourth — will happen Jan. 30 at 6 a.m. ET.
