As we approach what is set to be an exhilarating final day of the Champions League league phase, the stakes are high with 30 teams still vying for their futures. Six English clubs are in pursuit of a top-eight finish, while familiar rivals aim to topple their former teams.
Arsenal has already secured its place in the last 16 and will be joined by Bayern Munich, but the remaining teams must navigate a tightly packed 36-team table.
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Alongside Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham, Newcastle United, and Chelsea are also in the running for top-eight spots, which would allow them to bypass the playoffs and move directly into the last 16.
Manchester City, currently in a playoff position, is trailing Newcastle and Chelsea only on goal difference, as part of a group of eight teams with 13 points heading into next Wednesday’s decisive round.
Remarkably, no more than five clubs from any one country have ever reached this level of the Champions League, let alone the knockout stages.
Who has advanced to the last 16?
Arsenal, the group leaders, have won all seven of their matches and just need to secure a point at home against Kairat Almaty to finish top, ahead of Bayern.
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Seedings for the last 16 will not alter, as the top two teams are drawn against the playoff winners from either 15th-18th or 16th-17th places.
Bayern requires a point from their encounter with PSV Eindhoven to confirm their place in the top two.
The top two clubs are guaranteed to host the second leg of each knockout round until the final.
[BBC]
Can Mourinho and Conte turn the tables on their old clubs?
Jose Mourinho’s Benfica currently sits outside the Champions League playoff positions, trailing leaders Porto by 10 points in the Portuguese league [Reuters]
The competition for top-eight placements is heating up.
To begin with, it’s straightforward for both Real Madrid and Liverpool, who are on 15 points, along with Tottenham, which has 14; a win in the eighth matchday guarantees all three direct entry into the last 16.
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Spurs will take on eliminated Eintracht Frankfurt in Germany, where they celebrated a Europa League victory last season that earned them a position in this year’s Champions League.
Liverpool, under Arne Slot, will host Qarabag, who could still secure a top-eight finish.
“It all comes down to us next week at home. We need to ensure we secure a top-eight spot,” emphasized Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk to Uefa.
“It’s crucial because avoiding the playoffs eases our intense schedule. We’ve put ourselves in a strong position.”
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Real Madrid will face their former manager, Jose Mourinho’s Benfica.
Mourinho led Real to three consecutive Champions League semi-finals before his departure in 2013, but Benfica, with just two wins in their initial seven games, must defeat Real to retain hope of reaching the playoffs.
Trailing behind Spurs is a cluster of eight teams, beginning with reigning champions Paris St-Germain in sixth place down to Atalanta in 13th, all at 13 points.
Newcastle, Chelsea, and City are also within this group, needing victories, while keeping an eye on possible outcomes due to goal difference.
Chelsea will face a familiar opponent in Antonio Conte, who clinched Serie A with Napoli last season but now meets the Blues in Naples, with his team also on the cusp of playoff contention on goal difference.
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City will host Galatasaray, while Eddie Howe’s Newcastle has a challenging away match against PSG.
Remarkably, every team down to Qarabag in 18th place still has a chance to progress automatically.
This is partly due to the unusual scenario where, despite 16 teams still vying for the six remaining top-eight spots, only two of the 18 matches scheduled for next Wednesday feature such teams facing each other.
Newcastle’s visit to Paris and Borussia Dortmund’s home match against Inter Milan are the only two.
Chasing playoff spots
The race for playoff spots is also incredibly close, with all teams down to Ajax in 32nd positioned in contention.
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Only the bottom four clubs—Frankfurt, Slavia Prague, Villarreal, and Kairat—have been eliminated from the tournament.
There is a mere three-point gap separating Marseille in 19th from Ajax, while Dortmund in 16th—just two points over the French club and still with faint hopes of a top-eight finish—have not yet secured their playoff positions.
Additionally, due to the way fixtures are arranged, just two games are direct contests for playoff hopefuls: Ajax versus Olympiakos and Marseille’s match against Club Brugge.
[BBC]
Final fixtures ahead
- Atletico Madrid vs Bodo/Glimt
- Bayer Leverkusen vs Villarreal
- Borussia Dortmund vs Inter Milan
- Eintracht Frankfurt vs Tottenham
- Manchester City vs Galatasaray
- PSV Eindhoven vs Bayern Munich
- Paris St-Germain vs Newcastle
- Union Saint-Gilloise vs Atalanta
All matches are set to kick off at 20:00 GMT on January 28.
Highlights of every Champions League game will be available from 22:00 on Wednesday on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app.
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A Champions League Match of the Day will also air on BBC One on Wednesday from 22:40 to 00:00.