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Champions League

Champions League knockout round games revealed for elite sides

Champions League: the final stretch—Barcelona in the Top 8, Atlético controls their fate, Real Madrid eye the playoffs.

Champions League: the final stretch—Barcelona in the Top 8, Atlético controls their fate, Real Madrid eye the playoffs.
Juanjo MartínEFE

The moment of truth has arrived in the UEFA Champions League. With a revamped format, Europe’s premier competition is entering a critical juncture. Just one matchday remains in this inaugural league-phase format, which replaced the traditional group stage, and the stakes couldn’t be higher.

On Wednesday, January 29, all 18 games will kick off simultaneously, promising a night of high drama as every goal could reshape the final standings and the fate of the teams involved.

Under the new structure, the top eight teams advance directly to the Round of 16. Teams ranked 9th through 24th will enter a playoff round, while those in 25th or lower are eliminated.

With one round left, Barcelona sits comfortably in second place, Atlético Madrid holds fifth and Real Madrid is in 16th.

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A Playoff Picture Packed with Possibilities

The playoff draw, set for January 31, will determine matchups and seedings through to the final on May 31 in Munich. For now, here’s how the potential playoff pairings look based on current standings:

  • 9th/10th vs. 23rd/24th: Aston Villa or AS Monaco vs. Paris Saint-Germain or Stuttgart
  • 11th/12th vs. 21st/22nd: LOSC Lille or Stade Brestois vs. Benfica or Sporting Lisbon
  • 13th/14th vs. 19th/20th: Feyenoord or Borussia Dortmund vs. PSV Eindhoven or Club Brugge
  • 15th/16th vs. 17th/18th: Bayern Munich or Real Madrid vs. Juventus or Celtic

Higher-seeded teams (9th–16th) will host the second leg, with matches scheduled for February 11–12 (first leg) and February 18–19 (second leg).

Spanish Teams’ Scenarios

  • Barcelona: Already secure in the top eight, Barcelona will bypass the playoffs.
  • Atlético Madrid: With a win against Salzburg, Atlético can secure a top-eight finish. Their victory over Bayer Leverkusen boosted their chances to 76.2%, according to Opta’s supercomputer.
  • Real Madrid: Despite their win over Salzburg, Real Madrid will likely need favorable results elsewhere to avoid the playoffs.

Potential Round of 16 Matchups

Teams advancing from the playoffs will face top-eight finishers in the Round of 16. Here’s how matchups might unfold:

  • 1st/2nd vs. Playoff Winners (15th/16th vs. 17th/18th): Liverpool or Barcelona vs. Bayern Munich/Real Madrid or Juventus/Celtic
  • 3rd/4th vs. Playoff Winners (13th/14th vs. 19th/20th): Arsenal or Inter Milan vs. Feyenoord/LOSC Lille or PSV Eindhoven/Club Brugge
  • 5th/6th vs. Playoff Winners (11th/12th vs. 21st/22nd): Atlético Madrid or AC Milan vs. Benfica/Stade Brestois or Paris Saint-Germain/Sporting Lisbon
  • 7th/8th vs. Playoff Winners (9th/10th vs. 23rd/24th): Atalanta or Bayer Leverkusen vs. Aston Villa/AS Monaco or Stuttgart/Sporting Lisbon

The Round of 16 first legs will take place on March 4–5, with the second legs a week later on March 11–12.

Matchday 8: All to Play For

The final 18 matches of this league phase kick off at 3:00 PM EST on January 29. The simultaneous start is unprecedented and guarantees an electrifying finish as every result could alter the standings.

Here’s the complete schedule:

  • Sporting Lisbon vs. Bologna
  • Dinamo Zagreb vs. AC Milan
  • Barcelona vs. Atalanta
  • Bayer Leverkusen vs. Sparta Prague
  • Juventus vs. Benfica
  • Stuttgart vs. Paris Saint-Germain
  • Young Boys vs. Red Star Belgrade
  • Aston Villa vs. Celtic
  • Bayern Munich vs. Slovan Bratislava
  • Inter Milan vs. AS Monaco
  • PSV Eindhoven vs. Liverpool
  • Borussia Dortmund vs. Shakhtar Donetsk
  • Sturm Graz vs. RB Leipzig
  • Girona vs. Arsenal
  • LOSC Lille vs. Feyenoord
  • Salzburg vs. Atlético Madrid
  • Stade Brestois vs. Real Madrid
  • Manchester City vs. Club Brugge

With such high stakes and no shortage of potential drama, this revamped Champions League format promises an unforgettable conclusion to the league phase. Stay tuned for a night of twists, turns, and triumphs as Europe’s elite battle for glory.

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