CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Which teams have qualified for 2023/24 Champions League round of 16?
After Wednesday’s group-phase matchday-six action in the Champions League, we now know all the teams who have qualified for the round of 16.
We now know the identity of all the knockout-stage teams in the 2023/24 UEFA Champions League, after PSG and Porto became the 15th and 16th clubs to book their spot in the round of 16 on Wednesday.
PSG through despite draw
PSG drew 1-1 with Borussia Dortmund in a result that sealed their passage through to the knockout rounds. They ended up getting past AC Milan on a tie-breaker after the Italian side overcame Newcastle - who were temporarily second during the game - at St. James’ Park.
Barcelona and Porto make last 16
Barcelona put in another underwhelming performance, losing 3-2 against Antwerp, but their results already made sure even a loss would not affect their Champions League progression. It was instead down to Porto and Shakhtar, who played an all-or-nothing tie in Portugal, which the home side won 5-3.
United out as Copenhagen edge Galatasaray
Copenhagen went through behind already-qualified Bayern Munich in Group A, the Danes beating Galatasaray 1-0 in a winner-takes-all showdown for second place. Lukas Lerager’s goal was the difference at Parken Stadium.
As Manchester United failed to beat Bayern in the group’s other matchday-six game, a draw would in fact also have been enough for Copenhagen, who have reached the Champions League knockouts only once previously.
United, who lost 1-0 to Bayern, have now exited the tournament at the round-robin stage three times in seven Champions League campaigns since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. Having finished bottom of Group A, the Red Devils are out of Europe altogether; third-placed Galatasaray drop into the Europa League.
Napoli beat Braga to second spot
In Group C, meanwhile, Napoli only needed to avoid defeat by two goals or more to qualify - and ended up beating Braga 2-0 in Italy. The hosts scored both their goals in the first half at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, Victor Osimhen adding a second on the half-hour mark after Serdar Saatci’s early own goal.
While Braga head into the Europa League, Napoli progress in second behind Real Madrid, who had already wrapped up first place on matchday five. In their final Group C game, Los Blancos were 3-2 winners over bottom team Union Berlin in Germany.
Full list of teams qualified for Champions League round of 16:
What else happened on Tuesday in the UCL?
In Group B, there was nothing to resolve in terms of last-16 qualification. Matchday five had already seen Arsenal make sure of top spot, with PSV Eindhoven certain to finish second. The two teams closed out the group stage with a 1-1 draw in Eindhoven, while Lens’ 2-1 victory over Sevilla means the Frenchmen go into the Europa League ahead of the Spaniards.
Group D’s last-16 qualifiers had also been confirmed ahead of matchday six. Real Sociedad and Inter were already guaranteed to finish in the top two, with only the identity of the group winners to be decided in Tuesday’s clash between the pair in Milan. Needing only to avoid defeat to take first place, La Real secured a 0-0 draw that means they are one of the eight seeds in the last-16 draw.
RB Salzburg claimed Group D’s Europa League ticket despite a 3-1 home defeat to Benfica, who have been pipped to third on goals scored.
Who qualified for the UCL round of 16 on Wednesday?
In Group F, this season’s ‘group of death’, with Newcastle and AC Milan still alive, it was Paris Saint-Germain who joined Borussia Dortmund in the round of 16 on Wednesday. Second-placed PSG were the only member of the group (outside Dortmund) with their fate in their hands: the Parisians went through after drawing 1-1 with Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park. Newcastle and Milan, meanwhile, needed to win and hope for a favour from Dortmund, which didn’t come.
In Group H, Porto and Shakhtar Donetsk went head to head to advance alongside Barcelona, with the Portuguese side winning 5-3 to seal their fate in the next round.
When is the UCL round of 16 draw?
The draw for the 2023/24 Champions League round of 16, which will be held at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, is to take place on Monday 18 December 2023, at 6 a.m. ET / 3 a.m. PT. You’ll be able to follow live-text coverage of the draw right here at AS USA.
When are the UCL round of 16 ties?
The first legs of the round of 16 ties will be played on 13, 14, 20 and 21 February 2024, with the returns following on 5, 6, 12 and 13 March 2024.