UEFA Champions League: Who has made last 16? Who might not qualify? What do Manchester City, Arsenal, Celtic need?
Updated 28/01/2025 at 14:25 GMT
Ready for a night of high-stakes UEFA Champions League action? The final evening of the competition's league phase on January 29 will see 18 - EIGHTEEN - matches taking place concurrently, as all 36 teams play their final, defining ties. Who can relax knowing their fate is secure? And who faces a stressful night of waiting and wondering? Stream the action live on discovery+.
Highlights: Man City on UCL brink after astonishing PSG comeback
Video credit: TNT Sports
The UEFA Champions League's new format has delivered spades of drama already - but you ain't seen nothing yet!
The eighth and final league-phase matchday is nearly upon us, and it could be one of the most epic nights in the history of the competition, with heavyweight heartbreak and surprise stories likely on the menu.
Matchday seven saw some huge results in the context of the competition, with Paris Saint-Germain showing a new side of themselves to defeat a beleaguered Manchester City, while Celtic beat Young Boys to give themselves a big chance of progress.
Ahead of a Wednesday that could go down in history - and that you can watch live on TNT Sports and discovery+ - here's the state of play on who is through, who is battling for automatic and play-off qualification, and who is on their way out...
Already through: Liverpool, Barcelona
Virtually through: Arsenal, Inter, Atletico Madrid, AC Milan
Battling for top 8: Atalanta, Bayer Leverkusen, Aston Villa, Monaco, Feyenoord, Lille, Brest, Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Juventus, Celtic
Trying to hold onto play-off spot: PSV, Club Brugge, Benfica, PSG, Sporting, VFB Stuttgart
Currently eliminated but with play-off chance: Man City, Dinamo Zagreb, Shakhtar Donetsk
Already eliminated: Bologna, Sparta Praha, RB Leipzig, Girona, Crvena zvezda, Sturm Graz, RB Salzburg, Slovan Bratislava, Young Boys
League table as it stands
Top 8
Play-off spots: 9-24
Currently eliminated: 25-36
Matchday 8 fixtures
Wednesday, January 29 - all 8pm UK time
- Dinamo Zagreb v AC Milan
- Inter v Monaco
- Barcelona v Atalanta
- Bayer Leverkusen v Sparta Prague
- Sturm Graz v RB Leipzig
- Red Bull Salzburg v Atletico Madrid
- Lille v Feyenoord
- Young Boys v Crvenz Zvezda
- Aston Villa v Celtic
- Bayern Munich v Slovan Bratislava
- Sporting v Bologna
- Borussia Dortmund v Shakhtar Donetsk
- PSV v Liverpool
- Stuttgart v Paris Saint-Germain
- Girona v Arsenal
- Brest v Real Madrid
- Juventus v Benfica
- Man City v Club Brugge
What do British teams need to progress?
The answer to that for Liverpool is nothing. The Reds have been the perfect front-runner in this league-phase race so far, winning seven from seven, and only have first place in the table to play for on the final matchday.
Barcelona are the only ones who can catch them after the Catalans' miraculous comeback win over Benfica last time out.
Arsenal have all but joined Arne Slot's side in the last 16, barring a huge swing in the last matchday that would involve The Gunners losing and a swathe of other teams racking up wins and goals.
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Highlights: Arsenal cruise past Zagreb to close in on top-eight finish
Video credit: TNT Sports
Now is where it gets interesting, with Aston Villa's fate wholly unknown. Unai Emery's men won their first three games in this year's competition, but have only won once in their last four, slipping to ninth as it stands, one place outside the automatic qualification spots.
With 14 teams currently having between 12 and 15 points - Villa have 13 - there is going to be a royal bun fight on the final night, with the Villans hosting Celtic targeting a win to boost their top-eight hopes.
Who expected Manchester City to be 25th ahead of the final league-phase denouement, one spot outside the play-offs?
It's been some downward turn for Pep Guardiola's team, and they have it all to do in their last tie at home to Club Brugge.
Conveniently, with Brugge placed above them in the table in 20th, all City have to do is beat the Belgians, and they would then jump up and usurp at least one team, which is all they need to do to reach the play-offs.
But with this season going as it has for The Citizens, you sense it may not be the foregone conclusion that it might have once appeared.
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'It's weird' - Grealish questions Man City confidence after chastening PSG loss
Video credit: TNT Sports
Celtic dug out a potentially invaluable three points by beating Young Boys on January 22, and they have put themselves right in the mix of play-off qualification.
Their tie with Villa will be huge for both sides.
Which heavyweights are in danger?
Paris Saint-Germain might have been dancing in the rain after their momentous comeback victory over City, but danger still lurks for them.
They sit a precarious 22nd in the table, with a tricky away tie to Stuttgart left to play on matchday eight.
A trio of juggernauts sit - surprisingly - between 15th and 17th, namely Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Juventus.
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Highlights: Mbappe and Vinicius Junior strike as Real Madrid seal vital three points
Video credit: TNT Sports
Might one or more have a nasty shock in store? Whilst all can in theory still reach the top eight, there is also a slim chance they could yet be squeezed out of the play-offs.
Bayern host already eliminated Slovan Bratislava next Wednesday, while Real Madrid travel to Brest, and Juve welcome Benfica to Turin.
What does the supercomputer say?
The league table is the league table, but we have also consulted our friends at Opta to get the percentage chances of where each team will finish come the end of matchday eight...
With every team from third to 27th having something to play for, it promises to be a night to remember.
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Stream the final league-phase UEFA Champions League matchday on discovery+
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