The chips are down. After eight days spread over five months of competition, the league phase of the Champions League ended this Wednesday evening at the end of a multiplex full of twists and turns. The final ranking, which already allows us to project ourselves onto the final table, is now fixed.
To be credited with a perfect regular season, concluded with an easy home success against Kairat Almaty (3-2), Arsenal finished on top with a faultless run: eight victories in eight matches.
The rest of the top 8 is completed by Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Tottenham, Barcelona, Chelsea, Sporting and Manchester City. All its teams will avoid the play-off round and will resume competition in March, at the round of 16 stage.
Held in check by Newcastle (1-1), Paris Saint-Germain will, like last season, have to play a round of play-offs.
As for the teams ranked between 9th and 24th place, they validated their ticket for the play-offs this Wednesday and will decide their fate after the draw scheduled for Friday, January 30.
Olympique de Marseille, crucified by its defeat against Bruges and the last minute goal of the Benfica goalkeeper against Real Madrid (4-2) at the same time, will not be concerned.
On the other hand, Monaco, 21st, will see the play-offs benefiting from its good draw against Juventus Turin (0-0).
Among the big fish already sent home, we find in particular Athletic Bilbao (29th), Naples (30th) and Villarreal (35th).
Worth a look
