The 2025/2026 Champions League has not yet revealed all its secrets. If we already know several clubs qualified – for the round of 16 or for the play-offs – and others already eliminated, the suspense still remains largely intact in the competition table at the dawn of the eighth and final day, scheduled for this Wednesday January 28 at 9 p.m.
As a reminder, the clubs in the first eight places in the final ranking will be directly qualified for the round of 16 of the competition which will be played on March 10 and 11 for the first legs and March 17 and 18 for the return matches. The teams finishing between 9th and 24th places will participate in play-offs (February 17/18 and 24/25) to try to join these 8 clubs, while those beyond will leave Europe.
13 clubs sure to be at least play-offs
Two clubs are already assured of avoiding these play-offs and joining directly the eighth: Arsenal (1st) and Bayern Munich (2nd). With their seven victories in as many matches, the Gunners are even sure to finish in one of the first two places and therefore to benefit from the advantage of receiving all the return matches until the semi-final, if they go all the way.
Conversely, at the bottom of the ranking, Eintracht Frankfurt, Kairat Almaty, Slavia Prague and Villarreal are the four teams eliminated. Between the two, thirteen other clubs no longer have the fear of elimination from the regular phase but are waiting to know their exact place: Real Madrid, Liverpool, Tottenham, PSG, Newcastle, Chelsea, Barça, Sporting, Manchester City, Atlético Madrid, Atalanta, Inter Milan and Juventus.
To ensure their place in the top 8, the reigning European champions Paris, 6th before the last day, will have to beat their first pursuer Newcastle (also 13 points) at the Parc des Princes and count on other favorable results.
The program for the 18 matches this Wednesday at 9 p.m.:
- Ajax Amsterdam – Olympiacos
- Arsenal – Kairat Almaty
- Athletic Bilbao – Sporting Portugal
- Atlético de Madrid – Bodö/Glimt
- FC Barcelone – Copenhague
- Bayer Leverkusen – Villarreal
- Benfica – Real Madrid
- Club Bruges – Marseille Olympic
- Borussia Dortmund – Inter Milan
- Eintracht Francfort – Tottenham
- Liverpool – Karabakh
- Manchester City – Galatasaray
- AS Monaco – Juventus Turin
- Naples – Chelsea
- Paphos – Slavia Prague
- PSG – Newcastle
- PSV Eindhoven – Bayern Munich
- Union Saint-Gilloise – Atalanta Bergamo
There are therefore 17 clubs still in the race for the play-offs for only nine places. Among them, the two other French clubs: Marseille (19th with 9 points) and Monaco (21st with as many points). The Phocaeans will take on the pitch of Club Bruges, also in search of qualification (27th, 7 pts) while the Principality club will welcome Juve for a final big match as the Old Lady will play for their place in the top 8.
