The penultimate day of the Champions 2025-26with an exciting Tuesday and Wednesday, with many of Europe’s greats risking everything. Some have already done their homework and are classified, at least, for the round of 16 or for the qualifying playoff for them.
These teams that know they will continue in the Champions League (either directly to the round of 16 or because they have a place in the qualifying playoff) are the Arsenal, Manchester City, Atalanta, Bayern and the current European champion, PSG by Luis Enrique. The only one who has achieved full triumphs is the leader of the Premier, the Mikel Arteta’s Arsenalwho visits Inter on Tuesday. One point is enough for the Gunners to ensure their direct passage to the last 16.
The others who are now in the ‘Top 8’ (the first 8 classified in the league phase go directly to the second round) are the following: Inter, Real Madrid and Atlético. While Barcelona has no margin for error (now 15th with 10 points, on Wednesday they visit Slavia Prague and on the 28th they host Copenhagen), Real Madrid, now led by Álvaro Arbeloa, and Atlético depend on themselves.
Real Madrid receives Ansu Fati’s Monaco on Tuesday and closes the league phase on the 28th with Arbeloa’s reunion in Da Luz with José Mourinho, now in charge of Benfica. Atlético visits Galatasaray this Wednesday and hosts Bodø/Glimt on January 28. Athletic, with 5 points, is 28th (they visit Atalanta on Wednesday and on the 28th they host Sporting de Portugal.
The last two days
Day 7
Tuesday January 20
Karat Almaty – Brujas
Bodø/Glimt – Manchester City 18.45
Copenhagen – Naples 21.00
Inter – Arsenal 21.00
Olympiacos – Bayer Leverkusen 21.00
Real Madrid – Monaco 21.00
Sporting Portugal – PSG 21.00
Tottenham – Borussia Dortmund 21.00
Villarreal – Ajax 21.00
Wednesday, January 21
Galatasaray – Atlético 18.45
Karabakh – Frankfurt 18.45
Atalanta – Athletic 21.00
Chelsea – Paphos 21.00
Bayern – Union Saint-Gilloise 21.00
Juventus – Benfica
Newcastle – PSV Eindhoven 21.00
Marseille – Liverpool 21.00
Slavia Praja – Barcelona 21.00
Day 8
Wednesday, January 28
Ajax – Olympiacos 21.00
Arsenal – Kairat Almaty 21.00
Monaco – Juventus 21.00
Athletic – Sporting de Portugal 21.00
Atlético – Bodø/Glimt 21.00
Bayer Leverkusen – Villarreal 21.00
Borussia Dortmund – Inter 21.00
Bruges – Marseille 21.00
Eintracht Frankfurt – Tottenham 9 p.m
Barcelona – Copenhagen 21.00
Liverpool – Karabakh 21.00
Manchester City – Galatasaray 21.00
Paphos – Slavia Praga 21.00
PSG – Newcastle 21.00
PSV Eindhoven – Bayern 21.00
Union Saint-Gilloise – Atalanta 21.00
Benfica – Real Madrid 21.00
Naples – Chelsea 21.00
Villarreal, with only one point added, is one of the teams with no options to reach the round of 16 of this Champions League, not even via playoff, like Kairat, bottom, also with one. Ajax, La Cerámica’s rival this Tuesday, has 3.
