The inaugural league phase of the UEFA Champions League reached a high-octane conclusion on Wednesday night as 18 simultaneous fixtures across the continent finalized the tournament bracket. Arsenal cemented their status as the team to beat, maintaining a perfect record with a 3-2 victory over Kairat Almaty to secure the top seed.
Bayern Munich followed closely in second place after defeating PSV Eindhoven, joining a prestigious group of automatic qualifiers that includes Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Barcelona, Chelsea, Sporting CP, and Manchester City. These eight powerhouses bypass the knockout playoffs and advance directly to the Round of 16 in March.
The new format’s intensity left several European giants facing a difficult path forward, as clubs finishing between 9th and 24th must now navigate a two-legged playoff round in February. Real Madrid headlines this group after a shock 4-2 defeat to Benfica, joined by other heavyweights such as Inter Milan, Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus, and Atletico Madrid. Premier League side Newcastle United also enters the playoff fray alongside Atalanta, Bayer Leverkusen, and Borussia Dortmund. This high-stakes “middle tier” features a mix of seasoned champions and emerging threats like Bodo/Glimt and Qarabag, all fighting for the final eight spots in the knockout stage.
UEFA will conduct the official draw for these knockout playoffs this Friday, January 30, in Nyon. The seeded teams—those finishing between 9th and 16th—will have the advantage of playing the second leg at home against the unseeded teams from the 17th to 24th positions. With the competition narrowing down, the pressure shifts to the playoff participants to find their form before the continental action resumes next month.
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