PARIS: After 126 matches, 426 goals, five hat-tricks and 28 red cards, the Champions League group stage reaches its climax on Wednesday with 30 of the 36 clubs still in contention for the final evening of action across Europe.
Arsenal, the only team with a 100% record, and Bayern Munich cannot finish outside the top eight and are therefore automatically qualified for the knockout stages with title holders Paris St Germain, Real Madrid and Liverpool among the clubs fighting for direct passage.
The bottom four – Kairat Almaty, Villarreal, Slavia Prague and Eintracht Frankfurt – are all eliminated, while 13 clubs are assured of at least one playoff spot. 17 other teams will compete for the remaining places, with all 18 matches starting at the same time on Wednesday.
The top eight receive a bye to the round of 16 while the next 16 teams enter Friday’s play-off draw, although PSG demonstrated last season that there were no obstacles to lifting the trophy.
But the storylines are complex, as some teams try to avoid playoff danger by clinching a top-eight spot, while others desperately try to earn themselves a lifeline by avoiding finishing under the 24th-place playoff trap.
Arsenal could become the first team to win all eight matches since the league stage was introduced last season. They host Kairat, who are bottom of the table with just one point.
Bayern’s only defeat in Europe came at Arsenal in November. Vincent Kompany’s team will travel to PSV Eindhoven for their final match.
Six more automatic places are available on the final night with Real, Liverpool, PSG, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and Chelsea all with their top eight destiny firmly in their hands.
Real, 15-time winners of the competition, will earn a place in the round of 16 with victory against José Mourinho’s Benfica. Liverpool will join them if they beat Qarabag at Anfield, while Tottenham know victory at Eintracht Frankfurt will also allow them to bypass the play-offs despite their domestic struggles.
The highlight clash of the evening will see sixth-placed PSG host seventh-placed Newcastle, with both teams on 13 points and with identical goal differences.
Whoever wins advances, while the loser would likely fall in the playoffs. A draw would leave both teams sweating.
“It’s a competition that we clearly like, which is a positive thing. Of course our aim is to finish in the top eight and beat a very good Newcastle team who have a different style, courageous and physical,” PSG coach Luis Enrique told reporters on the eve of the match in the French capital.
Eighth-place Chelsea (13 points) would likely take victory against a Napoli side struggling for survival, although they could still drop on goal difference with several clubs also 13 points just below the line.
DROP-OFF POINTS
With one or both of PSG and Newcastle definitely dropping points, Barcelona, Sporting Lisbon, Manchester City, Atletico Madrid and Atalanta, who all have 13 points, head into the final night with a top eight finish in sight.
A good win for Barca at home against Copenhagen would probably be enough, but a close victory could leave them vulnerable on goal difference, although Sporting finish with a tough test against Athletic Bilbao who are fighting for a playoff place.
“We have to respect Copenhagen,” Barca manager Hansi Flick said on Tuesday. “The most important thing is that we do our job and play our best. It won’t be an easy match. The goal is to finish in the top eight.”
City must beat visitors Galatasaray and hope for the best to avoid the playoffs, where their hopes ended last season, while a win for the Turkish side guarantees a playoff spot.
A City win could mean six notable English teams finish in the top eight.
“I prefer to have more (points) but this is what we deserve,” City manager Pep Guardiola, whose team is fighting for four trophies, said on Tuesday. “We have to concentrate and try to win our match and then see what position we finish.”
Atletico could also move into the top eight with a big margin of victory at home to Norwegians Bodo/Glimt, while Atalanta should pile on the goals from Belgian side Union St Gilloise and hope mistakes elsewhere sneak in.
If Inter Milan, 14th after losing three matches in a row, and Juventus, 15th (both with 12 points) are assured of a playoff spot, they will want to secure a seed by finishing between ninth and 16th place.
Inter, last season’s finalists, finished in 16th place behind Borussia Dortmund (11 points), while Juve will travel to Monaco.
“We want to win and see what happens in the end,” Dortmund coach Niko Kovac said on Tuesday. “Inter also have a goal and they can more easily reach the last eight with a win.”
Azeris Qarabag are on course to reach the round of 16 for the first time after a final victory against Eintracht last week.
Olympique Marseille, Bayer Leverkusen, Monaco, PSV, Bilbao and Olympiacos complete the current top 24, but seven clubs below them could force their way back into contention with Marseille’s clash at Club Brugge, who must win to avoid elimination, likely one of many tense clashes.
“ABSOLUTE MAXIMUM”
Italian champions Naples are the most notable team in danger of missing the knockout stage. They are 25th – behind Olympiacos due to fewest goals scored.
“Tomorrow night we will need the absolute maximum of our performance level,” Napoli midfielder Scott McTominay told reporters on Tuesday.
FC Copenhagen also have eight points but travel to Barça for their last match.
Former European champions Benfica and Ajax Amsterdam find themselves in the last chance room with elimination imminent. The same goes for Bodo/Glimt, Pafos and Union St Gilloise.
Benfica (29th) must beat Real and hope for favorable results elsewhere, while four-time winners Ajax (32nd) must beat Olympiacos then pray for a miracle.
Eliminated debutants Kairat and Villarreal have lost six of seven matches. Slavia are yet to win, while Eintracht sacked coach Dino Toppmoeller earlier this month after a poor run of results in Germany and Europe.
Published in Dawn, January 28, 2026
