The Champions League is set for a dramatic final week with some big names, notably Manchester City, pulling out to avoid elimination.
There were plenty of skeptics when UEFA unveiled a new format for its top-flight, but it provided some good storylines for matchday eight.
The biggest is whether City, the 2023 winners and four-time defending Premier League champions, will avoid relegation.
So, what do we know so far?
Top-8 guaranteed: Liverpool, Barcelona
Top-24 guaranteed (at least): Arsenal, Inter, Atletico Madrid, AC Milan, Atalanta, Bayer Leverkusen, Aston Villa, Monaco, Feyenoord, Lille, Brest, Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Juventus, Celtic
Uncertain development: PSV, Club Brugge, Benfica, PSG, Sporting, Stuttgart, Manchester City, Dinamo Zagreb, Shakhtar Donetsk
Banned: Bologna, Sparta Prague, RB Leipzig, Girona, Red Star Belgrade, Sturm Graz, Salzburg, Slovan Bratislava, Young Boys
One match left! 😲#UCL pic.twitter.com/jEYfEM9kTC
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) January 22, 2025
Possible scenarios
Top eight (places 1-8)
It takes a mathematical miracle to deny Arsenal and Inter, they are as good as they come.
The same can pretty much be said for Atletico Madrid and AC Milan.
That leaves maybe Atalanta and Bayer Leverkusen. With Leverkusen hosting lowly Sparta Prague, it seems unlikely that Xabi Alonso’s men will not progress. Atalanta must visit Barcelona, an altogether more difficult task.
If the Europa League champions slip away in Catalonia, Aston Villa could take advantage and slip into the top eight with victory over Celtic at Villa Park.
Playoffs (places 9-24)
There are some big names floating around in positions 9 to 24 right now – Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain to name but three.
Madrid and Bayern will be looking to win their final games to clinch their place, meaning they won’t be able to face another team in 9th to 16th place.
PSG’s hopes were given a major boost after they produced a stunning comeback from 2-0 down to beat Manchester City 4-2 at the Parc des Princes last night.
Onlookers (positions 25-36)
City head a list of three teams currently outside the play-off places but who could still qualify. Dinamo Zagreb and Shakhtar Donetsk are also on the list.
Pep Guardiola’s expensively assembled side are two points off the play-offs and must beat Club Brugge at the Etihad next week to have any chance. In regular seasons this could be seen as a gimmick, but City have been uncharacteristically poor this season and will face a Brugge side unbeaten in 19 games.
All other sides are eliminated.
Here are the Opta Supercomputer predictions after tonight’s games and with just one game remaining in the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League stage.
Stay informed https://t.co/EZ2xKssZGg ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/yoJYbJOBry
— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) January 22, 2025
How do the playoffs work?
Teams that finished 9 to 16 have been eliminated and will play a team that finished 17 to 24 over two legs with the second leg at home.
Teams are split into pairs for a mini raffle. Thus, the teams finishing ninth and 10th will play the teams finishing 23rd or 24th. Similarly, the teams finishing 11th and 12th will play the teams finishing 21st or 22nd.
The eight teams that win the play-off round will advance to the round of 16 to face the eight teams that automatically qualified through the group stage.
When is the playoff draw?
The draw will take place at 11 am. UK GMT on Friday 31 January.
i ️ New format. New draw.#UCLdraw | #UELdraw | #UECLdraw pic.twitter.com/QKTwVPMhQU
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) August 20, 2024
When are the playoffs?
They go up in two weeks.
The first matches will take place on February 11 and 12 with the second leg a week later on February 18 and 19.
