LIST: See the qualified teams for the next round of the UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League has entered a decisive phase after the conclusion of matchday eight, with eight clubs securing direct qualification to the round of 16 under the competition’s new league-format system.
Premier League sides dominated the top eight, claiming five of the automatic qualification places and underlining England’s strong presence in this season’s tournament. Arsenal finished top of the league standings after completing a perfect run, sealing first place with a dramatic 3-2 victory over Kairat to end on 24 points. The result left the Gunners three points clear of Bayern Munich, whose only defeat of the campaign came against the north London club.
Bayern finished second with 21 points after edging PSV 2-1 away, while Liverpool claimed third place with 18 points following a commanding 6-0 demolition of Qarabag FK at Anfield. Tottenham Hotspur secured fourth place with 17 points after a disciplined 2-0 away victory over Eintracht Frankfurt.
Barcelona booked their place in the round of 16 by finishing fifth on 16 points, courtesy of a convincing 4-1 home win over Copenhagen. They were joined on the same points tally by Sporting CP, who edged Athletic Bilbao 3-2 away to secure sixth place.
Chelsea became the fourth English club to qualify automatically, finishing seventh after a narrow 3-2 victory over Napoli, a result that ended the Italian side’s Champions League campaign. Manchester City claimed the final automatic qualification spot in eighth place, with a 2-0 home win over Galatasaray taking them to 16 points and ensuring five Premier League teams progressed directly to the knockout stage.
Newcastle United narrowly missed out on automatic qualification after being held to a 1-1 draw at home by defending champions Paris Saint-Germain. Eddie Howe’s side dropped to 12th place and will now contest the knockout phase play-offs as they seek a route into the last 16.
Several traditional European heavyweights were also forced into the play-off round. Real Madrid, the most successful club in the competition’s history, finished ninth after a 4-2 defeat to Benfica, while Inter Milan placed 10th and PSG 11th. Juventus, Atletico Madrid, Atalanta and Bayer Leverkusen also failed to secure top-eight finishes and must navigate the additional knockout round.
Notably, no Italian club achieved direct qualification for the round of 16, with Inter Milan emerging as Serie A’s highest-ranked side in 10th position.
At the other end of the table, several clubs saw their European campaigns come to an end. Napoli, Marseille, Ajax, PSV, Villarreal and Eintracht Frankfurt were among those eliminated, alongside Copenhagen, Athletic Bilbao and Kairat.
With the automatic qualifiers now confirmed, attention turns to the knockout phase play-offs, where the remaining teams will battle for the final places in the Champions League round of 16.
Teams Qualifying Directly for the Round of 16;
Arsenal
Bayern Munich
Liverpool
Tottenham
Barcelona
Sporting CP
Manchester City
Teams Qualifying for the Round of 16 Play-offs;
Real Madrid
Inter Milan
PSG
Newcastle United
Juventus
Atletico Madrid
Atalanta
Leverkusen
Dortmund
Olympiacos
Clúc Brugge
Galatasaray
Monaco
Qarabag FK
Bodø/Glimt
Benfica
Eliminated Teams;
Marseille
Pafos
Union Saint-Gilloise
PSV
Athletic Bilbao
Napoli
Copenhagen
Ajax
Eintracht Frankfurt
Slavia Prague
Villarreal
Kairat
