As the league phase draws to a close, there will still be plenty of shake-ups happening in the Champions League. Only Barcelona and Liverpool have clinched their places in the top eight, automatically placing them in the knockout stages, but many teams will be looking to join them. Also worth keeping an eye on is the bottom half of the table, where Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain face off and, should they lose, they could find themselves on the outside looking in at the knockout stages. With all matches kicking off at 3 p.m. ET on Wednesday, January 29, the chaos will be on full display, but let’s take a look at what some of the notable teams need to close out the championship stage.
Liverpool
Table position: 1st
Points: 21
Opponent of the eighth day: PSV
What is needed: The only team currently to achieve a perfect seven wins in seven matches, no one has managed to slow down Arne Slot’s Reds in the Champions League. Against PSV, Liverpool will be favored as all they need is a draw to ensure they finish top of the table in the very first phase of the league, locking in the No.1 seed for the round of 16. final. From Mohamed Salah’s dominance to key contributions from players like Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez, Liverpool can never be considered out of a game and no one will want to face them in the round of 16 where they have already secured their place. This couldn’t be a much better UCL slate for the Reds, but finishing things off on the right foot is key to momentum.
Barcelona
Table position: 2nd
Points: 18
Opponent of the eighth day: Atalanta
What is needed: Hansi Flick’s men faced quite a tough challenge to close out the UCL Championship stage hosting Atalanta at home. Although their place in the top eight is already assured, Barcelona will still want to win this clash because with a win and a Liverpool loss, Barca can finish at the top of the table on goal difference. The highest scoring team in the Champions League so far, Barcelona’s attack was led by Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha, putting crooked numbers in front of the teams as they went. Atalanta has also been one of the better defensive teams, but stopping Barcelona is something the teams have not been able to do. In the only match of the final day between two teams currently in the top eight, there will be plenty of reasons to keep an eye on this.
Arsenal
Table position: 3rd
Points: 16
Opponent of the eighth day: Girona
What is needed: With 16 points secured, the Gunners can secure a place in the top eight without a win, but at least securing a draw will guarantee them a place straight into the knockout stages. Despite only allowing two goals in the UCL, Arsenal managed to lose one game and draw another, otherwise they would also be in contention for first place. It won’t matter when all is said and done given that Mikel Arteta has at least achieved the goal of taking his team as high as possible in the table, even without Bukayo Saka. The Round of 16 will be where it becomes real, but all you have to do is get there to stand a chance.
Between
Table position: 4th
Points: 16
Opponent of the eighth day: Monaco
What is needed: Like Arsenal, a win or a draw and Inter secure their place in the top eight in the standings. The problem is that Monaco will also be aiming for victory to try to maintain their own top-eight ranking, as they are one of six teams tied on 13 points who can cause chaos on the final day. Inter turned the UCL into a clock by showing up and winning almost every game, 1-0. They’ve scored eight goals and allowed just one in seven matches, but what’s important lately is that Lautaro Martinez is back to his best. The Argentine striker has scored or assisted in six consecutive matches and will be considered to defeat Monaco and finish the job.
Milan
Table position: 6th
Points: 15
Opponent of the eighth day: Dinamo Zagreb
What is needed: The rollercoaster of a campaign that began with Paulo Fonseca as coach and now sees Sergio Conceicao overseeing the team has not derailed Milan’s Champions League chances. Their defense leaves a lot to be desired, but Christian Pulisic’s goals ensure that as long as Milan win, they qualify for the knockout stages. In the event of a draw, they can also secure their place with a little help, but that’s where their goal difference of just plus four can make things tricky. Teams like Leverkusen, Aston Villa and Monaco can all easily beat that, and with so many teams tied on 13 points, there’s no reason to leave it to chance against a Zagreb side eliminated with a defeat in the match.
Bayern Munich
Table position: 15
Points: 12
Opponent of the eighth day: Slavic Bratislava
What is needed: Well, it’s clear that Bayern have to win, and unless they sleepwalk against Slovan Bratislava, they will, but it’s a nice picture of the new UCL format. A team like Bayern would have easily finished top two in their group, but after suffering a shock defeat to Feyenoord, Vincent Kompany’s men will struggle to make the top eight to progress straight to the knockout stages, but with a sufficiently large victory and With the help of elsewhere, it is still possible to rank among the top eight with 16 points. All Bayern can do is control what’s in front of them and finish as high as possible in the table. Slovan are conceding more than three goals per game in the UCL, so there is a good chance that Bayern’s plus-six goal difference will increase significantly.
Real Madrid
Table position: 16th
Points: 12
Opponent of the eighth day: Brest
What is needed: When Real Madrid are struggling early in the UCL match, that’s when the world needs to pay attention, because they are at their most dangerous when it matters most. This team hasn’t won five of the last ten Champions League titles by accident and while they have a chance to move into the top eight with a win, it’s more likely that Real Madrid will be in the playoffs as a team that no one will want. face. Kylian Mbappe recorded his first hat-trick for the club at the right time as he will be sought after for any glory they can achieve this season. Los Blancos will not be worried despite their performance to this point.
Juventus
Table position: 17th
Points: 12
Opponent of the eighth day: Benfica
What is needed: Among the teams tied on 12 points, Juventus are perhaps the least likely to finish in the top eight due to their scoring woes. Randal Kolo Muani has been brought in to help resolve these issues, but he cannot participate in the Champions League until the round of 16 because he is already registered with PSG. Facing Benfica who also need a victory to reach the stadium, it will be anything but an easy match for Thiago Motta’s men, already qualified but who need help to go further.
Paris Saint-Germain
Table position: 22
Points: 10
Opponent of the eighth day: VfB Stuttgart
What is needed: PSG picked up a massive victory over Manchester City, but that doesn’t mean they’re out of the woods yet. With only 10 points, they are masters of their destiny but can only guarantee their qualification for the round of 16 with a victory. Stuttgart have been on a tear since their start to the league stage, meaning this could be a fascinating match in Germany. The winner will make the knockouts but the loser will need help from those around him. New signing Khvicha Kvaratskhelia also can’t play for Luis Enrique until the knockout stage, so he will certainly call on PSG to get the job done.
Manchester City
Table position: 25
Points: Eight
Opponent of the eighth day: Club Brugge
What is needed: The stakes couldn’t be higher for Pep Guardiola’s side. Manchester City were among the top contenders to win the Champions League and they are making fun of the away side looking at the table. The goal may be simple, but this is a team where execution has been an issue. If City beat Brugge they will take the next step and play at home, which is exactly what they will be expected to do, but the defense has collapsed even with a three goal lead in this competition to lose points . If Brugge win, they will also be in the knockout stage, something Christos Tzolis will have in mind when leading the attack at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday. The pressure is all on City.
