The Champions League roadmap has been confirmed after a dramatic final matchday saw Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain fall into the playoff round.
Real Madrid started the day in third place in the 36-team league table but dropped to ninth following a 4–2 defeat away to Benfica. Despite Kylian Mbappé scoring twice, Madrid missed out on automatic qualification to the last 16 by one place.
The match in Lisbon was decided late and in extraordinary fashion. Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin scored a stoppage-time header in the eighth minute of added time while Madrid were down to nine players after red cards for Raúl Asencio and Rodrygo. The goal secured Benfica’s place in the knockout phase on goal difference.
Madrid’s fall out of the top eight was confirmed when Sporting CP scored late in a 3–2 win at Athletic Club, pushing them above the Spanish giants.
Paris Saint-Germain also failed to secure a direct route to the last 16. A 1–1 draw at home to Newcastle saw both teams slide down the table, finishing 11th and 12th respectively.
At the top of the standings, Arsenal finished first after winning all eight league-phase matches, with Bayern Munich ending second. Liverpool, Barcelona, Manchester City, Chelsea, Tottenham and Sporting CP also qualified directly for the round of 16.
Elsewhere, Benfica claimed the final knockout spot in 24th place, while Marseille were eliminated after a 3–0 loss at Club Brugge. Napoli also exited the competition after losing 3–2 at home to Chelsea, with João Pedro scoring twice.
Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt advanced after a 2–1 away win over Atlético Madrid, underlining the value of their earlier victory over Manchester City.
What Happens Next
Teams that finished ninth to 24th, including Real Madrid, PSG, Newcastle and Inter Milan, will now contest the Champions League playoffs. The draw takes place on Friday, with two-legged ties played in February.
The winners of those ties will progress to the round of 16, which begins in March, where they will join the teams that finished in the top eight.
With the league phase complete, the Champions League now enters its decisive knockout stage, and several of Europe’s biggest clubs face a longer route as the race for the trophy continues.
