The final round of Champions League fixtures has concluded, and after a night of intense drama, the teams advancing to the knockout stage have been determined. For the first time, the full list of clubs progressing beyond the league phase is clear, with several British teams securing their places.
British clubs shine as knockout spots secured
Manchester City staged a comeback against Club Brugge to seal a play-off berth, joining Celtic in the next round. Meanwhile, Arsenal and Aston Villa confirmed their progression to the last 16, where they join Liverpool, who had already guaranteed their place. With all five British teams making it through, the competition remains wide open.
The eight clubs that earned direct qualification to the last 16 are Liverpool, Barcelona, Arsenal, Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, Lille, and Aston Villa.
Meanwhile, the teams advancing to the play-off round include Atalanta, Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, AC Milan, PSV, Paris Saint-Germain, Benfica, Monaco, Brest, Feyenoord, Juventus, Celtic, Manchester City, Sporting, and Club Brugge.
Several teams saw their European campaigns come to an end, including Dinamo Zagreb, Stuttgart, Shakhtar Donetsk, Bologna, Sparta Prague, Leipzig, Girona, Red Star Belgrade, Sturm Graz, Salzburg, Slovan Bratislava, and Young Boys.
Knockout play-off matchups and potential last-16 clashes
The play-off round, scheduled for 11-12 and 18-19 February, will see clubs placed between ninth and 24th battling over two legs for a place in the last 16. The official draw will be held on Friday, 31 January, at 11:00 GMT, but teams already have a rough idea of their possible opponents based on their final standings.
One of either Celtic or Manchester City will be drawn against reigning European champions Real Madrid, with the other set to take on Bayern Munich. Should either progress, they will meet either Atletico Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen in the last 16.
Elsewhere, Juventus and AC Milan have a 50% chance of facing each other, while Paris Saint-Germain are guaranteed a clash with a fellow French side – either Monaco or Brest.
Who faces who in the last 16?
With the group winners now decided, teams in the last 16 have a clearer picture of their potential opponents. Liverpool and Barcelona, who finished in the top two, will not meet before the final, ensuring two heavyweights remain on separate paths.
Liverpool’s possible opponents in the next round are Monaco, Brest, PSG, or Benfica, while Barcelona will take on one of those four as well. Arsenal, who finished third, will go up against either Feyenoord, Juventus, AC Milan, or PSV. Aston Villa, after securing their last-16 spot with a victory over Celtic, will face one of Sporting, Club Brugge, Atalanta, or Borussia Dortmund.
The last-16 ties are set for 4-5 and 11-12 March, but clubs will not know their exact opponents until the draw takes place on 21 February. This draw will also determine the quarter-final and semi-final pathways.
Possible British showdowns in later rounds
As the knockout phase unfolds, there is a chance of all-British clashes in the latter stages. Should both Liverpool and Aston Villa emerge victorious in their last-16 ties, they could meet in the quarter-finals. Similarly, Arsenal might find themselves up against either Celtic or Manchester City.
Beyond that, the potential exists for British teams to meet in the semi-finals or even the final, depending on the draw. The full bracket will become clearer on 21 February, when the remaining fixtures are set in stone.
