It still feels weird seeing UEFA Champions League games in January, but the League Phase is almost complete, and nearly all 36 teams have something to play for. All 18 games on Matchday Eight will kick off in unison, so it’s essential to know where to look as the action unfolds on Wednesday.
Champions League Matchday Eight Guide
We’ll start at the bottom and work our way up the table. The bottom four teams, Kairat Almaty, Villareal, Slavia Prague, and Eintracht Frankfurt, are all eliminated, with four points separating the German side from the Knockout Phase Play-off.
Just above Frankfurt, six teams are on the outside looking in. Each of Ajax, Union Saint-Gilloise, Pafos, Benfica, Bodø/Glimt, and Club Brugge can still mathematically qualify, but they’ll need some other results to go their way. Keep an eye on Club Brugge vs Marseille and Ajax vs Olympiakos, as both games feature teams on both sides of the bubble.
Eight teams, all on eight or nine points, know they can’t qualify for the Knockout Phase playoffs as a seeded team, but they can make it in the unseeded fields. Based on goal difference, Copenhagen and Napoli are out as things stand, while Olympiakos, Athletic Bilbao, PSV, Monaco, Bayer Leverkusen, and Marseille are tentatively in. Still, we know how quickly things can change in the Champions League.
Qarabağ, Galatasaray, and Borussia Dortmund are in an interesting position, occupying the 18th, 17th, and 16th spots, respectively. Going into the final day, they’re the only three teams that can still advance directly to the Round of 16, the Knockout Phase Playoffs, or be eliminated.
From here, all 15 teams are at least guaranteed to qualify for the Knockout Phase Playoffs, but seeding and progressing directly to the Round of 16 will ensure nearly every team has stakes worth playing for. Juventus, Inter Milan, Atalanta, Atlético Madrid, Manchester City, Sporting CP, FC Barcelona, Chelsea, Newcastle United, and PSG will be hoping for a win and favorable results around them to ensure they finish as high up the standings as possible. PSG and Newcastle will face off, knowing a loss could send them tumbling down the standings.
Despite sitting 5th, 4th, and 3rd, respectively, Tottenham, Liverpool, and Real Madrid have not yet secured a spot in the Round of 16. Their opponents are significantly further down the standings, but don’t rule out an upset that could really shake up the top of the table.
Bayern Munich and Arsenal are the only two teams that have advanced safely into the Round of 16. The two teams squared off on Matchday Five with Mikel Arteta’s side running out 3-1 winners. Now, Bayern will need to win against PSV, overcome a substantial deficit in goal difference, and for Arsenal to lose to already-eliminated Kairat Almaty, if they want to finish atop the League Phase standings.
Gear up for Matchday Eight and the ensuing Knockout Rounds at your local Soccer Post and make sure you don’t miss any of the action when games kick off on Wednesday, Jan. 28 at 3 p.m. ET!
