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Solely leaders Liverpool and second-placed Barcelona are assured a spot within the Champions League knockout stage earlier than the ultimate matchday within the inaugural league section.
A complete of 16 groups have one thing to play for, together with Arsenal, Aston Villa, Celtic and a Manchester Metropolis aspect who began as favourites to win the competitors however are prone to elimination on the first hurdle.
Paris Saint-Germain, who have been additionally among the many pre-season favourites for European glory, and former champions Benfica and PSV are among the many sides who is also knocked out when the closing spherical of matches kick off at 8pm GMT on Wednesday.
Listed here are six storylines to look out for within the Matchday 8 Champions League fixtures, in addition to a take a look at the permutations.
Man Metropolis vs Brugge: Champions League must-win
Metropolis’s collapse at PSG final Wednesday means they’ve taken one level from their final 4 Champions League matches, occupy the best elimination place and are assured to exit if they don’t beat Membership Brugge at residence.
The excellent news for Metropolis is that – so long as they win – they may undergo as a result of they solely must catch one of many groups above them to progress to a two-legged knockout section play-off to achieve the spherical of 16.
They’re sure to realize that as a result of they’re three factors behind Brugge with a superior aim distinction, however the second-placed aspect in Belgium look tough, arriving on a four-game unbeaten European run that has included wins at residence to Villa and Sporting and a 1-1 draw at Celtic.
Regardless of enduring their worst ever run beneath supervisor Pep Guardiola since November, depleted Metropolis regarded nearer to their formidable finest in beating out-of-form Chelsea 3-1 at residence on Saturday to increase their unbeaten home run to seven matches.
Even when Metropolis are forward, the second half may very well be a nervy one. Guardiola’s aspect have been held at residence by Feyenoord after being 3-0 forward within the 74th minute on Matchday 5, and led 2-0 within the fifty fifth minute of their 4-2 defeat on the Parc des Princes.
Bellingham’s backheel flick 😮💨
Barcola’s nutmeg, tempo and pull-back 😍
Two outrageous assists 🥵🥵#UCLassists | @Lays_football pic.twitter.com/Aecxiurz40
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) January 22, 2025
Aston Villa vs Celtic: British sides wanting ahead
A advantageous debut within the trendy Champions League for Villa had a blip final Tuesday when a 1-0 defeat at Monaco put them exterior the automated locations for the spherical of 16 on aim distinction.
A win, then, would put them in a powerful place to robotically undergo and keep away from a play-off, whereas a draw would suffice within the unlikely-looking occasion of Leverkusen shedding at residence to eradicated Sparta Prague.
Celtic must win and hope a number of outcomes go of their favour to progress robotically, however they’re assured a play-off place and a optimistic consequence may guarantee they end within the prime eight of the 16 play-off groups, probably serving to them keep away from a gathering with stronger opponents on paper.
Villa will likely be cautious of opponents who’re 10 factors clear in Scotland and have secured attracts at Atalanta and Dinamo Zagreb, though they might have loved analysing Celtic’s 7-1 thrashing at Borussia Dortmund on Matchday 2 and the truth that their solely defeat of their final 26 video games got here in a 3-0 loss at Rangers on January 2.
Scotland captain John McGinn may make his first begin following a hamstring harm, having approaching instead in Villa’s 1-1 draw at residence to West Ham on Saturday.
A number of the saves in Wednesday’s #UCL video games have been UNREAL! 🤯
Which of those 6 was the perfect cease for you?! ⛔@QatarAirways | #LetsFly pic.twitter.com/41JCbyTAAp
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) January 22, 2025
Stuttgart vs PSG: Pair push for play-offs
PSG’s comeback towards Metropolis was their second successive Champions League victory and eased the strain on supervisor Luis Enrique round their European marketing campaign.
A visit to opponents stage on factors with them and determined for a consequence to increase their very own marketing campaign, nonetheless, represents a probably robust league section finale for the runaway French leaders, who will hope to finish the night as one of many prime eight play-off groups quite than reflecting on a shock.
They misplaced 1-0 at Bayern Munich in a repeat of the 2019/20 Champions League remaining consequence on their final journey to Germany on Matchday 5 and can anticipate higher towards opponents 16 factors behind Die Roten in Germany.
Stuttgart performed their first Champions League residence recreation in 14 years after they drew with Sparta Prague at the beginning of a combined marketing campaign at residence, additionally shedding 2-0 to knockout stage contenders Atalanta and successful 5-1 towards Younger Boys, who’ve misplaced seven out of seven.
Luis Enrique rested the likes of Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos and Joao Neves amongst six modifications in PSG’s 1-1 draw at residence to Reims on Saturday, with Bradley Barcola, Vitinha and Willian Pacho additionally prone to return from the beginning this time.
😳#UCL pic.twitter.com/GKNJRg6ntw
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) January 27, 2025
PSV vs Liverpool: Excellent league section for Reds?
Earlier than Manchester Metropolis accomplished the feat final season, Liverpool’s 2021/22 squad had been the one English aspect ever to take pleasure in an ideal Champions League group stage.
With two additional video games within the preliminary section beneath the brand new competitors format, it could be one other massively spectacular achievement for Arne Slot in his first season in cost if the Reds can win all of their league section video games.
On a extra sensible stage, defeat for Liverpool would permit Barcelona to overhaul them by successful at residence to Atalanta, however Slot has identified that luck will play its half in whether or not ending first or second proves extra beneficial by way of round-of-16 opponents.
With that statement by Slot in thoughts, Liverpool could also be tempted to relaxation the likes of prime scorer Mohamed Salah forward of their journey to in-form Bournemouth on Saturday (3pm).
Prime of the Dutch Eredivisie, PSV ended a run of three right away defeats in all competitions with a 3-2 win at eradicated Crvena zvezda and are all however mathematically assured of a play-off place, whereas they might be counting on a string of different outcomes to have hope of going by means of robotically with victory.
Slot gained certainly one of his final seven conferences with PSV throughout his tenure at former membership Feyenoord. The Farmers’ absentees embrace first-choice defender Ryan Flamingo as they put together to come across the Dutchman once more.
Curtis 🅰️
Salah ⚽️#UCL pic.twitter.com/wiAnUuOC9j
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) January 23, 2025
Actual Madrid and Bayern in chasing pack
Actual Madrid are probably the most profitable group within the historical past of the competitors and the 15-time champions alleviated any doubt over their place inside the highest 24 by successful 5-1 at residence to Salzburg on Matchday 7.
The Spanish leaders be part of six-time champions Bayern Munich, two-time winners Juventus and 2023/24 finalists Dortmund among the many groups who should win to have an opportunity of going by means of robotically quite than coming into the play-offs.
Madrid have probably the most difficult-looking fixture of these 4 groups, being the one one of many quartet to play away after they journey to a Brest aspect some extent forward of them and with designs of their very own on a top-eight end.
Dortmund host Shakhtar Donetsk, who must win and hope for a sizeable aim distinction swing if they’re to remain within the competitors, and Bayern host Slovan Bratislava, who’re but to earn some extent.
Juve have gained certainly one of their final seven video games in all competitions and are at residence to two-time champions Benfica, who’ve a slim likelihood of going out in the event that they lose.
🇧🇷🌟#UCL pic.twitter.com/ut4q01HNdh
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) January 22, 2025
Arsenal vs Girona: Gunners may log off in fashion
Arsenal are on the point of reaching the knockout stage for a second consecutive season, with solely a hefty defeat at eradicated Girona and heavy wins for the six groups instantly beneath them providing any likelihood of the Gunners coming into the play-offs.
The 2005/06 finalists are six factors behind Liverpool within the Premier League and host Manchester Metropolis on Sunday (4.30pm), so supervisor Mikel Arteta may very well be considering resting gamers, whereas Ben White, Mikel Merino and Martin Odegaard will not be rushed again from accidents and, within the case of the captain, sickness.
Relying on how Arteta views being seeded greater within the draw, he may additionally be focusing on a victory for second place, which might additionally require Barca to lose and a aim distinction swing of 4.
Competitors debutants Girona have misplaced their final three matches and their predicament has been compounded by harm doubts on the again over regulars Paulo Gazzaniga – who was in aim when Tottenham gained 2-0 at Arsenal within the 2018/19 EFL Cup – Miguel Gutierrez and Daley Blind.
Eighth-placed in Spain, they’ve misplaced 4 in a row in Europe and gone greater than six hours with out scoring since their 2-0 win at residence to Slovan on Matchday 3, giving them their solely Champions League factors thus far.
Skilled efficiency at residence ⚡️
📺 Benefit from the highlights of our win towards Dinamo Zagreb now 👇 pic.twitter.com/GNAPxuJilA
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) January 23, 2025
When are the Champions League knockout section play-offs?
Groups ending between the highest and backside eight will enter two-legged knockout section play-off ties.
The primary legs will happen on February 11 and 12, adopted by the return matches every week later. The draw to resolve the ties will likely be held on January 31.
When is the Champions League spherical of 16?
The highest eight sides and the play-off winners will participate in spherical of 16 first-leg matches on March 4 and 5, adopted by the second legs every week later.
The draw for the spherical of 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals will happen on February 21.
