Champions League final round: 17 teams fight for knockout spots Wednesday

Fifteen clubs have already secured passage to the Champions League knockout rounds, but 17 teams remain in contention for the final places when all 18 games kick off simultaneously this Wednesday. Arsenal (7 wins from 7) and Bayern Munich are the only two clubs guaranteed direct entry to the last 16. Arsenal could become the first team to win all eight league phase games when they host bottom-placed Kairat Almaty. Real Madrid, Liverpool, and Tottenham can bypass Friday's play-off draw with victories—Real visits Benfica, Liverpool hosts Qarabag at Anfield, and Tottenham travels to Eintracht Frankfurt. Eight teams locked on 13 points (places 6-13) include PSG (hosting Newcastle), Chelsea (at Napoli), Barcelona, and Manchester City, all chasing top-eight finishes for direct last-16 berths. Manchester City currently occupies the final top-eight spot. Those outside the knockout places include Napoli (25th position, behind Olympiacos on goals), FC Copenhagen (8 points, at Barcelona), and former champions Benfica and Ajax, who must win to qualify. Eliminated already are debutants Kairat and Villarreal (6 losses each), plus Slavia Prague (still winless).

SOURCE: https://www.channelstv.com/2026/01/26/europes-elite-jostle-for-champions-league-last-16-places/