UCL: Chelsea, Barca, Newcastle join qualified teams as knockout stages approach
Chelsea, Barcelona, Newcastle United, and Juventus have secured their places in either the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 or the knockout phase play-offs after the latest round of group stage matches. Arsenal and Bayern Munich have already qualified directly for the Round of 16.
The competition's format means the top eight teams in the group standings advance directly to the last-16. Teams finishing between ninth and 24th will enter the knockout phase play-offs, with winners of those ties joining the direct qualifiers in the Round of 16.
Other teams confirmed for the knockout phase include: Inter Milan, Liverpool, Manchester City, PSG, Real Madrid, Sporting CP, Tottenham, Atalanta, and Atletico Madrid. The group stage concludes in December, with the knockout phase play-offs scheduled for February 2026.
For Nigerian football fans, this means eye-catching matchups could emerge between European giants and Nigerian players abroad, such as Victor Osimhen (currently with Galatasaray) or Ademola Lookman (Atalanta). Who would you want to see in the last-16?