How the new Champions League knockout phase play-offs work as Man City battle to make it

The new-look 36-team Champions League has finally reached the climax of the League Phase with plenty still hanging in the balance. The inaugural edition of the revamped competition is set for an exciting last day with only two teams having sealed their knockout spot. Arsenal are all-but guaranteed a top-eight finish with Aston Villa hoping to joinGetty Liverpool and Barcelona are already through, but 25 of the 36 teams are still anxiously awaiting their fate. The old four-team group stage format meant many fixtures at this corresponding stage were dead rubbers with nothing to play for. UEFA also used to provide the safety net of dropping down to the Europa League, however, straight elimination is now the price to pay. The free-for-all long table means results elsewhere will prove pivotal to deciding whether sides will finish in the top eight or just miss out. How do the knockout phase play-offs work? As a result of the Champions League expansion, teams that finish in the top eight of the table will automatically qualify for the last-16. Clubs that end from ninth to 24th can still reach the knockouts but via successfully winning a two-legged play-off. From the play-offs onwards, the Champions League format evolves from a table to a bracket. The teams that finish between 9th and 16th after the League Phase will be seeded for the draw and have the return leg at home. They will play a side that ended between 17th and 24th – with teams finishing ninth and tenth facing the club that ended 23rd or 24th. The eight victorious play-off winners will complete the Champions League last-16, with the losers being eliminated altogether. Top-eight guaranteed: Liverpool, Barcelona Top-24 guaranteed (at least): Arsenal, Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid, AC Milan, Atalanta, Bayer Leverkusen, Aston Villa, Monaco, Feyenoord, Lille, Brest, Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Juventus, Celtic In the balance: PSV, Club Brugge, Benfica, PSG, Sporting, Stuttgart, Manchester City, Dinamo Zagreb, Shakhtar Donetsk Eliminated: Bologna, Sparta Prague, Leipzig, Girona, Red Star Belgrade, Sturm Graz, Salzburg, Slovan Bratislava, Young Boys The Champions League trophy is one of the only things that remains the same about this premier competitionGetty Champions League: How to follow All 18 games will be played on Wednesday, January 29. Kick-off around Europe is simultaneously scheduled for 8pm. talkSPORT will have live coverage from Aston Villa against Celtic, with Adrian Durham serving as your presenter from the Etihad Stadium. Commentary will come from Jim Proudfoot and former England captain Andy Townsend. talkSPORT 2 will also be on hand for City’s do-or-die clash with Club Brugge, with Ian Danter and Stuart Pearce on the microphone. talkSPORT.com will also have updates from ALL 18 matches in our dedicated live Champions League blog. To tune in to talkSPORT through the website, click HERE for the live stream. You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM. Manchester City are in major danger of eliminationGetty Champions League fixtures Here, are the full fixtures for matchday eight… Aston Villa (9th) v Celtic (18th) Barcelona (2nd) v Atalanta (7th) Bayer Leverkusen (8th) v Sparta Prague (29th) Bayern Munich (15th) v Slovan Bratislava (35th) Borussia Dortmund (14th) v Shakhtar Donetsk (27th) Brest (13th) v Real Madrid (16th) Dinamo Zagreb (26th) v AC Milan (6th) Girona (31st) v Arsenal (3rd) Inter Milan (4th) v Monaco (10th) Juventus (17th) v Benfica (21st) Lille (12th) v Feyenoord (11th) Man City (25th) v Brugge (20th) PSV (19th) v Liverpool (1st) RB Salzburg (34th) v Atletico Madrid (5th) Sporting Lisbon (23rd) v Bologna (28th) Sturm Graz (33rd) v RB Leipzig (30th) Stuttgart (24th) v PSG (22nd) Young Boys (36th) v Red Star Belgrade (32nd)

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Jan 28, 2025 - 09:14

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The new-look 36-team Champions League has finally reached the climax of the League Phase with plenty still hanging in the balance.

The inaugural edition of the revamped competition is set for an exciting last day with only two teams having sealed their knockout spot.

Liverpool and Barcelona are already through, but 25 of the 36 teams are still anxiously awaiting their fate.

The old four-team group stage format meant many fixtures at this corresponding stage were dead rubbers with nothing to play for.

UEFA also used to provide the safety net of dropping down to the Europa League, however, straight elimination is now the price to pay.

The free-for-all long table means results elsewhere will prove pivotal to deciding whether sides will finish in the top eight or just miss out.

As a result of the Champions League expansion, teams that finish in the top eight of the table will automatically qualify for the last-16.

Clubs that end from ninth to 24th can still reach the knockouts but via successfully winning a two-legged play-off.

From the play-offs onwards, the Champions League format evolves from a table to a bracket.

The teams that finish between 9th and 16th after the League Phase will be seeded for the draw and have the return leg at home.

They will play a side that ended between 17th and 24th – with teams finishing ninth and tenth facing the club that ended 23rd or 24th.

The eight victorious play-off winners will complete the Champions League last-16, with the losers being eliminated altogether.

Top-eight guaranteed: Liverpool, Barcelona
Top-24 guaranteed (at least): Arsenal, Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid, AC Milan, Atalanta, Bayer Leverkusen, Aston Villa, Monaco, Feyenoord, Lille, Brest, Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Juventus, Celtic
In the balance: PSV, Club Brugge, Benfica, PSG, Sporting, Stuttgart, Manchester City, Dinamo Zagreb, Shakhtar Donetsk
Eliminated: Bologna, Sparta Prague, Leipzig, Girona, Red Star Belgrade, Sturm Graz, Salzburg, Slovan Bratislava, Young Boys