The curtain will fall on the league phase of the 2025-2026 UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, January 28, with all 18 matches kicking off simultaneously at 9 p.m. WAT.

At the summit, Arsenal have already done the hard work. Seven wins from seven have placed them firmly on 21 points, guaranteeing a top-eight finish and a direct passage into the knockout phase.

Bayern Munich, despite a solitary defeat, are also well placed on 18 points and should safely follow the Gunners into the last 16. Real Madrid and Liverpool sit jointly on 15 points, both with favourable goal differences, and only an extraordinary collapse would deny either side automatic qualification.

Tottenham, PSG, Newcastle and Chelsea complete the current top eight, but their positions are far from secure. Just one point separates fifth from 13th, meaning the final standings could be reshuffled dramatically depending on results.

Barcelona, Sporting, Manchester City and Atletico Madrid are all hovering just outside the automatic places and will be watching nervously, knowing that a win coupled with dropped points elsewhere could change their fate.

Further down, the battle to remain inside the top 24 is equally fierce. Clubs such as Juventus, Inter, Dortmund and Atalanta should have enough in hand to book playoff spots, while the likes of Napoli, Copenhagen and Club Brugge are clinging on and need positive results to avoid elimination. For teams ranked 25th and below, the margins are unforgiving. One poor night could end European ambitions altogether.

Looking at the fixtures, several heavyweight clashes stand out. Benfica host Real Madrid in a game that could influence both the top eight and the playoff picture. PSG against Newcastle and Dortmund versus Inter are also likely to have a direct impact on qualification positions. Meanwhile, Arsenal, Bayern and Liverpool appear well-positioned to complete the job against less-fancied opponents.

Predicted Top Eight Finishers in the 2025-2026 Champions League

Arsenal
Bayern Munich
Real Madrid
Liverpool
Tottenham
PSG
Newcastle
Chelsea

Predicted Champions League Playoff Teams:

Barcelona, Sporting, Manchester City, Atletico Madrid, Atalanta, Inter, Juventus, Dortmund, Galatasaray, Qarabag FK, Marseille, Leverkusen, Monaco, PSV, Athletic Club, Olympiacos

Matchday Eight Fixtures. All kick off at 9 p.m. WAT on Wednesday:

Athletic Club vs Sporting
Liverpool vs Qarabag FK
Barcelona vs Copenhagen
Monaco vs Juventus
Ajax vs Olympiacos
PSG vs Newcastle
Dortmund vs Inter
Napoli vs Chelsea
Eintracht Frankfurt vs Tottenham
Atletico Madrid vs Bodø Glimt
Leverkusen vs Villarreal
Arsenal vs Kairat
Pafos vs Slavia Praha
Manchester City vs Galatasaray
Club Brugge vs Marseille
Benfica vs Real Madrid
Union Saint-Gilloise vs Atalanta
PSV vs Bayern Munich