Champions League knockouts lineup to be decided by hectic 18-game finish to opening phase

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PSG's Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, right, celebrates after scoring his side's first goal with Vitinha during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Sporting CP and Paris Saint-Germain, in Lisbon, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski, right, celebrates with his teammate Marcus Rashford after scoring his side's fourth goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Slavia Prague and Barcelona in Prague, Czech Republic, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) — PSG's Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, right, celebrates after scoring his side's first goal with Vitinha during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Sporting CP and Paris Saint-Germain, in Lisbon, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

Audio By Carbonatix

7:29 AM on Wednesday, January 28

By GRAHAM DUNBAR

In a hectic last round of the Champions League opening phase Wednesday, 16 into eight just won't go.

With all 36 teams playing in 18 games that kick off simultaneously, at 2000 GMT, only table-topping Arsenal and second-place Bayern Munich have sealed direct entry to the round of 16 with guaranteed top-eight finishes.

Third-place Real Madrid, on 15 points, down to Borussia Dortmund in 16th place on 11 points are targeting being in the top eight when final whistles sound in eight different countries across Europe.

The cut-off between eighth-place Chelsea and Barcelona in ninth, both on 13 points, is that the English club's goal difference of +6 is one better.

It shapes to be a similar outcome to the debut season of the new and expanded Champions League format last year when cut-off was 16 points to get into the top eight.

Still, defending champion Paris Saint-Germain showed one year ago that a 15th-place finish — and needing to survive a two-leg knockout playoff in a congested February schedule — was no barrier to winning the title.

Paris will be home to a tense game Wednesday when sixth-place PSG hosts seventh-place Newcastle. Both are on 13 points and the loser certainly will drop down into the playoffs, while a draw could send both into Friday's draw involving all the teams that finish ninth to 24th.

Looking to take advantage of any rivals slipping up are Barcelona and Manchester City, which is 11th.

Barcelona hosts Copenhagen, which is 26th, and City hosts Galatasaray, in 17th on 10 points and likely already secure in the playoffs.

Qarabag also is on 10 points heading to face fourth-place Liverpool, which could need just a draw to advance to the round of 16. It is already the most successful season for a club from Azerbaijan in the European Cup or Champions League.

Napoli risks being the biggest loser Wednesday. The Italian champion is on the outside of the knockout stage picture in 25th place before playing coach Antonio Conte's former team Chelsea.

Benfica, on six points, must beat coach José Mourinho's former club Real Madrid to stay in the competition, and Inter Milan goes to Dortmund needing a win to avoid the playoffs.

Bodo/Glimt is on six points after a stunning win last week against City and now goes to 12th-place Atletico Madrid.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer