Champions League Schedule: Round of 16 set after playoff drama
The champions league schedule tightened this week as the first wave of playoff teams punched their tickets to the 2025–26 round of 16, with several top-eight finishers already secured and knockout-phase survivors joining them after two-legged ties concluded on Tuesday night.
Champions League Schedule: league phase leaders and automatic qualifiers
Arsenal led the league phase, finishing top with a perfect eight wins in eight games and 24 points, the first and only team to complete an unblemished league phase in the competition's new format. Bayern Munich finished second after winning seven of eight matches; their only loss came against Arsenal in November. Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur took third and fourth, respectively.
Playoff peril for PSG and Real Madrid
Some of Europe’s biggest clubs were forced into the knockout phase playoffs. Cup holders Paris Saint-Germain and 15-time European champions Real Madrid both found themselves in the playoffs, meaning each was just two games away from a potential early exit from the competition.
How the middle table decided survival
Top eight teams in the league phase automatically secured places in the last 16, while clubs that finished ninth to 24th were forced to compete in respective two-legged ties to keep their Champions League hopes alive. The next four clubs in the league phase standings—Barcelona, Chelsea, Sporting CP and Manchester City—all ended with 16 points, just enough to automatically advance to the round of 16.
Tuesday’s playoffs: red cards, comebacks and surprises
The playoffs provided red cards and wondrous goals, along with epic comebacks and unexpected results. The first wave of playoff teams punched their tickets on Tuesday night; here’s all the teams that survived to join the eight already qualified clubs in the last 16. Unclear in the provided context which specific clubs emerged from those playoff ties beyond the automatic qualifiers named above.
Premier League oddities and notable placements
Liverpool and Tottenham were singled out as surprises of the top eight, delivering in Europe despite domestic struggles. Tottenham, in particular, finished above Barcelona, Real Madrid and PSG in the league phase while they sit 16th in the domestic league table.
Miscellaneous items drawn from coverage
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What comes next is unclear in the provided context; the next confirmed scheduling milestone for the competition is unclear in the provided context.
