The inaugural league phase of the UEFA Champions League has come to an end with eight teams making it directly to the round of 16 and 16 teams to battle it out at the playoff round.
The final round of fixtures delivered plenty of action, with goals pouring in as teams battled for a place in the knockout stages.
With six spots in the Round of 16 still up for grabs before kick-off, the night was filled with tension and excitement.
Liverpool, having already secured qualification, claimed the top spot despite a 2-1 defeat at PSV Eindhoven, benefiting from Barcelona’s 1-1 draw with Atalanta.
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Arsenal ensured their place in the Round of 16 with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Girona, while Aston Villa sealed automatic progression after an exhilarating 4-2 triumph against Celtic at Villa Park. Unai Emery’s side moved ahead of Atalanta to finish among the top eight.
Joining them in the knockout stage are Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, and Lille, who also secured direct qualification.
Teams Through to the Champions League Round of 16
Liverpool
Barcelona
Arsenal
Inter Milan
Atletico Madrid
Bayer Leverkusen
Lille
Aston Villa
Teams to battle it in playoff round
Teams ranked 9th to 24th will now enter a two-legged playoff round, with the winners advancing to face the top eight teams in the Round of 16.
Manchester City secured a playoff spot with a crucial 3-1 victory over Club Brugge at the Etihad. Despite losing to Aston Villa, Celtic also progressed, marking their return to the Champions League knockout stage for the first time since the 2012/13 season.
Teams Advancing to the Playoff Round
Atalanta
Borussia Dortmund
Real Madrid
Bayern Munich
AC Milan
PSV Eindhoven
Paris Saint-Germain
Benfica
AS Monaco
Brest
Feyenoord
Juventus
Celtic
Manchester City
Sporting Lisbon
Club Brugge
