The UEFA Champions League league phase concluded on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, with all 18 matches played simultaneously in a dramatic finale that saw Real Madrid suffer a shock defeat and miss out on automatic qualification for the round of 16. Liverpool demolished Qarabag 6-0 to finish third, while Manchester City secured the final automatic spot in eighth place with a 2-0 victory over Galatasaray.
Real Madrid's hopes of direct qualification were crushed at the Estadio da Luz, where Benfica inflicted a humiliating 4-2 defeat on the Spanish giants. Rodrygo received a red card as Los Blancos collapsed in Lisbon, leaving them in ninth place and facing a two-legged knockout playoff. The result marks a significant setback for the 15-time European champions, who must now navigate an additional round to reach the last 16.
Arsenal topped the final standings after a nervy 3-2 home victory over Kairat Almaty, with Bayern Munich securing second place following a 2-1 win at PSV Eindhoven. Liverpool's emphatic performance against Qarabag saw them claim third position, while Tottenham Hotspur impressed with a 2-0 away win at Eintracht Frankfurt to finish fourth. Barcelona recovered from recent struggles to beat Copenhagen 4-1, with Marcus Rashford finding the net as they secured fifth place.
Chelsea produced a dramatic comeback to beat Napoli 3-2 in Italy and claim sixth position, ensuring their place among the top eight. Sporting Lisbon grabbed a stoppage-time winner to defeat Athletic Bilbao 3-2 and finish seventh, while Manchester City's clinical victory over Galatasaray, featuring another goal from Erling Haaland, was enough for eighth place on goal difference.
The playoff round will feature several heavyweight clashes, with Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Paris Saint-Germain, and Atletico Madrid all forced into the additional knockout stage. Inter defeated Borussia Dortmund 2-0 to finish tenth, while PSG were held to a 1-1 draw by Newcastle United, leaving both clubs in the playoff positions. Juventus secured a goalless draw against Monaco to finish 13th, while Atletico Madrid suffered a shock 2-1 home defeat to Bodo/Glimt.
Bayer Leverkusen cruised to a 3-0 victory over already-eliminated Villarreal to finish 16th, while Olympiacos claimed a surprise 2-1 win at Ajax to secure 18th place. Club Brugge dominated Marseille 3-0 at home, and Atalanta fell to a 1-0 defeat at Union Saint-Gilloise. At the bottom of the playoff qualifiers, Benfica's victory over Real Madrid lifted them to 24th place, the final spot to avoid elimination.
The knockout playoff draw will take place on Friday, January 30, with matches scheduled for February 17-18 and 24-25. The round of 16 begins on March 10, culminating in the final at Budapest's Puskas Arena on May 30, 2026.
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