The road to the 2025/26 Champions League Round of 16 just got more complicated for some of Europe’s biggest names. Following the conclusion of the league phase, the 16 teams headed for the February playoffs have been revealed and the lineup is star-studded.
While the top eight teams celebrate direct qualification, giants like Real Madrid and reigning champions PSG must now navigate a two-legged playoff in February to keep their European dreams alive.
The Regulation: How the Playoffs Work
According to the current UEFA format, teams ranked 9th to 24th do not qualify directly for the Round of 16. Instead, they enter a “repechage” or knockout playoff round.
- The Draw: Matchups will be decided this Friday, January 30th.
- The Dates: Matches are scheduled to take place between February 17th and 25th.
- The Advantage: Teams ranked 9th to 16th will be “seeded,” meaning they will play the decisive second leg at home.
The “Seeded” Giants (Ranked 9th-16th)
These teams have the home-field advantage in the second leg and will face an unseeded opponent:
- Real Madrid (The most successful club in history)
- Inter Milan
- PSG (The defending champions)
- Newcastle United
- Juventus
- Atlético de Madrid
- Atalanta
- Bayer Leverkusen
The “Unseeded” Challengers (Ranked 17th-24th)
These teams will host the first leg and face a tougher path to the Round of 16:
- Borussia Dortmund
- Olympiacos
- Club Brugge
- Galatasaray
- AS Monaco
- Qarabag
- Bodo/Glimt (The tournament’s biggest surprise)
- Benfica
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Who Safely Advanced?
The “Elite Eight” who secured direct entry to the Round of 16 and will have a bye in February include Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham, and Sporting CP. These teams can now sit back and watch their rivals battle it out in what promises to be a chaotic month of European football.
Wilson Gaspar is a football analyst covering the UEFA Champions League, focusing on match previews, tactical reviews, and the performance of Europe’s top clubs throughout the competition.
