The opening phase of the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League concluded this week with the top eight teams booking their spot in the round of 16 in March.
The English Premier League cast a big shadow over the tournament through the first eight matchdays, as no less than five clubs from England’s top flight – Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham, Manchester City and Chelsea – finished in the top eight. The Gunners topped the table of 36 teams with a perfect 8-0 record as the only side to go undefeated.
Germany’s Bayern Munich also had a strong run in the opening phase of the competition by posting seven wins (one loss) and finishing second overall. FC Barcelona of Spain also finished in the top eight, as did Portugal’s Sporting CP, who has undoubtedly been the surprise package of the tournament thus far.
The other half of the field in the round of 16 will be determined during the two-legged playoffs that run from Feb. 17-25.
Friday’s draw held at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, paired together teams who finished ninth through 24th in the table during the initial phase of the competition.
Let’s take a look at the playoff matchups (teams listed first will host the second leg).
Paris Saint-Germain vs. AS Monaco
PSG looked poised to clinch an automatic berth in the round of 16 before winning just one of their last five games to fall out of the top eight. The reigning Champions League holders closed out the first phase with a 1-1 draw vs. Newcastle United to finish 11th.
As a result, they’ll take on fellow French side AS Monaco who has already defeated PSG at home during the 2025-26 Ligue 1 campaign. However, PSG will still be considered the favourite as Monaco have just one win in six matches in all competitions since the start of the year.
PSG hammered Ligue 1 outfit Brest 10-0 on aggregate in last year’s playoffs before going on to lift the trophy for the first time in its history. The French giants will look to repeat the same outcome by having to play extra games in order to qualify for the round of 16.
This is the only playoff series that pits teams from the same league against each other.
Round of 16 opponent: Either FC Barcelona or Chelsea
Juventus vs. Galatasaray
Canadian forward Jonathan David scored twice and added an assist in eight appearances for Juventus in the first phase of the competition, playing a pivotal role in guiding the Serie A club to a 13th-place finish.
It was a slow start to the European campaign for Juventus who went winless through its first four games. But three wins and three clean sheets in their final four matches helped the Italians secure a spot in the playoffs.
Awaiting them are Galatasaray, who finished 20th in the table and qualified for the playoffs largely on the back of Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen – he scored six of the team’s nine goals. Osimhen will need to get more attacking support if the Turkish club has any hope of breaking down the Italians’ stout defence.
Round of 16 opponent: Either Liverpool or Tottenham
Real Madrid vs. Benfica
Wednesday’s final matchday of the opening phase of the tournament featured some dramatic games, but none more so than Benfica’s 4-2 win over Real Madrid in Lisbon. Goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin scored via a header deep into injury time to help Benfica edge out French club Olympique Marseille on goal difference to finish 24th in the table and secure the final playoff spot.
The loss for Real Madrid meant it slipped out of the top eight (and failed to clinch an automatic berth in the round of 16), which means it is now forced into a playoff against Benfica, who are coached by Jose Mourinho, Los Blancos’ former manager. Incredibly, Kylian Mbappé scored a tournament-leading 13 goals in the first phase, but that still wasn’t enough to help Real clinch a top-eight spot.
Benfica lost their opening four matches but then rebounded by winning three of their last four, so look for Mourinho’s men to continue to give his former club a hard time next month.
Friday’s draw means Mourinho will return to Estadio Bernabéu for the first time since leaving as Real Madrid manager in 2013.
Round of 16 opponent: Either Sporting CP or Manchester City
Atalanta vs. Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund suffered a 2-0 home loss to Inter Milan on the final matchday of the first phase. The German club’s “reward” for finishing outside of the top eight is another tricky Italian opponent in the playoffs in the form of Atalanta.
Dortmund have netted just nine goals in its last nine matches in both the Champions League and Bundesliga. Meanwhile, Atalanta only found the back of the net 10 times in its eight games in the first phase of the Champions League, so goals could be a premium when these sides meet in the playoffs next month.
The winner of this series will advance to the round of 16, where it will face either Arsenal or Bayern Munich, who finished first and second in the table.
Round of 16 opponent: Either Arsenal or Bayern Munich
Newcastle United vs. Qarabağ FK
Newcastle United will be heavy favourites against surprise package Qarabağ of Azerbaijan, who have never qualified for the knockout phase of the tournament.
The modest club from Azerbaijan will have its hands full in the playoffs against Newcastle United. England internationals Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes formed one of the most dangerous scoring duos in the first phase by combining for 11 goals – only two fewer than Azerbaijan scored as a team.
Round of 16 opponent: Either FC Barcelona or Chelsea
Atlético Madrid vs. Club Brugge
Atlético doesn’t have the best track record in European competition vs. Brugge. The Spaniards finished in last place in the group stage of the 2022-23 Champions League, their early exit helped along by a 2-0 loss to Brugge in Belgium and a scoreless draw in Madrid. The Belgian side also eliminated Atlético during the 1991-92 European Cup Winners’ Cup and the 1978 European Cup.
Keep an eye out for Portuguese forward Carlos Forbs of Brugge, a 21-year-old product of Manchester City’s youth team who has scored twice against FC Barcelona in this Champions League campaign.
Round of 16 opponent: Either Liverpool or Tottenham
Inter Milan vs. FK Bodø/Glimt
Inter Milan is looking to make amends after last season’s humiliating 5-0 loss to PSG in the Champions League final. Five wins from eight games in the first phase was impressive, but not enough to propel the Italian side into the top eight – they finished 10th.
FK Bodø/Glimt have won the Norwegian league championship four times in the last six years and pulled off a major surprise by qualifying for the playoffs with a 23rd-place finish in the table. The Norwegians have never qualified for the knockout round of the Champions League and face a tough test next month against Inter, who conceded just seven goals in eight games in the first phase of this year’s competition.
But the Norwegians upset Manchester City and Atlético Madrid to sneak into the playoffs. Could another giant slaying be on the cards for them when they face Inter in February?
Round of 16 opponent: Either Sporting CP or Manchester City
Bayer Leverkusen vs. Olympiacos
In a rematch of the first phase of the tournament, Bayer Leverkusen will be out for revenge after suffering a surprising 2-0 loss in Greece. It was a game the Germans shouldn’t have lost, considering they created the better scoring chances on the day. But at the same time, you have to give credit to Olympiacos for ruthlessly exploiting Leverkusen’s defensive weaknesses.
Round of 16 opponent: Either Arsenal or Bayern Munich
Editor’s note
John Molinaro is one of the leading soccer journalists in Canada, having covered the game for over 20 years for several media outlets, including Sportsnet, CBC Sports and Sun Media. He is currently the editor-in-chief of TFC Republic, a website dedicated to in-depth coverage of Toronto FC and Canadian soccer.
