The UEFA Champions League’s first-ever league phase comes to a close on Wednesday when 18 games will kick off at the same time as the push for knockout berths approaches a frenetic finish.
A series of dramatic events on Matchday 8 would be a fitting finale for the league phase, which has so far delivered a healthy dose of surprise results to the point that Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain face elimination. Wednesday’s action will not solely be about which teams are into the next round and which ones will pack their bags and go, though. The picture for the knockout phases will become very clear once Matchday 8 comes to a close, and Friday’s draw will make the path to the Champions League final at Munich’s Allianz Arena on May 31.
Champions League expert picks, predictions, best bets on Matchday 8: Man City, PSG qualify; Barca top Atalanta
Pardeep Cattry
As the action comes thick and fast, Paramount+ will be a one-stop shop for the matchday mayhem that will come in the league phase finale. In addition to showing every game live, Paramount+ will also be the exclusive home of The Golazo Show, the whiparound show that will have eyes on all 18 games on Wednesday.
Ahead of the Matchday 8 mayhem, here’s what to know about how the new format will impact the rest of the Champions League season.
How do teams qualify for the knockouts?
In the 36-team league phase, the teams that finish in the top eight will earn a bye and qualify directly for the round of 16. Those ranked ninth through 24th will enter the first-ever knockout phase playoffs, while the teams ranked 25th or lower will be eliminated. Unlike previous editions of the Champions League, no teams will drop down to the UEFA Europa League.
How do the knockout phase playoffs work?
Teams ranked ninth through 16th at the end of the league phase will be seeded and will be drawn against one of the unseeded teams. Each seeded team will have two potential opponents and will find out their actual foe in Friday’s draw before participating in a two-legged series.
The seeded team will host the second leg and the team with the greater aggregate score will advance to the round of 16, with extra time and penalties looming if the aggregate score is tied.
Here are the predetermined pairings for the teams that will play in the knockout phase playoffs.
- Pairing I: 9/10 vs. 23/24
- Pairing II: 11/12 vs. 21/22
- Pairing III: 13/14 vs. 19/20
- Pairing IV: 15/16 vs. 17/18
Are there away goals, and can teams from same country meet?
The away goals rule will not apply, and there will be no restriction on teams from the same country playing each other.
How does the round of 16 work?
Teams that finished the league phase ranked first through eighth will be seeded in this round, while the teams that advanced through the knockout phase playoffs will be unseeded. The rules of the previous round apply and there will also be predetermined pairings that will create the bracket. There is an added reward for the teams that finished the league phase in the top four, though – they will essentially have their own quadrants of the bracket and would not face each other until the latter stages of the competition.
Here are the predetermined pairings for the round of 16.
- Pairing A: 1/2 vs. Winner IV
- Pairing B: 3/4 vs. Winner III
- Pairing C: 5/6 vs. Winner II
- Pairing D: 7/8 vs. Winner I
Key Champions League dates
- Jan. 29: Matchday 8 of the league phase
- Jan. 31: Draw for the knockout phase playoffs
- Feb. 11-Feb. 19: Knockout phase playoffs
- Feb. 21: Draw for the round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals and final
- March 4-12: Round of 16
- April 8-16: Quarterfinals
- April 29-May 7: Semifinals
- May 31: Final
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