Manchester City Overcome Setback to Advance in Champions League
Manchester City staged a comeback to defeat Club Brugge 3-1, securing their place in the Champions League playoffs. Meanwhile, football giants Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Paris Saint-Germain also progressed, while AC Milan and Juventus joined them despite suffering defeats.
On a night featuring 18 simultaneous kick-offs in the final group-stage matchday of the competition’s revamped format, the outcome remained familiar—Europe’s elite teams moving forward.
Liverpool and Barcelona had already secured their top-eight spots for automatic qualification to the round of 16. Despite Liverpool falling 3-2 to PSV Eindhoven and Barcelona settling for a 2-2 draw with Atalanta, both retained their positions. Joining them in the next stage are Arsenal, Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, Aston Villa, and Lille, who delivered a stunning 6-1 victory over Feyenoord.
Manchester City faced a tense encounter at the Etihad. The 2023 European champions were stunned just before halftime when Raphael Onyedika finished a well-worked Brugge move. Mateo Kovacic equalized early in the second half, but City remained on the brink of elimination until a Joel Ordonez own goal put them ahead, followed by a third from Savinho to seal their advancement.
Paris Saint-Germain, initially in 22nd place and at risk of elimination, avoided any drama by surging to a 3-0 halftime lead against Stuttgart. A hat-trick from Ousmane Dembele, along with a goal from Bradley Barcola, ensured a 4-1 victory.
Atletico Madrid also enjoyed a comfortable 4-1 win over Salzburg, fueled by two Antoine Griezmann goals.
Red Cards and Hat-Tricks Shape Outcomes
Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez netted all three goals in their 3-0 triumph over Monaco, who suffered an early setback when Christian Mawissa was sent off after just 12 minutes. Despite the loss, Monaco still secured a playoff spot.
Arsenal secured a 2-1 comeback victory against Girona, confirming their third-place finish, while Bayer Leverkusen clinched sixth place by beating Sparta Prague 2-0.
Lille’s stunning rise saw them move from 12th to seventh after thrashing Feyenoord, who contributed three own goals to Lille’s tally, adding to strikes from Osame Sahraoui, Jonathan David, and Remy Cabella.
Real Madrid, seeking their 16th European title, confirmed their playoff berth with a 3-0 win over Brest, thanks to a brace from Rodrygo and a goal from Jude Bellingham. Despite a second consecutive defeat, Brest’s early-season form ensured their progression.
Aston Villa edged out Celtic 4-2 in a thrilling contest, with Morgan Rogers scoring twice in the opening five minutes. Celtic fought back through Adam Idah’s brace, but Ollie Watkins restored Villa’s lead before Rogers completed his hat-trick.
AC Milan started the day in sixth place but dropped into the playoffs after a 2-1 loss to Dinamo Zagreb, who narrowly missed qualification due to goal difference.
Bayern Munich claimed a 3-1 win over Slovan Bratislava with goals from Thomas Müller, Harry Kane, and Kingsley Coman, while Benfica secured a vital 2-0 win over Juventus, ensuring both sides progressed to the playoffs.
Next Stage Draw and Schedule
The draw for the two-legged knockout playoffs will take place on January 31, with matches scheduled for February 11/12 and 18/19. The winners will advance to the round of 16, where they will face the top eight-ranked teams. The seeded draw for the next stage is set for February 21, with the final taking place in Munich on May 31.
Final Champions League Standings
Top Eight (Automatic Qualification to Round of 16):
- Liverpool
- Barcelona
- Arsenal
- Inter Milan
- Atletico Madrid
- Bayer Leverkusen
- Lille
- Aston Villa
Playoff-Bound Teams (9th-24th Place): 9. Atalanta 10. Borussia Dortmund 11. Real Madrid 12. Bayern Munich 13. AC Milan 14. PSV Eindhoven 15. Paris Saint-Germain 16. Benfica 17. Monaco 18. Brest 19. Feyenoord 20. Juventus 21. Celtic 22. Manchester City 23. Sporting 24. Club Brugge
Eliminated Teams (25th-36th Place): 25. Dinamo Zagreb 26. VfB Stuttgart 27. Shakhtar Donetsk 28. Bologna 29. Red Star Belgrade 30. Sturm Graz 31. Sparta Prague 32. RB Leipzig 33. Girona 34. RB Salzburg 35. Slovan Bratislava 36. Young Boys
