By Kwame Bediako
The inaugural league phase of the revamped Champions League has wrapped up after an eventful Matchday 8, which saw teams across Europe battling for crucial standings. Liverpool managed to retain their position at the top of the table, despite suffering a setback with a defeat to PSV Eindhoven. Meanwhile, Barcelona’s hopes of capitalising on Liverpool’s dropped points were dashed as they settled for a draw against Benfica, leaving them in second place.
In a thrilling conclusion, Arsenal and Inter secured vital victories to maintain their positions in third and fourth, respectively. Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, Lille, and Aston Villa also enjoyed successful outings, ensuring they would advance directly to the knockout stage’s last 16. This matchday not only solidified the standings for these teams but also showcased the competitive spirit of the tournament as clubs fought for their place in the next round.
On a contrasting note, traditional powerhouses Real Madrid and Bayern Munich faced a more challenging road ahead, as they will be required to play in the knockout round playoffs after finishing outside the top eight despite securing wins on Wednesday. Manchester City also celebrated their survival, avoiding early elimination for the first time in the same period. The league phase has set the stage for an exciting knockout round, promising thrilling encounters ahead.
How the new qualification format works/ qualified and eliminated teams below;
- Q – qualified for the last 16
- q – qualified for the knockout play-offs
- E – eliminated from the competition
Top 8 (Automatically qualify for last 16)
| Rank/Club | Points | Goal difference |
| 1. Liverpool (Q) | 21 | +12 |
| 2. Barcelona (Q) | 19 | +15 |
| 3. Arsenal (Q) | 19 | +13 |
| 4. Inter (Q) | 19 | +10 |
| 5. Atletico Madrid (Q) | 18 | +8 |
| 6. Bayer Leverkusen (Q) | 16 | +8 |
| 7. Lille (Q) | 16 | +7 |
| 8. Aston Villa (Q) | 16 | +7 |
9th to 24th ( entry into Knockout play-off round)
| Rank/Club | Points | Goal Difference |
| 9. Atalanta (q) | 15 | +14 |
| 10. Borussia Dortmund (q) | 15 | +10 |
| 11. Real Madrid (q) | 15 | +8 |
| 12. Bayern Munich (q) | 15 | +8 |
| 13. AC Milan (q) | 15 | +3 |
| 14. PSV Eindhove (q) | 14 | +4 |
| 15. Paris Saint-Germain (q) | 13 | +5 |
| 16. Benfica (q) | 13 | +4 |
| 17. Monaco (q) | 13 | 0 |
| 18. Brest (q) | 13 | -1 |
| 19. Feyenoord (q) | 13 | -3 |
| 20. Juventus (q) | 12 | +2 |
| 21. Celtic (q) | 12 | -1 |
| 22. Manchester City(q) | 11 | +4 |
| 23. Sporting CP (q) | 11 | +1 |
| 24. Club Brugge (q) | 11 | -4 |
Bottom 12 (eliminated from the Champions League)
| Rank / Team | Points | Goal Difference |
| 25.Dinamo Zagreb (E) | 11 | -7 |
| 26. VfB Stuttgart (E) | 10 | -4 |
| 27.Shakhtar Donetsk (E) | 7 | -8 |
| 28. Bologna (E) | 6 | -5 |
| 29. Crvena zvezda (E) | 6 | -9 |
| 30. Sturm Graz (E) | 6 | -9 |
| 31. Sparta Prague (E) | 4 | -14 |
| 32. RB Leipzig (E) | 3 | -7 |
| 33. Girona (E) | 3 | -8 |
| 34. Red Bull Salzburg (E) | 3 | -22 |
| 35. Slovan Bratislava (E) | 0 | -20 |
| 36. Young Boys (E) | 0 | -21 |
