Explainers

THE expanded Champions League has delighted and confused fans in equal abundance so far this season.More teams and more matches – plus a league table to contend with – have left many fans wondering what exactly is going on.Liverpool are already into the hat for the Champions League Round of 16 draw – but will have to wait to find out who their opponents areCredit: APThere is just one round of matches to play after Wednesday’s fixtures, with all remaining games set to take place on January 29.But then what?There will be a draw next week – but with some teams already into the knockout phase, it’s not how it was before.Here’s everything you need to know about the Champions League knockout draw and stages.When is the Champions League knockout stage draw?The main draw for the knockout phase takes place on Friday, February 21.However, there is ALSO a draw taking place for the knockout phase play-offs.Under the new league table format, which has 36 teams, the top eight teams in the table are automatically put into the Round of 16 and are seeded.Most read in Champions LeagueThe bottom eight teams are eliminated from European competition, with no move into the Europa League like in previous years.The next 16 teams – those that finished between 9th and 24th – then head into the knockout phase play-offs.The teams that finished 9th to 16th will be seeded and drawn against teams that finished 17th to 24th (unseeded).The draw for that round of games take place on Friday, January 31.While Liverpool have already guaranteed qualification, fellow English sides Arsenal, Aston Villa and Man City still have it all to play for.New Champions League format is a snorefestBy Dan KingUEFA sold the idea of expanding the Champions League from 32 to 36 teams, with each playing eight games instead of six in the opening phase, as a way of creating more competitiveness and excitement.The biggest clubs would have two matches against their peers, rather than having to wait until the knockout stage to meet.The smaller clubs would meet teams of a similar level twice and have a chance of tasting victory that was so hard to achieve if you were the bottom seed in a group of four.Ignoring for a moment the fact that the real motivation was the simple equation of more games = more money, the theory itself already looks flawed.None of the matches between European giants has delivered a compelling contest yet.And why would they? At the start of the long season with more matches in it, why would any team with ambitions to win things in the spring, go out all guns blazing in the autumn?Especially when they know they have six games NOT against big sides to make sure they accrue enough points to qualify at least for the play-off round (and even more games).There is even less jeopardy than before.Read the full column on the Champions League format fail and why everyone – including YOU – needs a rethink.When does the Champions League knockout phase play-offs take place and when is the Round of 16?Teams that finished in the top eight and automatically reached the Round of 16 have a little bit of a wait on their hands.After the final league phase game on January 29, the likes of Liverpool and Barcelona will not play their Champions League last 16 games until March.Those fixtures are scheduled to take place on March 4-5 and 11-12.For the knockout phase play-offs, there is a slightly shorter wait – those two-legged games take on February 11-12 and 18-19.What was the final Champions League league phase standings?Liverpool (straight into last 16)Barcelona (straight into last 16)Arsenal (straight into last 16)Inter (straight into last 16)Atletico Madrid (straight into last 16)Bayer Leverkusen (straight into last 16)Lille (straight into last 16)Aston Villa (straight into last 16)Atalanta (into last-16 play-off)Borussia Dortmund (into last-16 play-off)Real Madrid (into last-16 play-off)Bayern (into last-16 play-off)AC Milan (into last-16 play-off)PSV (into last-16 play-off)PSG (into last-16 play-off)Benfica (into last-16 play-off)Monaco (into last-16 play-off)Brest (into last-16 play-off)Feyenoord (into last-16 play-off)Juventus (into last-16 play-off)Celtic (into last-16 play-off)Man City (into last-16 play-off)Sporting (into last-16 play-off)Club Brugge (into last-16 play-off)Dinamo Zagreb (eliminated from Europe)Stuttgart (eliminated from Europe)Shakhtar Donetsk (eliminated from Europe)Bologna (eliminated from Europe)Crvenza Zvezda (eliminated from Europe)Sturm Graz (eliminated from Europe)Sparta Praha (eliminated from Europe)RB Leipzig (eliminated from Europe)Girona (eliminated from Europe)RB Salzburg (eliminated from Europe)Slovan (eliminated from Europe)Young Boys (eliminated from Europe)Who can play who in the Champions League last 16 play-off?Because of the way the format has been decided teams already know the options they may face.And it’s very bad news for Man City despite qualifying on the final day.Pep Guardiola’s team can only be drawn against one of Bayern or Real Madrid.Here’s how the English clubs are shaping up.Play-off roundManchester City vs Bayern Munich/Real MadridREAD MORE SUN STORIESLast 16Liverpool vs PSG/Benfica/AS Monaco/BrestArsenal vs AC Milan/PSV Eindhoven/Feyenoord/JuventusAston Villa vs Atalanta/Borussia Dortmund/Sporting /Club Brugge More

DESPITE the loss to Monaco last week, Aston Villa are still contenders for automatic Champions League qualification.The Villans’ high flying Champions League campaign took another hitch as an uninspiring 1-0 defeat in Monaco left them outside the top eight – which guarantees progression to the last 16.A win in Villa’s final league game will give them a chance of qualifying for the Champions League last 16Credit: ReutersUnai Emery’s men are ninth in the League Phase table, joint on 13 points with five other teams, including Bayer Leverkusen, who occupy the final automatic spot. So far, Villa have won four, drew once and lost twice.What do Aston Villa need to do to guarantee Champions League round of 16 qualification?Their final game, Celtic at home, provides an enticing affair where only a win will give them a chance to go straight into the Round of 16. The opportunity arose after Bayern Munich’s shock defeat to Feyenoord and Brest’s defeat.read more on aston villa Those not in the top eight positions either fall into the play-off spots – ninth to 24th – or are immediately eliminated.Villa are offered the security blanket of at least a play-off spot.Opta have calculated that the Midlands side are favourites to scrape the all-decisive eight spot.A supercomputer simulation – that estimates the likelihood of teams finishing in the competition – has Villa down for a 52.6 per cent probability of clinching it.Most read in Champions LeagueFor that to happen, Villa will have to beat Celtic and also need one of Bayer Leverkusen, Atletico Madrid, AC Milan or Atalanta to not follow suit. The teams behind Villa – Monaco, Feyenoord, Lille and Brest – can also match the former’s final tally but their goal difference is inferior.Champions League club send Micah Richards shirt with very cheeky nickname on the back thanks to his Brest obsession Villa’s potential for a seeded spot will likely hinge on Atalanta and whether they can beat Barcelona – which would be needed to stay in the top eight. All outcomes are permutation-driven and ultimately out of Villa’s hand, who can only win to give themselves the best possible chance. More

MANCHESTER City may be established European juggernauts – but the new league format has made things trickier to navigate.Following defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, the Sky Blues sit 25th in the League Phase table – just outside the play-off spots – on eight points with one more game to fight for.Anything other than win in City’s last league game will end their Champions League campaignCredit: GettyPep Guardiola’s side had the chance to put themselves in a reassuring position in their penultimate game in Paris, but the 4-2 capitulation – when they led by two – has given advantage back to direct rivals PSG.City’s final game will pit them against fellow last 16 hopefuls Club Brugge at the Etihad on Wednesday.Brugge, one of nine teams still in contention for a playoff spot, sit 20th on 11 points.PSG and last playoff spot holder, Stuttgart, also clash on the final matchday.read more on MAN CITYWhat do Man City need to guarantee qualification to the Champions League last 16?For City to progress they must secure a win due to goal difference of the teams around them.The introduced eight-game ‘Swiss model’ has scrapped the traditional 32-team group stage of Europe’s top club competitions for a 36-team league phase.The top eight automatically qualify for the last 16 and are joined by the winners of a play-off round between those that finished ninth to 24th.Those that finish 25th to 36th are eliminated from all European competition – teams no longer drop into the Europa League.Most read in FootballAccording to Opta’s supercomputer – which simulates the 2024-25 UCL league phase 50,000 times to work out a team’s Champions League knockout likelihood – City have an expected points of 10.1.According to that algorithm, City had an 84 per cent chance of reaching the play-offs prior to their defeat in the French capital.Fan spot classy gesture from Chelsea star Nicolas Jackson to Man City newbie Abdukodir Khusanov after horror debutThe new tally of 63.8 per cent still gives them a chance of playoff qualification, but there is plenty of room for error with a 36.2 per cent chance of elimination.Despite the array of permutations and the number of teams involved, City’s task remains simple – win and they qualify for the play-off round. More

DESPITE the loss to Monaco last week, Aston Villa are still among possible contenders for automatic Champions League qualification.The Villans’ high flying Champions League campaign took another hitch as an uninspiring 1-0 defeat in Monaco left them outside the top eight – which guarantees progression to the last 16.A win in Villa’s final league game will give them a chance of qualifying for the Champions League last 16Credit: ReutersUnai Emery’s men are ninth in the League Phase table, joint on 13 points with five other teams, including Bayer Leverkusen, who occupy the final automatic spot. So far, Villa have won four, drew once and lost twice.What do Aston Villa need to do to guarantee Champions League round of 16 qualification?Their final game, Celtic at home, provides an enticing affair where only a win will give them a chance to go straight into the Round of 16. The opportunity arose after Bayern Munich’s shock defeat to Feyenoord and Brest’s defeat.read more on aston villa Those not in the top eight positions either fall into the play-off spots – ninth to 24th – or are immediately eliminated.Villa are offered the security blanket of at least a play-off spot.Opta have calculated that the Midlands side are favourites to scrape the all-decisive eight spot.A supercomputer simulation – that estimates the likelihood of teams finishing in the competition – has Villa down for a 52.6 per cent probability of clinching it.Most read in Champions LeagueFor that to happen, Villa will have to beat Celtic and also need one of Bayer Leverkusen, Atletico Madrid, AC Milan or Atalanta to not follow suit. The teams behind Villa – Monaco, Feyenoord, Lille and Brest – can also match the former’s final tally but their goal difference is inferior.Champions League club send Micah Richards shirt with very cheeky nickname on the back thanks to his Brest obsession Villa’s potential for a seeded spot will likely hinge on Atalanta and whether they can beat Barcelona – which would be needed to stay in the top eight. All outcomes are permutation-driven and ultimately out of Villa’s hand, who can only win to give themselves the best possible chance. More