Champions League: Teams that could make it from Play-Offs to the Round of 16

The 2025–26 UEFA Champions League has adopted an innovative league phase format that has created compelling drama through its final matchday. With the conclusion of the league phase, twenty-four teams now remain in contention for European football's most prestigious trophy, while twelve sides have been eliminated from the competition entirely.

Eight elite clubs secured automatic passage to the Round of 16 by finishing in the top eight positions of the league phase standings. These teams have earned the significant advantage of bypassing the knockout phase play-offs and will host the second legs of their eventual Round of 16 ties.

Arsenal, Barcelona, Bayern München, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Sporting CP, and Tottenham comprise this elite group. Arsenal's achievement stands out particularly, as they completed a flawless league phase campaign with a perfect record. The Premier League's dominance is remarkable, with five English clubs securing direct qualification—an unprecedented showing that reflects the current strength of English football on the continental stage.

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Bayern Munich joined Arsenal as one of the top two seeds, while Barcelona, despite sitting ninth at various points during the campaign, ultimately secured their place among the automatic qualifiers. The presence of Sporting CP represents Portuguese football's continued competitiveness at Europe's highest level.

Sixteen teams finishing between ninth and twenty-fourth position must navigate a treacherous two-legged knockout phase play-off round scheduled for February 17–18 and February 24–25, 2026. These fixtures will determine which eight clubs advance to join the automatic qualifiers in the Round of 16.

Real Madrid vs Benfica

Despite Benfica's dramatic stoppage-time victory over Real Madrid on the final league matchday, Real Madrid will progress. The Spanish giants possess unmatched Champions League pedigree with fifteen European titles. Kylian Mbappé leads the tournament scoring charts with thirteen goals, providing an elite attacking threat that few defences can contain. The second-leg home advantage at the Santiago Bernabéu historically proves decisive for Los Blancos, particularly in high-pressure European fixtures where their institutional experience becomes invaluable. Despite rookie manager Alvaro Arbeloa's inconsistencies, Real Madrid's knockout pedigree will overcome José Mourinho's tactical acumen.

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Paris Saint-Germain vs Monaco

Paris Saint-Germain will advance despite their underwhelming league phase performance. Defending champions Paris Saint-Germain should navigate this tie comfortably. The return to fitness of Ousmane Dembélé and Bradley Barcola strengthens Luis Enrique's attacking options significantly. PSG's experience from their remarkable championship run last season, combined with second-leg home advantage, positions them favourably. Monaco's catastrophic form—having lost seven of their last nine Ligue 1 matches following Adi Hutter's controversial dismissal—creates severe doubts about their capacity to compete at this level.

Juventus vs Galatasaray

Juventus will progress through defensive organisation and European experience. Under Luciano Spalletti's guidance, the Bianconeri have demonstrated gradual improvement throughout the campaign. Their home advantage in the second leg at Turin should prove decisive. While Galatasaray exploited home advantage to defeat Liverpool 1-0 in the league phase, their inconsistency against Italian opposition and Juventus's tactical discipline in knockout scenarios will prove the difference across 180 minutes.

Atalanta vs Borussia Dortmund

Atalanta will edge through in what promises to be the tightest encounter of the play-off round. Despite both teams concluding their league campaigns with consecutive defeats, Atalanta's home advantage in the second leg and their superior attacking depth should prove sufficient. Even with the potential departure of Ademola Lookman, Atalanta's dynamic attacking system and experience in European knockout football under their established tactical framework gives them marginal superiority over Dortmund's inconsistent performances under Niko Kovac.

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Newcastle United vs Qarabağ

Newcastle United will comfortably advance despite challenging domestic form. The superior squad depth and quality should overwhelm Qarabağ across two legs. Qarabağ were comprehensively defeated 6-0 by Liverpool in their final league phase match, exposing defensive vulnerabilities that Newcastle can exploit. The Magpies' second-leg home advantage at St James' Park creates an imposing environment for the Azerbaijani visitors, who lack the experience and quality to compete at this level.

Atlético Madrid vs Club Brugge

Atlético Madrid will progress through Diego Simeone's defensive expertise and experience navigating knockout football. Despite recent underwhelming performances, Atlético's organisational discipline typically strengthens in two-legged ties where their defensive structure can suffocate opponents across 180 minutes. Club Brugge's admirable league phase performance will ultimately prove insufficient against Simeone's tactical mastery and the intimidating atmosphere of the Wanda Metropolitano in the second leg.

Inter Milan vs Bodø/Glimt

Inter Milan will comfortably advance in what appears to be the most one-sided play-off encounter. Last season's finalists possess quality, experience, and tactical sophistication under Simone Inzaghi that should navigate this tie without significant difficulty. The Italian champions possess sufficient depth and European know-how to overcome opponents making their debut at this competition level, despite their disappointing league phase finish.

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Bayer Leverkusen vs. Olympiacos

Bayer Leverkusen will progress through technical quality and second-leg home advantage. Despite inconsistent domestic form, the German side's tactical flexibility and superior individual quality throughout their squad provide multiple pathways to victory. Olympiacos lack the offensive firepower to establish a commanding first-leg advantage in Greece, allowing Leverkusen to control the tie's destiny in the return fixture.

The sixteen teams advancing to the Round of 16 will comprise Arsenal, Barcelona, Bayern München, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Sporting CP, Tottenham, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus, Atalanta, Newcastle United, Atlético Madrid, Inter Milan, and Bayer Leverkusen. The draw on February 27, 2026, will determine the specific pairings, with the new format eliminating country protection and creating tantalising possibilities for high-stakes encounters between clubs from the same nation.