Potential Champions League knockout ties revealed as two Premier League clubs face last-16 showdown
An impressive Champions League league phase for Premier League clubs has come to an end with a dramatic conclusion.
All six English sides have advanced to the knockout stages, with only one finishing outside the top eight.
Newcastle United dropped out of the automatic spots for the last 16 after their draw with Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday night.
It means Eddie Howe’s side must contest a knockout play-off tie next month to join the rest of the Premier League teams in the last 16.
The draw for their play-off clash will take place on Friday at 11am GMT.
Meanwhile, the last 16 draw will be held on February 27 following the play-off round.
Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Manchester City must all wait until then to find out their next opponents.
However, the Champions League format means their potential opponents have been reduced to just four clubs based on the table.
Meanwhile, Newcastle can only face on of two sides in each of the first two knockout rounds.
Here are how the English clubs fared in the league phase and who could be next in wait for each of them.
Arsenal
The Gunners had already qualified for the last 16 ahead of the final round of league phase matches.
However, Mikel Arteta‘s side made it eight wins from eight with a comfortable victory at home against Kairat.
Champions League final standings
- Arsenal
- Bayern Munich
- Liverpool
- Tottenham Hotspur
- Barcelona
- Chelsea
- Sporting Lisbon
- Manchester City
- Real Madrid
- Inter Milan
- Paris Saint-Germain
- Newcastle United
- Juventus
- Atletico Madrid
- Atalanta
- Bayer Leverkusen
- Borussia Dortmund
- Olympiacos
- Club Brugge
- Galatasaray
- Monaco
- Qarabag
- Bodo/Glimt
- Benfica
- Marseille
- Pafos
- Union Saint-Gilloise
- PSV
- Athletic Bilbao
- Napoli
- Copenhagen
- Ajax
- Eintracht Frankfurt
- Slavia Prague
- Villarreal
- Kairat
It means Arsenal topped the standings to advance as the top seeds into the last 16.
They will be paired with runners-up Bayern Munich in February’s draw.
Arsenal could still face a potentially difficult tie in the last 16, though, with either Borussia Dortmund, Olympiacos, Atalanta or Bayer Leverkusen their opponents.
The Gunners faced Greek champions Olympiacos at home during the league phase, running out 2-0 winners in October.
Liverpool
Premier League champions Liverpool made sure of their place in the top eight with a dominant display against Qarabag.
The Reds blew away their Azeri opponents as they ran out 6-0 winners at Anfield on matchday eight.
It sees Arne Slot’s side end the league phase in third place, having won six of their eight matches.
A run of three consecutive victories to end the opening stage of the competition will leave sides fearful of facing Liverpool going forward.
They will be paired alongside fourth place Spurs in February’s last 16 draw.
Liverpool can be drawn against either Club Brugge, Galatasaray, Juventus or Atletico Madrid.
Galatasaray claimed a surprise 1-0 victory when the two sides met in Turkey earlier in the competition.
Tottenham
Spurs continue to use the Champions League as a distraction from their domestic struggles as they advanced to the last 16.
As with Liverpool, Thomas Frank‘s side won their last three league phase fixtures to finish fourth in the table.
Their impressive European form comes despite sitting 14th in the Premier League.
However, Spurs were only beaten once in the league phase, a 5-3 defeat away to PSG in November.
Wednesday’s victory against Eintracht Frankfurt assured the north London side of a top eight finish.
Frank will now be preparing to face one of Brugge, Galatasaray, Juventus or Atletico in the last 16.
Spurs have yet to meet any of those sides this season, but will be buoyed by winning all four of their home matches without conceding.
Chelsea
New Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior overcame a difficult task to make sure of their last 16 spot.
The Blues surrendered a first half lead as they fell behind against Napoli shortly before the interval.
However, a second half brace from Joao Pedro secured a spirited victory in Italy for the Club World Cup winners.
Chelsea concluded the league phase in sixth place as one of four clubs on 16 points.
Supporters can expect to take on one of Monaco, Qarabag, PSG and Newcastle – which would be an all-English tie – in the last 16.
Having been held in Azerbaijan by Qarabag in November, the Blues may be fearful of another long journey east.
Man City
City bounced back from last week’s loss to Bodo/Glimt by catapulting themselves into the top eight.
Having started the evening in 11th, they needed other results to go there way along with a victory of their own.
However, Pep Guardiola‘s side took care of business by beating Galatasaray at the Etihad Stadium.
The win was enough for City to finish in eighth place, just a single point ahead of Real Madrid.
They could still face a potentially nightmare clash in the last 16, though, as either Bodo/Glimt, Benfica, Real Madrid or Inter Milan await.
Real Madrid knocked City out of the competition last season, although the English side won 1-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu just last month.
Newcastle
Newcastle’s late draw in Leverkusen last month ultimately cost the Magpies a top eight finish.
Having conceded an 88th minute equaliser against the German side in December, they finished two points adrift albeit with a superior goal difference.
Wins over Union Saint-Gilloise, Benfica, Athletic Bilbao and PSV were not enough to see Newcastle directly through to the last 16.
However, an impressive draw with PSG on the final matchday will give Howe confidence ahead of the next round even if was not enough to avoid the knockout play-off.
Having finished 12th, they avoid another meeting with PSG and will meet either Monaco or Qarabag next month.
The winner of that tie will then face Barcelona or Chelsea in the last 16 in March.
What's Your Reaction?
Like
0
Dislike
0
Love
0
Funny
0
Angry
0
Sad
0
Wow
0
.jpeg)