Nine teams advance to Champions League playoffs as Liverpool and Barcelona reach last-16
Liverpool and Barcelona know they're in the Champions League last 16 with a host of other teams - including Arsenal and Aston Villa - ensuring they will play knockout football
by Samuel Meade · The MirrorLiverpool and Barcelona both booked their places in the Champions League knockouts - and have secured a crucial top eight spot.
The Reds saw off Lille whilst the Catalan giants won a nine-goal thriller against Benfica, scoring their winner in the last minute to complete a late comeback. It means both teams will finish in the top eight, which means they'll advance straight into the round of 16.
They'll dodge the knockout phase play-offs. Any team which finishes from ninth to 24th will have to take part in an extra round to land themselves a spot in the last 16.
Nine teams know they'll be in the Champions League beyond the group phase - two of them being English in Arsenal and Aston Villa. The Gunners will take on Dinamo Zagreb on Wednesday night but already know they will remain in the hunt for European glory beyond January.
Villa, despite losing to Monaco, who themselves have impressed and are also through, will be in the knockout phase in what is their first ever Champions League campaign.
France know they will have at least three teams advancing - with their potential absentee being PSG. That would be a headline exit and the Parisians face a titanic tussle with Manchester City on Wednesday. The English side themselves need the points to ensure they go through.
Brest, one of the minnows in this year's competition, have been one of the shocks and will go into the knockout phase, as will Lille, despite their loss at Anfield.
The two teams to contest last year's Europa League final, Atalanta and Bayer Leverkusen, have ensured their progression. Atalanta saw off Leverkusen on that occasion and both have continued to flourish with the Italian side sticking five past Sturm Graz on Tuesday having lost just the once so far in Europe this term.
Atletico Madrid look as primed as they have for years with Diego Simeone's side purring. They're firmly in the La Liga hunt and have also shown their smarts in Europe. Julian Alvarez, their summer signing, came up trumps on Tuesday as he scored a last minute winner to see off Leverkusen.
Inter Milan, the beaten finalists in 2023, also know they will be in the knockout phase and will still harbour hopes of a top eight finish. They've already beaten Arsenal and have lost just the once.
Teams through to the Round of 16: Liverpool, Barcelona.
Teams into the knockout phase play-offs: Arsenal, Aston Villa, Monaco, Lille, Brest, Atalanta, Inter Milan, Bayer Leverkusen, Atletico Madrid.
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