Real Madrid have joined Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United in the Champions League last 16 – but will Barcelona join them?
Pep Guardiola’s City sealed their spot in the last 16 with a game to spare, meaning their 2-1 defeat to RB Leipzig in their final group game mattered little, with Manchester United and current Champions League holders Chelsea also already through to the knockout rounds.
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool side – who had already grabbed top spot in Group B with two games to spare – became the first English side to win all six Champions League group stage games, beating AC Milan 2-1 in their final match and posting a reminder of their own threat in this competition.
PSG finished second to City in Group A, and with Manchester United confirmed as Group F winners, there is an outside chance of Mauricio Pochettino drawing the club he has been heavily linked with, as Old Trafford awaits its next permanent manager.
So, with a Premier League full house in the last 16, who else has qualified, who still has work to do, and when is the draw for the first knockout round of this season’s Champions League?
Who has qualified for the last 16?
Ajax*
Bayern Munich*
Chelsea
Inter Milan
Juventus
Liverpool*
Manchester United*
Manchester City*
Paris Saint-Germain
Sporting Lisbon
Real Madrid*
Atletico Madrid
*Confirmed as group winners
Who has been eliminated?
Besiktas
Malmo
RB Leipzig
Dynamo Kiev
Young Boys
Zenit St Petersburg
Shakhtar Donetsk
FC Sheriff
Club Brugge
Borussia Dortmund
AC Milan
Porto
When is the draw for the last 16?
The Champions League last-16 draw takes place in Nyon, Switzerland on Monday, December 13.
How does the draw work?
The eight group winners will be seeded and drawn against the eight group runners-up.
No team can play a club from their group or any side from their own country.
The group winners will play the first leg of their last-16 tie away from home.
When are the last-16 ties?
The last-16 ties will be split across different weeks, with the first legs taking place on February 15-16 and February 22-23.
The second legs are then on March 8-9 and March 15-16.
What are the other key dates?
Last 16 first legs: February 15/16/22/23
Last 16 second legs: March 8/9/15/16
Quarter-final & semi-final draw: March 18
Quarter-final first legs: April 5/6
Quarter-final second legs: April 12/13
Semi-final first legs: April 26/27
Semi-final second legs: May 3/4
Final: May 28 – Gazprom Arena, Saint Petersburg
Champions League state of play
Group A – Man City beat PSG to top group
Manchester City sealed top spot with a 2-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain, with the French side through in second place. They beat Club Brugge 4-1 in the final group game, while RB Leipzig defeated City 2-1, sealing their spot in the Europa League knockout stages.
Group B – Atletico join Liverpool in last 16
Liverpool were already confirmed as group winners, but the final spot has now been decided.
Atletico Madrid will join Jurgen Klopp’s side in the last 16, having beaten Porto 3-1 at the Estadio do Dragao. Porto ended the game with nine men and Atletico also had a man sent off in a feisty encounter.
Porto will drop into the Europa League after finishing third, while Serie A leaders Milan are out of European competition this season, ending in bottom place.
Group C – Done and dusted
Ajax were already confirmed as group winners and beat Sporting Lisbon 4-2 in their final group game. The Portuguese side had already beaten Borussia Dortmund by the two-goal scoreline they needed to join them in the last 16 in the penultimate game.
Dortmund were already guaranteed a Europa League spot – they beat bottom-of-group Besiktas 5-0 in the final game.
Group D – Real top the group, Inter second
Real Madrid and Inter Milan went head to head in the final group game for top spot, and it was claimed by Real after a 2-0 victory at the Bernabeu.
Moldovan champions Sheriff Tiraspol are on their way to the Europa League after a superb Champions League campaign, drawing 1-1 with Shakhtar Donetsk in the final match.
Group E – Work for Barcelona
Bayern Munich have already booked their place in the last 16 as group winners, and they will be joined by either Barcelona or Benfica after they drew 0-0 on Matchday 5.
The Catalans have the advantage, two points ahead of the Portuguese heading into the final round of fixtures, with Barca facing a trip to Germany to take on Bayern in their final game, while Benfica face a home clash with Dynamo Kiev.
Xavi’s side must win away to Bayern to guarantee going through but they will also progress if Benfica fail to beat Dynamo. A Benfica win would mean Barcelona needing to match that result in Munich.
Group F: United progress as group winners
Man Utd’s 2-0 win at Villarreal on Matchday 5, coupled with a 3-3 draw between Atalanta and Young Boys, means the Red Devils won the group with a game to spare.
As a result, it is now all to play for in the race to finish second, with Atalanta and Villarreal set for a showdown in their final group game in Bergamo with the Spanish side going into it with a one-point advantage.
Group G – Wide open still
This group remains wide open still, with all four teams able to qualify heading into Matchday 6 when Red Bull Salzburg will host Sevilla and Wolfsburg are at home to Lille.
Lille require at least a point away to Wolfsburg to qualify but should they lose, they are sure to be in the Europa League. A win assures top spot in the group.
It’s all or nothing for Wolfsburg – they cannot finish in third and therefore a Europa League spot, but a win would guarantee them a top-two spot.
Group H – Chelsea through
Chelsea and Juventus have booked their place in the round of 16 after the Champions League holders’ comprehensive 4-0 win over the Serie A side – their heaviest-ever defeat in the competition – at Stamford Bridge on Matchday 5.
The Blues only need to match Juve’s result in the final round of fixtures in order to top the group. Zenit are heading for the Europa League.
CL state of play: Will Barca make it through?
Source: Pinoy Portal Articles