UCL: Who's in, who's out, what comes next after wild league phase?

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The opening phase of the 2025-26 Champions League season concluded Wednesday some 132 days after the first round of fixtures kicked off.

Eighteen concurrent matches created an at-times overwhelming yet entertaining finale, with 61 goals scored and only the dour draw between Monaco and Juventus offering nothing to the overall count.

Here's how the league phase unfolded and what comes next in Europe's premier competition.

Who's in?

Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Barcelona, Chelsea, Sporting CP, and Manchester City finished with the best eight records in the opening phase, earning byes to the Champions League round of 16.

But the story of the night was Benfica's 4-2 win over Real Madrid. The Portuguese side's goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin joined the attack for a late free-kick and scored a miraculous 98th-minute header, sending Jose Mourinho's Benfica above Marseille and into the final spot for the knockout playoffs (more on that below) on goal difference.

The shock defeat had huge implications for Real Madrid. That result, along with Sporting CP's 95th-minute winner at Athletic Bilbao, meant the Spanish club fell outside the top eight and must now go through the playoffs.

Arsenal finished atop the opening phase with a perfect record of eight wins from eight matches, including notable victories over Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich and Serie A table toppers Inter Milan, plus a 4-0 rout of Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid. Statement made.

Bayern only dropped points to Arsenal, firmly establishing themselves among the favorites to win the trophy. Liverpool and Tottenham found respite from their frustrating domestic campaigns with an impressive set of results in Europe.

Knockout playoffs

The next 16 teams in the league phase table enter the knockout playoffs, where they'll battle for the remaining spots in the round of 16. Two-legged affairs will determine which eight clubs advance and join the eight teams that earned byes to the last 16.

The eight teams in the upper-half of the playoff positions - highlighted by Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, and Italian giants Inter Milan and Juventus - will be seeded and therefore drawn against the teams in the lower-half, which includes Borussia Dortmund, Galatasaray, and Benfica.

The seeded teams have the (theoretical) advantage of playing their respective second legs at home.

Who's out?

Little-known Kazakh side Kairat Almaty were the first team officially eliminated from knockout contention when they lost 4-1 to Club Brugge earlier this month on Matchday 7.

But smaller clubs weren't the only ones to fall at this hurdle.

La Liga high-flyers Villarreal, who won the Europa League in 2021, were surprisingly lackluster with an abysmal record of one draw and seven defeats. The Spanish team was eliminated with Ajax, Marseille, and all the way down in 30th place, reigning Italian champions Napoli.

Napoli were in 19th spot and headed for the knockout playoffs at halftime Wednesday, but a second-half brace from Chelsea's Joao Pedro gave the Blues a 3-2 win and ended Napoli's European adventure.

And remember: There's no soft landing in the Europa League for these teams since UEFA removed that safety net when the Champions League format was rejigged ahead of the 2024-25 campaign.

What's next?

The top eight sides won't compete in Europe until the round of 16 kicks off on March 10.

The teams that finished ninth to 16th will take on those that finished 17th to 24th in two-legged clashes that begin Feb. 17. The draw for the knockout playoffs is Friday.

(Courtesy: UEFA)

The playoff bracket pairs clubs by their final position in the league phase, so fans know their team will face one of two potential opponents before the draw. For example, ninth-placed Real Madrid or 10th-placed Inter Milan could face 23rd-placed Bodo/Glimt or 24th-placed Benfica.

Another big showdown in the playoffs will be Victor Osimhen's Galatasaray taking on either Juventus or Atletico Madrid.