Thursday 29 January 2026 brought a huge Champions League finish. With 18 games kicking off together and 61 goals flying in, the league phase drew to a thrilling close. When the dust settled, five Premier League sides — Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham, Chelsea and Manchester City — had all secured direct passage to the last 16. Newcastle, who drew 1-1 with PSG, will go into February’s knockout play-offs.

It was a big night for English football. The top eight spots mean no extra round for those teams. They can plan for March while others fight it out in two-legged play-offs next month. The Premier League’s strong showing also keeps the league on course to lock in a fifth Champions League place through UEFA’s season coefficient.

Arsenal perfect and No.1 seed: why it matters

Arsenal completed an eight-from-eight sweep, beating Kairat Almaty 3-2 to finish first overall. A perfect record is rare in any format; doing it in a crowded league phase is a serious statement. Finishing top brings key rewards: Arsenal are the No.1 seed, they avoid higher seeds until later rounds, and they will play second legs at home throughout the competition. One more perk from the draw mechanics: they cannot meet Bayern Munich, the No.2 seed, until the final.

The possible last-16 opponents for Mikel Arteta’s side are set to come from the play-off winners. Based on the current picture, that likely pool includes Atalanta, Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund and Olympiakos. None are easy, but all are matchups Arsenal will fancy with the second leg at the Emirates.

"Eight wins from eight and home second legs? Arsenal have no excuses now."

Liverpool and Tottenham power into the top four

Liverpool hit top gear in a 6-0 win over Qarabag to close out the phase in third on 18 points. The Reds have pace and depth, and they showed both again against overmatched opponents. Tottenham also took care of business, beating Eintracht Frankfurt to secure a place among the top four seeds. For Liverpool, the potential last-16 slate from the play-off pot includes Club Brugge, Galatasaray, Juventus and Atletico Madrid — a blend of styles and travel that will test their focus.

Being in that top cluster gives both clubs margin. They skip the February play-off grind and get extra time to recover and prepare. It also keeps the path to the quarter-finals clearer, at least on paper.

Chelsea rally late; Man City steady and efficient

Chelsea staged one of the night’s turnarounds. Down to Napoli, they climbed back for a 3-2 win, with Joao Pedro scoring twice. That comeback sealed sixth place and a direct ticket to the last 16. As a mid-top seed, Chelsea’s possible opponents from the play-offs include PSG, Newcastle, Monaco and Qarabag. There are no soft touches there, but Stamford Bridge will like its chances with control of second legs later in the tournament structure.

Manchester City were methodical in a 2-0 win at Galatasaray, with goals from Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki. City finished eighth, the last of the automatic qualifiers. They are not yet in their full attacking flow, but finishing in the top eight means the holders still avoid an extra tie in February — the kind of edge that often shows up in April and May.

"City at 8th feels scary — they haven’t even hit top speed and they’ve skipped the play-offs."

European heavyweights still loom: Bayern and Barcelona

Outside England, the powerhouses did their job. Bayern Munich beat PSV 2-1 to lock up second place. Barcelona cruised 4-1 over FC Copenhagen to finish fifth. Together with Arsenal at No.1, those seedings sketch the shape of the bracket. If Arsenal want to lift the trophy, they could see one of the in-form German or Spanish sides late — but not Bayern until the final.

How the Champions League league phase and play-offs work

This season’s format sends the top eight teams from the league phase directly to the last 16. Positions nine through 24 move into two-legged play-offs, with seeded and unseeded teams paired based on their league-phase rankings. The winners of those ties then face the top eight in March’s last-16 round.

It all came to a head on Thursday night with a huge climax — as the competition itself put it, "The league phase of the Champions League reached a thrilling conclusion with 18 simultaneous games and a total of 61 goals." Fans got drama, stakes, and a full scoreboard.

Newcastle’s route goes through February

Newcastle battled to a 1-1 draw with PSG. It was enough to set their place in the knockout play-offs, where margins are tight and small details matter. If they progress, they could line up as a possible opponent for English rivals like Chelsea in the last 16 — a tantalising prospect for March.

"Newcastle in the play-offs is box office — nobody will want them over two legs."

What this dominance means for the Premier League

Five direct qualifiers in one season underlines the league’s depth. England’s coefficient picture also looks strong, with the Premier League likely to secure a fifth Champions League spot for next season. More spots means more opportunity — but also more pressure to perform.

For now, the story is control. Arsenal hold the best hand with the No.1 seed. Liverpool and Tottenham are safely placed near the top. Chelsea and City avoided the trap of February. Newcastle get another shot in the play-offs to join them.

Looking ahead

The last 16 will bring tighter games and tougher choices. Arsenal’s perfect run gives them belief and a clean path. Liverpool look ruthless again. Tottenham’s balance is improving. Chelsea showed fight at just the right time. City are calm and dangerous, even from eighth. And Newcastle, gritty as ever, will try to punch through the play-offs.

We now swap the chaos of the league phase for the clarity of knockouts. Five Premier League teams are already there. The next question is simple: how many of them will still be standing when we reach the quarter-finals?