Champions League Round of 16 Set: Meet All 16 Powerhouses Battling for European Glory
The Champions League round of 16 lineup is nearly complete, as the initial batch of playoff survivors secured their advancement to the next stage of the tournament on Tuesday evening.
Although the top eight sides from the league phase earned direct qualification to the last 16, teams finishing between ninth and 24th place were required to battle through two-leg playoff encounters to maintain their European ambitions.
Several elite clubs, including defending champions Paris Saint-Germain and 15-time European titleholders Real Madrid, were caught in the playoff phase, finding themselves just two matches away from a possible premature departure from Europe's top club tournament.
The playoff round delivered drama in abundance, featuring dismissals and spectacular strikes alongside remarkable turnarounds and surprising outcomes. Here are all the sides that advanced to join the eight pre-qualified teams in the round of 16.
Every Team Automatically Qualified for Champions League Round of 16
Every Team Automatically Qualified for Champions League Round of 16
Arsenal topped the league phase standings, achieving a flawless record of eight victories from eight matches to claim first place with 24 points. The North London side became the inaugural team to complete a spotless league phase run in the tournament's revamped format.
Bayern Munich claimed second position after securing seven wins from their eight fixtures—their sole defeat came at the hands of Arsenal in November.
Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur, finishing third and fourth respectively, emerged as the unexpected stars of the top eight. Both English clubs excelled in European competition despite struggling domestically in the Premier League. Spurs particularly impressed by placing ahead of Barcelona, Real Madrid and PSG while languishing in 16th position in their domestic campaign—an achievement few predicted.
The following four teams in the league phase table—Barcelona, Chelsea, Sporting CP and Manchester City—all concluded with 16 points, sufficient to earn automatic progression to the round of 16. City claimed the eighth and final automatic qualification spot after Real Madrid suffered an unexpected loss to Benfica in their concluding league phase encounter.
Teams Automatically Through to Champions League Last 16
Teams Automatically Through to Champions League Last 16
Every Team Qualified From Champions League Knockout Playoffs
Every Team Qualified From Champions League Knockout Playoffs
Atlético Madrid emerged as the first playoff team to advance to the round of 16. Diego Simeone's squad dominated at the Wanda Metropolitano in their second leg against Club Brugge, claiming a 4–1 triumph (7–4 overall) to extend their Champions League journey.
Bayer Leverkusen's scoreless stalemate with Olympiacos lacked excitement, but proved sufficient to propel the German champions forward thanks to their 2–0 first-leg advantage. Patrik Schick netted both goals in Greece the previous week, ultimately deciding the tie.
Bodø/Glimt joined the advancing teams after defeating 2023 and 2025 finalists Inter Milan. The Norwegian outfit remains one of this season's most compelling Champions League narratives; following six consecutive defeats to start their campaign, they've mounted an impressive recovery, claiming league phase victories over Manchester City and Atlético Madrid before ousting Inter 5–2 across both legs.
Newcastle United completed Tuesday's qualifiers for the last 16. The Magpies delivered an impressive six-goal performance against Qarabağ in the opening leg, essentially securing progression before the return fixture. By the conclusion of the second leg, Eddie Howe's team had found the net nine times across the tie.
Playoff Teams Through to Champions League Last 16
Playoff Teams Through to Champions League Last 16
*Four additional knockout phase playoff encounters commence on Wednesday
Every Team Qualified for Champions League Round of 16
Every Team Qualified for Champions League Round of 16
Following Tuesday's knockout phase results, these 12 teams have now confirmed their places in the last 16:
The final four positions will be determined on Wednesday evening when the remaining playoff ties reach their conclusion across Europe.