Real Madrid Secures Knockout Spot; Man City Faces Crucial Match
Man City faces a must-win match against Club Brugge after a 4-2 loss to PSG. Real Madrid secures knockout phase, while Bayern Munich risks playoff elimination.
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Manchester City’s path to the Champions League knockout stage remains uncertain following a 4-2 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on Wednesday. Despite an early two-goal advantage, City faltered as PSG mounted a decisive comeback, claiming a vital win.
Real Madrid secured their place in the knockout phase with a commanding 5-1 victory over Salzburg. With only the top 24 teams progressing, City currently occupy 25th place but retain a chance to qualify by defeating Club Brugge in their final group-stage match. PSG’s win elevated them to 22nd place, setting up a critical matchup against Stuttgart, who sit in 24th and may also need a victory to advance.
Elsewhere, Arsenal and Inter Milan solidified their positions near the top of the standings, securing third and fourth places, respectively, with wins that were largely anticipated. However, their direct advancement to the round of 16 is not yet confirmed.
AC Milan earned a narrow 1-0 victory over Girona, climbing to sixth place. Meanwhile, Bayern Munich suffered a 3-0 loss to Feyenoord, dropping to 15th and facing the prospect of a challenging playoff route. Teams finishing between 15th and 18th in the standings will face off in the playoffs, with the winners advancing to meet higher-seeded teams such as Liverpool and Barcelona in the round of 16.
The final group-stage matches are scheduled for next Wednesday, with all 36 teams competing simultaneously. The top eight teams will secure direct entry to the round of 16, while those ranked ninth through 24th will enter the knockout playoffs.
The draw for the playoffs will take place on January 31 at UEFA’s headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.
