The second round of the Champions League has concluded, and now the participants have a clear view of their standings in the table. Every point gained is especially valuable, particularly given the close results last season when the updated tournament format was introduced. All 36 teams are aware of how difficult it is to finish among the top sixteen and are determined not to concede to their rivals, even in the smallest details. Already, some favorites have dropped points at the start.
The Champions League playoffs are taking shape after the second round according to a specific format. As after the first round, it is still too early to draw any final conclusions about future matchups, but it is important to recall the principles for seeding and how the fixtures will be set up once the group stage ends. At this point, the possible pairings for the playoff spot matches are as follows:
– 9th/10th place vs. 23rd/24th: Tottenham or Atlético vs. Juventus or Bodø;
– 11th/12th vs. 21st/22nd: Newcastle or Marseille vs. Galatasaray or Atalanta;
– 13th/14th vs. 19th/20th: Brugge or Sporting vs. Napoli or Union SG;
– 15th/16th vs. 17th/18th: Eintracht or Barcelona vs. Liverpool or Chelsea.
For the Round of 16, after two matches possible pairings are as follows:
– 1st/2nd place vs. winner of the Eintracht/Barcelona — Liverpool/Chelsea tie: Bayern or Real Madrid;
– 3rd/4th vs. winner of Brugge/Sporting — Napoli/Union SG: PSG or Inter;
– 5th/6th vs. winner of Newcastle/Marseille — Galatasaray/Atalanta: Arsenal or Qarabağ;
– Quarter-finals 7/8: Winners of Tottenham/Atlético vs Juventus/Bodø: Borussia Dortmund or Manchester City.
It should be noted that this is only a preliminary scheme to illustrate the tournament structure. After two rounds, it’s difficult to make long-term predictions, and by January the situation will likely change. However, those who have already earned six points can feel more confident.
Currently at the bottom of the table are Athletic and Villarreal, who have not yet collected enough points: the Basque club has zero, and the team from Villarreal has one. Nevertheless, the teams led by Ernesto Valverde, Marcelino, and other squads outside the playoff zone still have time to turn things around and fight for a place in the next stage.
