Champions League news

Arne Slot complained about the "noise" around Anfield ahead of Wednesday night's Champions League clash with Qarabag - and one could understand why. As well as being distracting, some of it has been disrespectful. Indeed, Slot had even been asked a question about Xabi Alonso, the favourite to replace him as Liverpool boss, in his pre-match press conference.

The league phase of the Champions League was dominated by English clubs. Have the betting markets overreacted to the Premier League’s supremacy?

Real Madrid will be reunited with Jose Mourinho’s Benfica in the Champions League knockout play-off round, while title holders Paris Saint-Germain must overcome domestic rivals Monaco in order to reach the last-16 and Newcastle face a tough test against Qarabag. A number of European heavyweights are paying the price for failing to secure a top-eight finish in the league phase.

With the teams narrowed down, the knockout phase of the Champions League has come into view. Here's your complete guide to the upcoming draw.

Paris Saint-Germain have enjoyed a meteoric rise on and off the pitch over the last decade or so, growing their global profile exponentially and ending the long, long wait to become European champions. In February, PSG will take over a corner of the English capital in a showcase of the cultural phenomenon the French giants have become.

Jose Mourinho oversaw “the miracle of Da Luz”, as Benfica prevailed in dramatic fashion against Real Madrid to keep their Champions League dreams alive, with it being revealed how the ‘Special One’ made that possible. The Portuguese stunned his former employers from the Bernabeu as another impressive entry was added to his distinguished coaching CV.

Roberto De Zerbi is reportedly ready to quit Marseille, with the fiery Italian coach said to have handed in his resignation following failure to guide the Ligue 1 giants towards the last 16 of the Champions League. His contract at Stade Velodrome is due to run until the summer of 2027, but said agreement could be terminated more than 12 months prematurely.

Roberto De Zerbi is in 'great danger' of being sacked after his Marseille side were dumped out of the Champions League in dramatic fashion. The French side looked to be limping through to the play-off stage of the competition despite losing 3-0 to Club Brugge on Wednesday night. But Benfica's last-gasp 4-2 win over Real Madrid ensured Jose Mourinho's side pipped Marseille to the last qualifying spot.

Chelsea’s dramatic Champions League resurgence could have a sting in the tail as the club faces the bizarre prospect of surrendering their home advantage due to a logistical clash with their London rivals. Liam Rosenior’s side fought hard to secure a top-eight finish, but a little-known UEFA regulation regarding city-based fixture congestion now threatens to force the Blues into a neutral venue or a fixture reversal to accommodate Arsenal and Tottenham.

Kylian Mbappe has accused his Real Madrid team-mates of lacking “desire”, with the Blancos looking anything but a “team of champions” when suffering a costly European defeat at Benfica. An “embarrassing” goal was conceded there, to the home side’s keeper, and the Liga giants will now have to navigate their way through the Champions League knockout play-offs.

Joe Cole has hailed Liam Rosenior’s immediate impact at Stamford Bridge as "superb" after the new Chelsea boss guided his side to a dramatic Champions League victory over Napoli. The former Blues midfielder believes the 41-year-old has rapidly transformed the squad's mentality, pointing to a run of five wins in six games as proof that the decision to replace Enzo Maresca is already paying huge dividends.

Steven Gerrard claims Arne Slot’s comments on Liverpool’s 2024-25 Champions League campaign will be a “body blow” to the club’s fans, as they enjoy another European adventure this season. The former Reds skipper is also being billed as a potential successor to Slot in the Anfield hot-seat, despite enduring a tough time in management before taking a break.

So there we have it! After a mammoth 144 games that included plenty of goals and drama, the curtain has been drawn on the league phase of the 2025-26 Champions League. Arsenal finished top of the table with a perfect record, while Manchester City secured automatic qualification to the round of 16 by the skin of their teeth. But three historic European giants have been eliminated already, in the form of Napoli, Marseille and Ajax.

The Premier League is firmly on course to gain a fifth Champions League place for next season after a dominant display in Europe. With five English clubs storming into the last 16 and all nine representatives still active across the three competitions, the coefficient rankings show England miles clear of rivals Italy and Spain, sparking a frantic domestic battle for the lucrative extra berth.

Joao Pedro shared a wholesome moment with Liam Rosenior after helping to fire Chelsea into the last 16 of Champions League competition. The Blues secured a top-eight finish in elite European competition after seeing off Serie A champions Napoli in Italy. Rosenior secured another notable scalp there, with the affable Englishman endearing himself quickly to players and fans in west London.

Antonio Conte launched a scathing attack on football’s "genius" fixture schedulers after his injury-ravaged Napoli side were dumped out of the Champions League by his former club, Chelsea. The Italian giants surrendered a half-time lead to lose 3-2 in Naples, a result that sees the reigning Serie A champions finish 30th in the table and exit Europe completely.

Pep Guardiola has announced that he will be sending a thank you message to former Clasico rival Jose Mourinho. Two highly-decorated coaches once found themselves operating on opposing sides of the fierce divide that separates Barcelona and Real Madrid. They are now at Manchester City and Benfica respectively, with Champions League progress being enjoyed in 2025-26.