sports
January 29, 2026
Champions League review: discontent for Real Madrid in a chaotic conclusion to group play
Álvaro Arbeloa’s team have concerns as they look ahead to the knockout stages, while Jamie Carragher has concerns about the draw
TL;DR
- Benfica advanced to the knockout stage with a dramatic late goal from their goalkeeper, Anatoliy Trubin.
- Five Premier League teams—Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham, Chelsea, and Manchester City—secured direct qualification to the top eight, avoiding the playoff round.
- Arsenal achieved a perfect record with eight wins out of eight matches.
- Sporting Lisbon finished seventh, securing a place in the top eight after a late winning goal.
- Olympiakos, Club Brugge, and Qarabag were surprise qualifiers for the top 24.
- Real Madrid, despite advancing, will enter the playoff round due to their performance.
- Jamie Carragher expressed dissatisfaction with the new competition format due to potential matchups for Liverpool.
- Arsenal's reward for topping their group is a tie against one of four specific teams in the last 16, with a home second leg.
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