The 2025/26 Champions League has now reached the halfway point of the league phase, with each of the 36 clubs involved having played four of their eight matches ahead of the knockout rounds starting in February.
The competition has already seen some blockbuster matches as some of the continent’s top sides have faced off – with while – and the race for the automatic qualification pieces is beginning to heat up.
The teams who finish in the top eight in the table will qualify for the knockout rounds automatically, with those sides in ninth to 24th facing off in play-off ties in order to qualify for the knockout rounds proper, and already the competition for places is close, with only four points separating fourth-placed Manchester City and Bayer Leverkusen in 21st.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, it’s Premier League clubs who are beginning to dominate, with Arsenal, City, Liverpool and Newcastle United all currently occupying places in the top eight, while Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea are just one and two points off respectively.
But with four matches left and each club facing drastically different schedules, could each Premier League side finish in the top eight automatic qualification places?
Arsenal
Arsenal have been arguably the best side in the competition so far – alongside Bayern Munich – with Mikel Arteta’s men boasting a 100 per cent record and zero goals conceded after four matches. While the Gunners will face tougher tests than Bilbao, Olympiacos and Slavia Praha in the coming months, the dominant nature of their performances has seen then become one of the favourites to win the competition.
It would take an unprecedented dip in form for Arsenal to drop out of the top eight – especially considering two of their remaining matches come against Club Brugge and Kazakh minnows FC Kairat – but matches against Inter Milan and Bayern Munich will provide the best yardstick so far for evaluating the Gunners.
Liverpool
Despite a rocky patch in recent weeks, Liverpool have managed to save their best form for Europe, with Arne Slot’s side having beaten both Atletico and Real Madrid so far in 2025/26. The win over Frankfurt was expected and while the loss to Galatasaray was a surprise, it is not a result that will define the European campaign as long as the Reds continue to perform.
Liverpool still have to play Inter Milan as they look to secure a place in the top eight, though they may well head into that match as favourites based on current form, and with PSV and Marseille to come before a final match against Qarabag, Arne Slot will likely be making secret preparations for the knockout rounds already.
Manchester City
Manchester City’s draw away to AS Monaco is the only blip on an otherwise perfect record in Europe this term, with Pep Guardiola having steered his side to easy wins over Napoli, Villarreal and Borussia Dortmund so far.
City sit in fourth in the table on 10 points and with Bayer Leverkusen, Galatasaray and Bodo/Glimt to come, they are almost certain of a place in the top 24, and they can be confident of securing a spot in the automatic qualification places too. However, the Cityzens will have to keep their wits about them as they look to secure results in those three matches, with a trip to Real Madrid on 10 December meaning other sides might have a chance to gain ground.
Chelsea
With four matches played, Chelsea sit in 12th in the league phase table, just two points off Liverpool in eighth. Positive results against Ajax and Benfica were sandwiched between a disappointing loss to Bayern Munich and a sloppy draw to Qarabag last time out, and while the Blues should safely finish within the top 24 to guarantee a knockout round play-off tie, they may struggle to make the top eight based on current form.
The visit of Barcelona on 25 November has the potential to define the Blues’ league phase campaign, with the sides level on points ahead of the fifth gameweek. Matches against Atalanta and Pafos follow before a potentially tricky fixture away to Napoli to finish the campaign, and it’s safe to say that Enzo Maresca’s side need a result in those matches against the Italian sides and Pafos if they are to qualify automatically.
Tottenham
TottenhamHotspur’s campaign started with a whimper with a narrow win over Villarreal followed by draws to Bodo/Glimt and Monaco, though it may have sprung into life with the 4-0 win over an admittedly poor Copenhagen side.
That result left Thomas Frank’s side in 10th in the table, just a point below Liverpool, and while they are well-placed to make the top eight, their recent form means that they will need to be at their best if they are to do so.
Spurs travel to Paris to face defending champions PSG next up, before a winnable home fixture against SlaviaPraha and a more difficult match against German giants Borussia Dortmund. They finish with an away fixture against Eintracht Frankfurt, and while two of these games should yield three points each, losses to PSG and Dortmund could make life difficult for the Lilywhites, even if a place in the top 24 is very likely at present.
Newcastle
Despite mixed form that has seen them struggle at times domestically, Newcastle have been flying high in Europe, losing just one match – at home to Barcelona – before winning three on the bounce to rise up to sixth in the league phase table.
Convincing wins over Union Saint-Gilloise, Benfica and Athletic Bilbao provide a reminder that the Magpies are one of the continent’s most difficult sides to play on their day, and though potentially difficult fixtures against Marseille, Leverkusen and PSV are next up, they have the capacity to win all three as they look to edge towards automatic qualification.
Nevertheless, Eddie Howe’s side must be careful not to slip into the form that has seen them drop down to 13th in the league, as those sides could punish the types of mistakes Newcastle are making in the Premier League, and with a final-day fixture away to PSG still to come, Magpies fans won’t want it to go down to the final matchday.