The UEFA Champions League group stage has come to an end after the final matchday. Liverpool has emerged as the group stage champion, securing direct qualification to the next round along with seven other clubs.
Following the completion of all fixtures, Enzo Maresca’s Liverpool tops the group stage standings in Europe’s third-tier competition, boasting an impressive goal difference of 17 scored and 5 conceded. The top eight teams in the table advance directly to the round of 16, while those finishing between 9th and 24th place will compete in a preliminary round.
Teams ranked 9th to 16th will face off against those placed 17th to 24th in the playoffs. The higher-ranked teams (9th-16th) will host the second leg. The eight victorious clubs from these elimination playoffs will progress to the round of 16.
Spanish Clubs’ Performance
All Spanish teams except Girona have advanced to the next phase. Girona, already eliminated, lost 1-2 to Arsenal in their final match. Atletico Madrid and Barcelona qualified directly for the round of 16: Barcelona drew 2-2 with Atalanta, while Atletico thrashed Salzburg 1-4. Real Madrid secured a place in the playoff round after defeating Stade Brestois 0-3.
Final Standings
Liverpool finished top with 21 points, while Young Boys ended at the bottom with 0 points. The top 8 teams qualifying directly for the round of 16 are Liverpool, Barcelona, Arsenal, Inter, Atletico Madrid, Leverkusen, LOSC Lille, and Aston Villa. Real Madrid, heading to the playoffs, occupies 11th place, while the eliminated Girona sits in 33rd position.