It's been a journey into the unknown, but the new-look 36-team Champions League is finally reaching the climax of the league phase.
While we're starting to get some kind of idea of who's going to go through, a lot can happen in the last two rounds. We only know two of the eight clubs that will go straight through to the round of 16, while 16 teams will take part in the knockout playoff round in February.
Three teams have already been eliminated, with nine more to come over the next week.
Unlike in previous seasons, no teams will drop into the Europa League from the Champions League.
Unexpectedly, there are some big clubs in real danger of being eliminated, which might not have been the case under the old format.
Let's take a look at what's at stake and how the final matchdays are shaping up.
How does it work?
The teams in position 1-8 go straight to the round of 16, and won't have to play games in February.
The clubs in places 9-24 will face the playoff round next month.
Those in 25th to 36th are eliminated.
Does it matter where you finish in the table?
Yes, because the league placings create the knockout bracket. Unlike in previous seasons, where there would be open draws, paths will be set after this phase has been completed.
The new "seeding" system means the highest-placed teams can't face each other until the latter stages of the knockout round.
For instance, if we look at the table right now, Liverpool and Barcelona are in first and second and they would not be able to play each other until the final. The teams in third and fourth -- currently Atlético Madrid and Atalanta -- can't play Liverpool or Barcelona until the semifinals.
However, the value of being placed high in the table has been complicated by poor European seasons for Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid, who have unexpectedly become possible opponents earlier in the knockout rounds.
The teams in first and second will play 15th, 16th, 17th or 18th in the round of 16. A host of top clubs could yet finish in one of those positions, including Juventus (14th), Real Madrid (22nd), Manchester City (24th).
What are the league phase tiebreakers?
1 - Goal difference
2 - Goals scored
3 - Away goals scored
4 - Wins
5 - Away wins
6 - Higher number of total points collected by league phase opponents*
7 - Higher goal difference attained of league phase opponents*
8 - Higher goals scored by league phase opponents*
9 - Disciplinary points
10 - UEFA club coefficient.
*You add up the record of the eight teams faced in the league phase, effectively creating a difficulty level of opponents.
Who is already through to the knockout rounds?
Round of 16:
Liverpool are through and are guaranteed to finish first or second, and thus take a top seeding position in the bracket.
Barcelona have also secured a top-eight finish with a dramatic winner in a 5-4 comeback victory at Benfica.
Guaranteed at least a place in the knockout playoff round:
Atlético Madrid, Atalanta, Arsenal, Bayer Leverkusen, Internazionale, Aston Villa, Brest, AS Monaco, Lille
How it looks: the battle to go through
Before the competition began it was thought that 16 points would secure a place in the top eight, but the low spread of points at the bottom of the table means it could take 17 points to be absolutely certain of going through. There could be teams who finish outside the top eight on goal difference with 16 points.
Going into Wednesday's fixtures, 18 points will guarantee a direct place in the round of 16.
Similarly, it was thought nine points might be enough to finish in at least 24th place, we now know 24th will be a minimum of nine points; it might take 10 points this season.
1. Liverpool (21 points)
PSV Eindhoven (a)
The Reds are through and certain to finish in the top 2.
2. Barcelona (18)
Atalanta (h)
A direct place in the round of 16 is booked and will look to secure a high seeding against Atalanta.
3. Atlético Madrid (15)
RB Salzburg (a)
The stoppage-time winner against Bayer Leverkusen has put Atlético in a strong position, and a win at RB Salzburg would see them through.
4. Atalanta (14)
Barcelona (a)
The Serie A side's 5-0 victory over Sturm Graz has put them right in contention for the top eight, but they would have to win at Camp Nou to make it. There's still every chance they will have to play in the knockout playoff round.
5. Arsenal (13)
Dinamo Zagreb (h), Girona (a)
6. Bayer Leverkusen (13)
Sparta Prague (h)
7. Internazionale (13)
Sparta Prague (a), AS Monaco (h)
8. Aston Villa (13)
Celtic (h)
9. Brest (13)
Shakhtar Donetsk (a), Real Madrid (h)
10. AS Monaco (13)
Internazionale (a)
11. Lille (13)
Feyenoord Rotterdam (h)
Arsenal have the most favourable fixture this week, at home on Wednesday to a Zagreb side battling to make the top 24. A win will go a long way to getting them over the line with a trip to Girona next week.
Inter Milan and Brest are away this week and face teams that must win to remain in contention for the knockout playoff round. As Brest host Real Madrid on Matchday 8, Wednesday's match against Shakhtar Donetsk in Gelsenkirchen could be make-or-break for their hopes of being in the top eight.
Aston Villa, Bayer Leverkusen and Lille all lost on Tuesday, which means they must win next week and hope 16 points is enough. All three are at home to sides lower in the table, so they have a chance.
Monaco put themselves in contention for the top eight with a win over Villa, but the Ligue 1 side would have to win at the San Siro to get to 16 points.
12. Bayern Munich (12)
Feyenoord Rotterdam (a), Slovan Bratislava (h)
13. Borussia Dortmund (12)
Shakhtar Donetsk (h)
14. Juventus (12)
Benfica (h)
15. AC Milan (12)
Girona (h), Dinamo Zagreb (a)
Bayern Munich go to Feyenoord and then host Slovan Bratislava (who have zero points.) Bayern will have to get something from a potentially tricky trip to the Netherlands to have a chance of finishing in the top eight.
It looks positive for AC Milan, at home to 30th-place Girona (who will be out if they don't win), before a trip to 25th-placed Dinamo Zagreb.
However, Borussia Dortmund lost to Bologna on Tuesday, while Juventus could only draw at Club Brugge. Both these sides will have to settle for the knockout playoff round next month.
16. PSV Eindhoven (11)
Liverpool (h)
17. Club Brugge (11)
Manchester City (a)
PSV Eindhoven claimed victory at Red Star, while Club Brugge earned a home draw with Juventus. Both have very difficult final-day matches and while they will continue in Europe, they won't make the top eight.
18. Benfica (10)
Juventus (a)
19. Sporting CP (10)
RB Leipzig (a), Bologna (h)
20. Feyenoord Rotterdam (10)
Bayern Munich (h), Lille (a)
21. VfB Stuttgart (10)
Paris Saint-Germain (h)
The four teams on 10 points really are in the middle of the pack. It would be a surprise if 10 points doesn't earn a place in the knockout playoff round but until Wednesday's matches are played we won't know the full picture.
The fixture list suggests Sporting CP have a chance of getting six points from the remaining games and a very outside chance of sneaking into the top eight.
Stuttgart host Paris Saint-Germain next week, and the Bundesliga side could yet go out if they lose that.
Who would have thought that Real Madrid and Manchester City -- winners of the past three Champions Leagues between them -- and Paris Saint-Germain -- finalists in 2020 -- would be in need of a result to secure enough points to make the knockout rounds heading into Matchday 7?
Yet that's exactly the position.
The remaining sides in the table will not gain enough points to make the top eight, so they will be playing in the knockout playoff round in February if they are to continue in Europe.
22. Real Madrid (9)
FC Salzburg (h), Brest (a)
23. Celtic (9)
Young Boys (h), Aston Villa (a)
On Wednesday, Real Madrid host RB Salzburg, who will be eliminated without a victory at the Bernabeu. Los Blancos will expect to gain the three points which will ensure they don't face a shock exit.
Celtic also have a crucial home fixture against a Young Boys side who are rock bottom, having lost all six matches. It's a must-win for the Scottish team, and it would put them in the knockout playoff round.
24. Manchester City (8)
Paris Saint-Germain (a), Club Brugge (h)
25. Dinamo Zagreb (8)
Arsenal (a), AC Milan (h)
The two teams on eight points also know that one win should see them through.
All eyes are on the game between Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City, with the Ligue 1 side remarkably sat on seven points and outside the top 24. Regardless, City hosting a last-day home match against Club Brugge is a good security backup.
Dinamo Zagreb are just outside the top 24 but have a very difficult double, travelling to Arsenal before playing at home to AC Milan.
26. Paris Saint-Germain (7)
Manchester City (h), VfB Stuttgart (a)
One win might not be enough for Paris Saint-Germain so if they lose at home to Man City, their chances of qualifying will be hanging by a thread.
And what about that final day... Stuttgart vs. PSG ... and it's shaping up as winner-takes-all to go through.
27. Bologna (5)
Sporting CP (a)
With one game to play and PSG to take on Man City, nine points is needed to go through and the maximum Bologna can achieve is eight. They are out.
28. Shakhtar Donetsk (4)
Brest (h), Borussia Dortmund (a)
29. Sparta Prague (4)
Internazionale (h), Bayer Leverkusen (a)
Shakhtar Donetsk and Sparta Prague can still get to 10 points, so they at least appear to have a chance.
30. Girona (3)
AC Milan (a), Arsenal (h)
31. Red Star Belgrade (3)
Young Boys (a)
32. SK Sturm Graz (3)
RB Leipzig (h)
33. RB Salzburg (3)
Real Madrid (a), Atlético Madrid (h)
Girona and RB Salzburg can still reach nine points, so that at least keeps them mathematically in contention.
Sturm Graz and Red Star are out after defeats on Tuesday.
34. RB Leipzig (0)
Sporting CP (h), SK Sturm Graz (a)
35. Slovan Bratislava (0)
Bayern Munich (a)
36. Young Boys (0)
Celtic (a), Red Star Belgrade (h)
Three clubs have failed to score a point and have already been knocked out.
How does the final round of games work?
All 18 matches are played at the same time in a bumper round where every goal will change the table.
The games take place at 3 p.m. ET, 8 p.m. UK on Wednesday, Jan. 29.
When is the draw for the knockout rounds?
The draw for the knockout playoff round -- featuring the clubs that finish ninth to 24th -- will take place on Friday, Jan. 31 at 6 a.m. ET / 11 a.m. UK.
How does the knockout draw work?
In the knockout playoff round draw, teams are paired by their final position
Before the draw, teams will have two possible opponents.
For instance, 21st (Stuttgart) and 22nd (Real Madrid ) will be paired to play either 11th (Lille) or 12th (Bayern Munich).
The two pairs of fixtures will then be drawn into opposite halves of the bracket.
First legs: Feb. 11-12, 2025
Second legs: Feb. 18-19, 2025
After the knockout playoff round draw, the teams who finish inside the top eight will still have four possible opponents.
For instance, fifth (Arsenal) and sixth (Bayer Leverkusen) would still be able to play any of 11th, 12th, 21st and 22nd.
Once the knockout playoff round is complete, the teams in fifth and sixth would have two possible opponents remaining, the winners of those ties.
The round of 16 draw then takes place on Friday, Feb. 21, when fifth and sixth would be drawn into opposite halves of the bracket -- which would create a fixture against a winner of a knockout playoff round tie.
First legs: March 4-5, 2025
Second legs: March 11-12, 2025