Champions League summary: Evaluating all 36 teams, Top XI from League Phase, and additional insights
Regardless of opinions on the new Champions League format, it is certain to provide an undeniably extraordinary day.
The concluding matchday of the 36-team league stage featured 18 matches and 61 goals within a span of roughly two hours. Benfica only realized they required another goal to progress just moments before the end of stoppage time … and then their goalkeeper scored with the last kick of the game. Olympiacos fluctuated between being out and in, while PSV experienced similar ups and downs. Bodo/Glimt needed a victory at Atletico Madrid and achieved it after initially trailing. Sporting CP netted a goal in the 95th minute, which not only eliminated Athletic Club but also pushed Real Madrid out of the top eight (the LaLiga Double). Marseille would have advanced had they lost 2-0, but they ended up losing 3-0.
Following an exhilarating Wednesday, we now have clarity on which teams have advanced and which have not. The pairings will be revealed on Friday, but for now, let’s reflect on this chaotic league phase in two ways: by naming its Best XI and by evaluating each team’s performance against their initial expectations.
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The 2025-26 Champions League league phase Best XI
Goalkeeper: David Raya, Arsenal. With even a rotated Arsenal defense in front of him, Raya had limited action, facing only 20 shots on goal across seven league phase matches. However, he managed to save 18 of those, resulting in a 90% save percentage. This would be commendable in hockey.
Backup: Nikita Haikin, Bodo/Glimt
Right back: Anan Khalaili, Union Saint-Gilloise. While he operates as much as a midfielder as a right back, he recorded the second-most defensive interventions in the tournament (133). He also led his team in goals (three), chances created (12), and ground duels won (44), while ranking second in progressive carries (39) and touches (415). He excelled in all areas.
Backup: Kieran Trippier, Newcastle
Center-backs: Josko Gvardiol, Manchester City; Derrick Luckassen, Pafos. Gvardiol participated in only five matches before suffering a leg fracture, yet he is recognized as one of the top ball-progressing defenders globally, and during his time on the field, City conceded just four goals (five in the other three matches). Meanwhile, Pafos nearly reached the knockout stages through solid defense, with Luckassen central to their efforts: His 140 defensive interventions were the highest in the competition, and he won an impressive 70% of his aerial duels.
Backups: Dan Burn, Newcastle; Lorenzo Pirola, Olympiacos
Left back: Nuno Mendes, PSG. He is regarded as the best left back in the world, and his performance throughout the league phase supported this claim: He ranked first in ball recoveries (60), fourth in progressive carries (83), tenth in ground duels won (39), eleventh in progressive passes (61), and twentieth in chances created (15), while also contributing two goals and two assists.
Backup: Nico O’Reilly, Manchester City
Defensive midfield: Joshua Kimmich, Bayern Munich. In terms of points relative to expectations (discussed below), Bayern emerged as the top overachiever in the league phase, with Kimmich acting as the playmaker. He led the competition in progressive passes (107) and was among the top two on his team in touches (778), pass completions (616), ball recoveries (35), chances created (17), and fouls suffered (15).
Backup: Moisés Caicedo, Chelsea
Central midfield: Vitinha, PSG. He is considered the finest midfielder globally. He averaged over 100 passes per match, leading the competition in progressive carries (121) and ranking second in progressive passes (100). He also scored five goals, the highest on his team, including a stunning strike from 19 meters against Newcastle on Wednesday.
Backup: Arda Güler, Real Madrid
Attacking midfield: Dominik Szoboszlai, Liverpool. The Reds’ season has been inconsistent thus far, but many of their positive moments have stemmed from Szoboszlai. He has played at least 450 minutes this season across various positions, including right back, defensive midfield, right wing, and central attacking midfield. In this competition, he leads in assists (four), ranks fourth in chances created (21), and is second in ball recoveries (58). His development has been remarkable.
Backup: Hans Vanaken, Club Brugge
Right wing: Lamine Yamal, Barcelona. Although he participated in only six league phase matches, he still managed to score three goals and provide three assists, alongside 95 progressive carries (third in the competition), six successful 1v1s in the box (first), and 48 overall ground duels won (fourth). It almost seems like he has had a disappointing season given the high expectations, yet he remains one of the standout players in the competition.
Backup: Michael Olise, Bayern Munich
Center-forward: Kylian Mbappé, Real Madrid. Amidst Real Madrid’s peculiarities and inconsistencies this season, Mbappé has consistently performed in the competition that holds the most significance for the club.
Mbappé has netted 13 goals (10 from open play) and has been somewhat unfortunate not to have registered an assist, generating 2.0 expected assists (xA) from his pass completions, while his 25 chances created are the highest in the league phase.
Backup: Erling Haaland, Manchester City
Left wing: Anthony Gordon, Newcastle. Only Kylian Mbappé (13) has contributed more combined goals and assists in this competition than Gordon (eight). He recently suggested that the Champions League is more enjoyable than the Premier League in an interview, and he certainly appears to be relishing his European nights.
Backup: Jens Petter Hauge, Bodo/Glimt
Grading all 36 teams in the league phase
Each team entered the competition with specific expectations. For clubs like Kairat Almaty or FK Qarabag, the realistic aim was to secure a result or two; conversely, teams like PSG, Liverpool, and Manchester City were expected to achieve a high point total. While the final standings are the most significant measure, before we transition to the knockout rounds, let’s assess each team’s point total against their pre-competition projections from Opta and assign grades for the league phase.
Which teams exceeded or fell short of expectations over the past eight matchdays?
GRADE: A+
Bayern Munich
Points: 21 | Initial projection: 13.0 | Difference: +8.0
It’s easy to overlook now, but the schedule did Bayern no favors. They began at home against FIFA Club World Cup champions Chelsea and faced PSG and Arsenal away back-to-back in November. Consequently, the Opta projections placed them ninth in average points heading into the competition. Instead, they suffered a defeat to Arsenal (3-1) but outscored all other teams by a combined 21-5. Across 30 matches in all competitions, they have lost only twice, and Jamal Musiala recently made his return, scoring his first goal of the season on Wednesday.
Back like he never left 💪
Jamal Musiala scores in his first start in over 200 days 🔥 pic.twitter.com/1HOQfoYnF1
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) January 28, 2026
One minor concern is that Bayern’s recent form has not been particularly impressive. In their last three matches (victories over Union Saint-Gilloise and PSV, along with a surprising loss to Augsburg), they have shown some issues in transition, allowing as many open-play goals (two) as they have scored. This could be a temporary setback or an indication of an impending slump, but for now, they enter the knockout rounds as the top overachievers.
Arsenal
Points: 24 | Initial projection: 16.6 | Difference: +7.4
There is tension in North London due to Arsenal’s inconsistent recent domestic performance — they have garnered just two points from their last three Premier League matches, narrowing their lead over Manchester City and Aston Villa to four points — but their underlying xG statistics have been satisfactory in those games, and they have been the best team in Europe for the first five months of the season. They are 8-for-8 in the Champions League, with Bayern being the only other team close to their overall form, which they bested 3-1 in November.
This is an exceptional team. None of this will matter if they falter moving forward, but it is worth noting.
(It may also be relevant to mention that since the Champions League expanded to 32 teams in 1999-2000, four teams have won their first eight matches — Barcelona in 2002-03, Bayern in 2019-20 and 2022-23, and Manchester City in 2023-24 — and only one advanced past the quarterfinals.)
play1:13Should Havertz be starting for Arsenal over Gyökeres?
Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens discuss Kai Havertz’s display in Arsenal’s 3-2 victory over Kairat.
GRADE: A
Tottenham Hotspur
Points: 17 | Initial projection: 12.3 | Difference: +4.7
Similar to last season, Spurs have delivered their best performances in Europe. They currently sit ninth in the Premier League in goals allowed and 13th in the standings, yet they finished fourth in the Champions League table, with only Arsenal conceding fewer goals. They are slightly exceeding their xG figures — their xG differential is just +4.7 (ninth) compared to a goal differential of +10 (fourth) — but they have played solidly and responded to a wild 5-3 loss to PSG by outscoring their final three opponents by a combined 7-0.
play0:48Has Frank finally found a solution for Tottenham’s problems?
Gab & Juls discuss Thomas Frank’s tactics in Tottenham’s 2-0 win over Frankfurt in the Champions League.
Sporting CP
Points: 16 | Initial projection: 11.3 | Difference: +4.7
After a brief setback following Ruben Amorim’s departure last year, Sporting have reignited. Rui Borges’ squad has combined strong defense (fifth in xG allowed, first in xG allowed per shot) with impressive attacking contributions from Luis Suárez and Trincao (combined: eight goals, two assists). However, it was Alisson Santos who secured a top-eight finish by defeating Athletic Club in stoppage time.
END-TO-END CHAOS 😅
Alisson Santos breaks through to win it for Sporting CP at the death 🔥 pic.twitter.com/WJQ8XzJsVr
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) January 28, 2026
FK Qarabag
Points: 10 | Initial projection: 5.6 | Difference: +4.4
While their league-phase campaign concluded on a low note — suffering losses in three of their last four matches, including a 6-0 defeat to Liverpool on Wednesday — they achieved two early wins, drew with Chelsea, and secured a dramatic late winner against Eintracht Frankfurt, allowing Qarabag to progress to the knockout rounds. This is commendable for a team that had the second-lowest expected point total entering the competition.
GRADE: A-
Atletico Madrid
Points: 13 | Initial projection: 11.0 | Difference: +2.0
They experienced a chaotic match against Liverpool early on and suffered a heavy defeat to Arsenal, but they convincingly defeated Eintracht Frankfurt before the trend of dominant performances began. They won three consecutive matches following the loss to Arsenal. A quietly effective team, although they only managed one point from matches against Galatasaray and Bodo/Glimt to conclude their campaign.
Atalanta
Points: 13 | Initial projection: 11.0 | Difference: +2.0
Similar to Atletico, Atalanta secured their points early and then eased off a bit. They accumulated 13 of 15 points from Matchdays 2 through 6, with notable performances from Charles De Ketelaere (two goals and two assists from 20 chances created), allowing us to overlook their lackluster finishes against Athletic Club and Union Saint-Gilloise.
Inter Milan
Points: 15 | Initial projection: 13.1 | Difference: +1.9
Wednesday’s victory at Borussia Dortmund provided a much-needed confidence boost following three consecutive Champions League losses (to Atletico, Liverpool, and Arsenal). They faced a challenging schedule and finished in 10th place, missing out on a knockout-round bye, but they rank second in goals allowed and create significantly more quality chances than their opponents — they have the potential to make a deep run.
Bayer Leverkusen
Points: 12 | Initial projection: 10.1 | Difference: +1.9
Considering the significant player losses over the summer — Xabi Alonso, Florian Wirtz, Granit Xhaka, Jeremie Frimpong, Jonathan Tah, Piero Hincapié — and the misstep in hiring Erik ten Hag to replace Alonso (who was dismissed almost immediately), simply advancing comfortably is a positive outcome for Bayer Leverkusen. They endured a 7-2 defeat against PSG and a 2-0 upset against Olympiacos, but they managed to defeat Manchester City and received a brace from Malik Tillman on the final matchday. Their situation could be much worse in a transition year.
GRADE: B+
