Sports
Liverpool, Arsenal, Others Secure Knockout Spots in Champions League (FULL LIST)

- Liverpool, Arsenal, and Aston Villa secure direct qualification to the Champions League round of 16.
- Aston Villa’s 4-2 win over Celtic and Arsenal’s 2-1 victory over Girona book their places in the knockout stage.
- Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, and Lille also advance to the Champions League round of 16.
The inaugural league phase of the UEFA Champions League has concluded, with eight teams advancing directly to the round of 16 and 16 others heading to the playoff round.
The final set of fixtures was packed with drama and excitement, as teams fought fiercely for spots in the knockout stages.
EDITOR’S PICKS
- “Lying Mothers Enable Toxic Sons” – Saida Boj
- Nigeria Now Official Partners Of The BRICS – What Are The Implications Of This?
- Violence Breaks Out as Court Extends Detention of Impeached South Korean President
With six spots still up for grabs, the night was filled with tension. Liverpool, having already secured their place, clinched the top spot despite a 2-1 defeat at PSV Eindhoven, thanks to Barcelona’s 1-1 draw with Atalanta.
Arsenal secured their passage to the Round of 16 with a hard-earned 2-1 win over Girona, while Aston Villa confirmed automatic qualification after a thrilling 4-2 victory over Celtic at Villa Park. Unai Emery’s side moved ahead of Atalanta to finish in the top eight.
Also joining the knockout stages are Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, and Lille, who all secured direct progression.
Teams Through to the Champions League Round of 16
- Liverpool
- Barcelona
- Arsenal
- Inter Milan
- Atletico Madrid
- Bayer Leverkusen
- Lille
- Aston Villa
FURTHER READING
- BREAKING: Gunmen Disrupt Sunday Service, Shoot Prophet Dead In Ogun
- Hamas Names Three Israeli Women for Release Amid Ceasefire Deal
- BREAKING: Owoade To Be Crowned Alaafin Of Oyo April 4
Teams to battle it in playoff round
Teams ranked 9th to 24th will now compete in a two-legged playoff round, with the victors advancing to face the top eight teams in the Round of 16.
Manchester City secured their place in the playoff stage with a vital 3-1 win over Club Brugge at the Etihad. Despite a loss to Aston Villa, Celtic also progressed, making their first appearance in the Champions League knockout stage since the 2012/13 season.
Teams Advancing to the Playoff Round
- Atalanta
- Borussia Dortmund
- Real Madrid
- Bayern Munich
- AC Milan
- PSV Eindhoven
- Paris Saint-Germain
- Benfica
- AS Monaco
- Brest
- Feyenoord
- Juventus
- Celtic
- Manchester City
- Sporting Lisbon
- Club Brugge
Click here to watch our video of the week:
Advertise or Publish a Story on EkoHot Blog:
Kindly contact us at ekohotblog@gmail.com. Breaking stories should be sent to the above email and substantiated with pictorial evidence.
Citizen journalists will receive a token as data incentive.
Call or Whatsapp: 0803 561 7233, 0703 414 5611

