FULL-TIME SCORES
PSV 3 Liverpool 2
Girona 1 Arsenal 2
Manchester City 3 Club Brugge 1
Aston Villa 4 Celtic 2
Liverpool (1st), Arsenal (3rd) and Aston Villa (8th) qualify for last 16.
Celtic (21st) and Manchester City (22nd) through to playoffs.
We’ll have some match reports for you shortly, but that’s all from me.
I feel like we’ve been through a lot together this evening. Great hustle everyone.
Good night.
And here are the 16 teams going into the playoffs:
Atalanta, Dortmund, Real Madrid, Bayern, AC Milan, PSV, PSG, Benfica, Monaco, Brest, Feyenoord, Juventus, Celtic, Manchester City, Sporting Lisbon, Club Brugge.
And what does that mean for the next stages?
Here are the top eight who qualify directly to the last 16:
Liverpool (21 pts), Barcelona (19 pts), Arsenal (19 pts), Inter Milan (19 pts), Atlético Madrid (18 pts), Leverkusen (16 pts), LOSC (16 pts), Aston Villa (16 pts).
Full-time in all 18 games. I could cry.
Here are all the results:
PSV 3 Liverpool 2
Girona 1 Arsenal 2
Manchester City 3 Club Brugge 1
Aston Villa 4 Celtic 2
Bayern 3 Slovan Bratislava 1
Dortmund 3 Shakhtar Donetsk 1
Leverkusen 2 Sparta Praha 0
Barcelona 2 Atalanta 2
Brest 0 Real Madrid 3
Young Boys 0 Crvena Zvezda 1
LOSC 6 Feyenoord 1
Juventus 0 Benfica 2
Dinamo Zagreb 2 AC Milan 1
Inter Milan 3 Monaco 0
SK Sturm Graz 1 RB Leipzig 0
RB Salzburg 1 Atlético Madrid 4
Sporting Lisbon 1 Bologna 1
VfB Stuttgart 1 PSG 4
Full-time in the Liverpool game. A hairy moment for Kelleher had him dashing back to his goal after being caught up the field. Very luckily for him the shot isn’t a great one and hits the side netting, no goalkeeper needed.
That’s that. A first loss for Arne Slot in Europe as Liverpool manager.
PSV 3 Liverpool 2
Great save from Kelleher to deny PSV a fourth. He gets a hand to a dangerous bouncing header.
PSV 3 Liverpool 2
Full-times are rolling in. We’ll hold out until full-time in Eindhoven and then we’ll have the full picture.
They’re into stoppage time. Five minutes added.
Late drama for Liverpool. Making his senior debut, 18-year-old Amara Nallo is shown red.
PSV 3 Liverpool 2
Full-time at the Etihad, it ends in favour of the hosts.
Pep Guardiola gives his Club Brugge counterpart Nicky Hayen a little cuddle on the sideline. We’re all pals at the end of the day.
Man City 3 Club Brugge 1
It’s suddenly 2-2 between Barcelona and Atalanta. Three goals in 12 minutes to add to Yamal’s opener.
Éderson levelled with 67 minutes on the clock only for Araújo to reply five minutes later. But Pasalic pulled it back for the visitors just shy of 80 minutes.
Barcelona 2 Atalanta 2
Quick update on the English/Scottish clubs:
PSV 3 Liverpool 2
Girona 1 Arsenal 2
Man City 2 Club Brugge 1
Aston Villa 3 Celtic 2
GOAL MAN CITY! Piece of magic from Savinho to extend their lead at the Etihad.
Man City 3 Club Brugge 1
We’ve now had a goal in every. single. game. Full-time can’t come soon enough.
Yikes. Nightmare for Ollie Watkins. He slipped on the strike to send the ball soaring over the target.
A let-off for Celtic.
Aston Villa 3 Celtic 2
We’ve a penalty for Aston Villa. Watkins steps up.
Aston Villa 3 Celtic 2
Dembélé has got his hat-trick in Stuttgart for PSG.
Stuttgart 0 PSG 4
Another goal at Villa Park, this time for the home side. Ollie Watkins the supplier.
Aston Villa 3 Celtic 2
GOAL FOR MAN CITY!
Unfortunate own goal from Ordonez trying to clear a crossing ball.
Pep Guardiola needs to relax, he’s awful riled up.
Man City 2 Club Brugge 1
Barcelona very late to join the party. Little Lamine Yamal has them ahead against Atalanta despite it being past his bedtime.
Barcelona 1 Atalanta 0
EQUALISER AT THE ETIHAD!
Kovacic makes it 1-1.
Man City 1 Club Brugge 1
Oh great. Some of the half-times are over. That’s lovely. I’m so glad.
Back under way at the Etihad where Man City are a goal down to Club Brugge.
And out last lot:
Dinamo Zagreb 1 AC Milan 0
Inter Milan 2 Monaco 0
SK Sturm Graz 1 RB Leipzig 0
RB Salzburg 0 Atlético Madrid 3
Sporting Lisbon 0 Bologna 1
VfB Stuttgart 0 PSG 3
And our second lot:
Leverkusen 1 Sparta Praha 0
Barcelona 0 Atalanta 0
Brest 0 Real Madrid 1
Young Boys 0 Crvena Zvezda 0
LOSC 2 Feyenoord 1
Juventus 0 Benfica 1
Right, how do we want to play this? Three lots of six? Let’s go with that...
In some kind of order that I won’t attempt to put reason to, here are our half-time scores:
PSV 3 Liverpool 2
Girona 1 Arsenal 2
Manchester City 0 Club Brugge 1
Aston Villa 2 Celtic 2
Bayern 1 Slovan Bratislava 0
Dortmund 2 Shakhtar Donetsk 0
Okay, half-times are thankfully starting to roll in. Not a moment too soon. Who thought it would be a good idea to have 18 games going at the same time?!
I’ll have a wrap of all the scores shortly.
And as I type that we’ve another goal in the Liverpool game. PSV take the lead through Pepi just before the break.
PSV 3 Liverpool 2
A goal for PSV against Liverpool and a goal for Club Brugge against Man City!
Saibari gets the leveller for PSV while Onyedika puts Club Brugge ahead at the Etihad.
PSV 2 Liverpool 2
Man City 0 Club Brugge 1
Another goal for PSG against Stuttgart. Dembéle gets his second of the night.
Harvey Elliott’s goal stands. Liverpool lead in Eindhoven.
PSV 1 Liverpool 2
Liverpool have potential gone ahead. They’re checking a score from Elliott.
PSV 1 Liverpool 2
ANOTHER ONE!! Idah again for Celtic to level the game.
Aston Villa 2 Celtic 2
ADAM IDAH! The Republic of Ireland international claws one back for Celtic at Villa Park.
Aston Villa 2 Celtic 1
Beauty of a goal from PSV’s Bakayoko. Great control to beat a swarm of Liverpool defenders. Little Kelleher could do. We’re level in Eindhoven.
PSV 1 Liverpool 1
Well ain’t that the truth...
Goal for Girona against Arsenal. Groeneveld with the shot on 28 minutes.
Girona 1 Arsenal 0
GAKPO SCORES! Cody Gakpo nets the penalty for Liverpool to give the visitors the lead.
PSV 0 Liverpool 1
Penalty called for Liverpool. Gakpo steps up to take.
PSV 0 Liverpool 0
PSG have netted again to go 2-0 up against VfB Stuttgart.
And I haven’t forgot about Liverpool and Man City – no scores in their respective games against PSV and Club Brugge.
VfB Stuttgart 0 PSG 2
PSV 0 Liverpool 0
Man City 0 Club Brugge 0
Feyenoord have shot back through Giménez to go level away against LOSC.
And Pavlidis has put Benfica out in front against Juventus.
LOSC 1 Feyenoord 1
Juventus 0 Benfica 1
Goals galore.
Bayern are 1-0 up against Slovan Bratilava, as are LOSC against Feyenoord.
A penalty for Inter Milan has them leading Monaco, who are now also a man down after Mawissa was shown red.
Atlético Madrid have put two past Salzburg courtesy of Simeone and Griezmann, and PSG are 1-0 up in Stuttgart.
ANOTHER ONE! Rogers again at Villa Park.
Could he relax, we’re five minutes in and I’m already up against it.
Aston Villa 2 Celtic 0
We have our opening goal! Aston Villa strike first at Villa Park to go 1-0 up against Celtic. Morgan Rogers inks his name on the scoresheet.
Aston Villa 1 Celtic 0
And they’re off. I’ve eyes on PSV v Liverpool and Manchester City v Club Brugge but I’ll update on the other games.
We’re five minutes out.
Do you want to see the permutations for the teams in the knock-out places and the challengers? Take a deep breath...
9 Aston Villa: 13 pts (goal difference +5)
Defeat at Monaco means even victory may not push them into the top eight. They face a team whose one Champions League defeat came – heavily – at Dortmund.
10 Monaco: 13 pts (goal difference +3)
Will surely need to win at higher-placed opponents to stand a chance of going through automatically.
11 Feyenoord: 13 pts (goal difference +2)
Face the team immediately below them, whose only defeat since 17 September was at Liverpool on Tuesday.
12 Lille: 13 pts (goal difference +2)
An identical record to Feyenoord’s, though the Dutch team have scored six more goals.
13 Brest: 13 pts (goal difference +2)
Can the French club pull off another shock and beat the champions? Even then, would it push them into the top eight?
14 Borussia Dortmund: (goal difference +8)
Last season’s beaten finalists, who sacked Nuri Sahin on Wednesday, will need a large number of results to go their way to sneak into the last eight automatically.
15 Bayern Munich: 12 pts (goal difference +6)
Face a team who have lost seven from seven but Vincent Kompany’s side are likely to end up with a playoff after three defeats.
16 Real Madrid: 12 pts (goal difference +5)
Record winners are also staring at the playoffs. They occupy the last of the eight seeded playoff spots – the teams who finish ninth to 16th will face teams placed 17th to 24th.
17 Juventus: 12 pts (goal difference +4)
One of nine former champions in the playoff spots. They face another. The full list: Villa, Feyenoord, Dortmund, Bayern, Madrid, Juventus, Celtic, PSV and Benfica.
18 Celtic: 12 pts (goal difference +1)
Most recent appearance in the last 16 came in 2012-13. Could theoretically break into the top eight but, more realistically, can they secure a seeded playoff berth?
19 PSV: 11 pts (goal difference +3)
A draw would guarantee a playoff spot but only a strange set of results would push them out of the top 24 even if they lose to the team with the only 100% record.
20 Club Brugge: 11 pts (goal difference -2)
A point would end any doubt over a playoff place and eliminate their opponents, the 2023 champions. At home they have drawn with Juventus and beaten Villa.
21 Benfica: 10 pts (goal difference +2)
Another team who know a point would guarantee a playoff.
22 Paris Saint-Germain: 10 pts (goal difference +2)
Comeback against Manchester City means a draw will realistically be enough for a playoff. Only results including an 11-goal win for Dinamo Zagreb over Milan could eliminate PSG if they get a point.
23 Sporting Lisbon: 10 pts (goal difference +1)
Draw at home to eliminated opponents would make sure of a playoff.
24 Stuttgart: 10 pts (goal difference -1)
Realistically, if not mathematically, will be in the playoffs if they draw. Only a crazily big Zagreb win at home to Milan could threaten that. All of which means a Stuttgart draw at home to PSG would suit both clubs.
**Currently outside the play-off spots**
25 Manchester City: 8 pts (goal difference +2)
In an unimaginable position. A win would secure a playoff but any other result will send them out.
26 Dinamo Zagreb: 8 pts (goal difference -8)
Must win to stand a chance of a playoff.
27 Shakhtar Donetsk: 7 pts (goal difference -6)
Also must win to keep alive playoff hopes.
As I’ve said, there will be 18 games kicking off at 8pm (30-minute warning by the way) so if you were hoping I’d walk you through the permutations I appreciate your faith in me but we’d be here for the rest of the week.
Thankfully, our pals at the Guardian have worked it out for us. Here’s the top eight:
1 Liverpool: 21 pts (goal difference +13)
Guaranteed a place in the last 16 and a top-two finish.
2 Barcelona: 18 pts (goal difference +15)
Guaranteed a place in the last 16.
3 Arsenal: 16 pts (goal difference +12)
Need a point to guarantee a last-16 spot but goal difference means only an unlikely set of results would push them out of the top eight if they lost. Every club from Arsenal down to Celtic in 18th inclusive are guaranteed a playoff place if they fail to finish in the top eight.
4 Inter Milan: 16 pts (goal difference +7)
Require a draw to be sure of going through automatically.
5 Atlético Madrid: 15 pts (goal difference +5)
A win would make a top-eight finish certain. They face one of the nine clubs who have been eliminated.
6 AC Milan: 15 pts (goal difference +4)
Need a victory to be sure of going through automatically.
7 Atalanta: 14 pts (goal difference +14)
Also require a win to guarantee a place in the last 16.
8 Bayer Leverkusen: 13 pts (goal difference +6)
Could be bumped out of the top eight even if they win because five other teams are on 13 points, meaning it could boil down to goal difference. And if goal difference can’t separate teams then it comes down to, in this order: higher number of goals scored, higher number of away goals scored, higher number of wins, higher number of away wins in the league phase. Leverkusen’s next opponents have been eliminated.
News from the Etihad were Man City are set to play Club Brugge. PA reports:
An area outside the Etihad Stadium was evacuated after a merchandise stand caught fire in advance of Manchester City’s Champions League game against Club Brugge.
The blaze broke out shortly before 6pm, close to where Pep Guardiola’s City team had been due to enter the stadium at around 6.30pm.
Supporters had gathered in the area for a prematch entertainment show which included onstage interviews with January signings Omar Marmoush, Vitor Reis and Abdukodir Khusanov.
The event was suspended as flames took hold of the stand and stewards moved fans away before fire services arrived on the scene.
The area was quickly evacuated by stewards and security staff and a fire engine was on the scene within minutes.
The fire soon appeared to be brought under control.
It was announced at 6.22pm that the stadium was open and fans could enter but three entrance gates inside the cordoned-off area close to the scene of the fire were still closed.
And of course not forgetting Aston Villa and Celtic:
Some more familiar faces. Adam Idah and Liam Scales start for Brendan Rodgers' side.
And while we’re at it, here’s Man City (v Club Brugge):
And Arsenal (v Girona):
Team news from the Liverpool camp:
There’s our boy Caoimhín Kelleher between the posts for the night.
As expected, it’s not exactly Liverpool’s strongest starting 11, Mo Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Luis Díaz among those getting a nice evening off for themselves. Good for them.
Here are our current top eight heading into tonight’s games:
Liverpool (21 pts), Barcelona (18 pts), Arsenal (16 pts), Inter Milan (16 pts), Atlético Madrid (15 pts), AC Milan (15 pts), Atalanta (14 pts) and Leverkusen (13 pts).
And the full picture:
Before we take a look at the current standings, probably best to do a quick recap on what those standings will mean after the final whistle(s).
There are 36 teams in the competition, all of whom will have played eight games in the league phase after tonight, their points from which (or lack thereof) will determine their table position.
The top eight teams will qualify for the next round, teams ranked 9th to 24th will go to the play-offs, and it’s curtains for the lowly 12 at the bottom of the table.
How will the play-offs work? The 16 teams will compete in a two-leg knock-out round, the eight winners qualifying for the last 16.
From there it’s as you were – straight knock-out to the final.
Let’s get this out of the way nice and early.
Tonight’s menu includes:
PSV v Liverpool
Girona v Arsenal
Manchester City v Club Brugge
Aston Villa v Celtic
Bayern v Slovan Bratislava
Dortmund v Shakhtar Donetsk
Leverkusen v Sparta Praha
Barcelona v Atalanta
Brest v Real Madrid
Young Boys v Crvena Zvezda
LOSC v Feyenoord
Juventus v Benfica
Aston Villa v Celtic
Dinamo Zagreb v AC Milan
Inter Milan v Monaco
SK Sturm Graz v RB Leipzig
RB Salzburg v Atlético Madrid
Sporting Lisbon v Bologna
VfB Stuttgart v PSG
TLDR: Liverpool are away to PSV, Arsenal are away to Girona, Man City host Club Brugge, and Celtic have a comparatively short journey down to Birmingham to play Aston Villa.
Evening everyone. Welcome to The Irish Times live blog for the last round of league phase fixtures in this new-look Champions League.
We’ll be following along with the 18 – yes, EIGHTEEN – fixtures that will all be kicking off at 8pm.
To make matters better (or worse, with this many games who knows) only two of this evening’s games will have no bearing on the final standings, so the vast majority of teams still have a lot to play for.
Before kick-off (x18), we’ll go through how things currently stand, what comes next and some of the prematch news and commentary.
Much and all as I would love to have the ability to keep a forensically close eye on all of this evening’s games, I am but one person, so we’ll focus on the matches with English and Scottish clubs in action and go from there.
Are we all in agreement? Great. Let’s get started.
