5 out of 6 Premier League teams secure spots in the Champions League round of 16

Premier League dominates the final Champions League round: Man City narrowly enters top 8, Chelsea stages a comeback, Arsenal remains unbeaten, Liverpool crushes opponents, Tottenham confidently advances

In the early hours of January 29 (Vietnam time), the last matches of the league phase for the 2025/26 Champions League concluded with many emotions for the representatives from the Premier League. From Man City's thrilling tension, Chelsea's spectacular comeback to the dominant power of Arsenal and Liverpool, English football continues to assert its status on the continental stage.

Man City faced the greatest pressure. Against Galatasaray, Erling Haaland scored early in the 11th minute with a smart run and a clinical finish. This was the Norwegian striker’s 40th goal this season. In the 29th minute, Rayan Cherki doubled the lead following an assist from Jeremy Doku. The 2-0 win, combined with Real Madrid’s unexpected 2-4 loss to Benfica, allowed Man City to finish 8th, just one point ahead of the Spanish giants, securing a direct spot in the round of 16.

Chelsea produced an emotional comeback at Napoli’s ground. Enzo Fernandez opened the scoring from a penalty, but the hosts responded strongly with two goals by Antonio Vergara and Rasmus Hojlund. The turning point came when Cole Palmer entered in the second half. The English star assisted both goals for Joao Pedro, helping Chelsea to a 3-2 comeback victory, eliminating Napoli and booking their place among the top 8.

Meanwhile, Arsenal ended the league phase with a perfect record. Mikel Arteta’s squad defeated Kairat 3-2 in an exciting match at Emirates. Viktor Gyokeres, Kai Havertz, and Gabriel Martinelli each scored, enabling the “Gunners” to win all 8 matches and become one of the most impressive teams in this season’s Champions League.

Liverpool also had a spectacular night by thrashing Qarabag 6-0. Mac Allister scored twice, while Florian Wirtz, Mohamed Salah, Ekitike, and Federico Chiesa each netted once. Notably, Virgil van Dijk provided three assists. This emphatic victory helped the “Reds” confidently secure a top 8 spot and a direct ticket to the round of 16.

Tottenham completed their task with a 2-0 win at Eintracht Frankfurt. Randal Kolo Muani and Dominic Solanke scored the goals, allowing Spurs to finish the group stage with 17 points and advance to the knockout rounds despite inconsistent form in the Premier League.

The only Premier League team that failed to qualify directly for the round of 16 was Newcastle, who drew 1-1 with PSG and had to settle for 12th place.

The final Champions League round witnessed a night of brilliance from Premier League representatives. With many teams progressing to the knockout stage, English football is showing strong ambition in the race for the European trophy in the 2025/26 season.