With the Champions League’s new league phase and the subsequent play-offs now done and dusted, the path through the tournament for the remaining teams is becoming clearer.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!It’s straight knockout football from the last 16 onwards, and the new format means that now the last-16 draw is completed we have a full clear bracket all the way to the final.
Now, let’s have a bit of fun and map out some possible routes to the final for the Brits, yeah? Obviously this gets sketchier and sketchier the deeper you go, but we’re going to assume – obviously wrongly – that the seedings from the league phase finishing positions hold true and the ‘better’ or at least higher-ranked teams always prevail…
Liverpool’s potential route to the Champions League final
Having finished top of the table, Liverpool should in theory have bagged one of the two easiest routes through from here along with second-placed Barcelona. Reality, though, has said f*ck that. It’s PSG in the last 16, and worth noting that while that semi-final is seeded to be against Arsenal it could also be either Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid. Oof.
Last 16: PSG
Quarter-final: Aston Villa
Semi-final: Arsenal
Final: Barcelona
Arsenal’s potential route to the Champions League final
Can’t complain about that last-16 draw but then things get very choppy, very fast. The quarter-final may be seeded to be against Atletico Madrid – tough enough already – but could also in fact be Real Madrid. And if not Liverpool, then perhaps PSG in the semi-final. And then, yeah, just sort out Barcelona in the final. Or if not them then maybe Bayern Munich. Simple.
Last 16: PSV
Quarter-final: Atletico Madrid
Semi-final: Liverpool
Final: Barcelona
Aston Villa’s potential route to the Champions League final
Victory over Celtic on matchday eight bagged Villa the final automatic spot in the last 16 and leaves them seeded to reach the quarter-finals; a last-16 clash with Club Brugge – who finished last of the 24 qualifiers in the league stage before pulling Atalanta’s pants down – is undeniably a huge opportunity. Could be a very English flavour to what happens next, though, with all three English clubs landing in the same half of the draw.
Last 16: Club Brugge
Quarter-final: Liverpool
Semi-final: Arsenal
Final: Barcelona
