Champions League Matchday 8 Delivers Late Drama and Final Standings

All 36 teams in the UEFA Champions League league phase took the field at the same time on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, for Matchday 8. The results locked in the final standings, with teams fighting for direct spots in the round of 16 and playoff positions amid goals right up to stoppage time.

Background

The Champions League this season uses a league phase with 36 teams. Each plays eight matches. The top eight finishers go straight to the round of 16. Teams from ninth to 24th enter playoffs. The rest go home. Matchday 8 was the last of these games. Many teams needed wins or favorable results elsewhere to advance. English clubs did well overall. Spanish sides had mixed results. Late drama decided several key spots.

Games kicked off at 9pm across Europe. Stadiums from Paris to Lisbon filled up. Fans watched closely as goals changed everything. For example, Real Madrid started strong against Benfica but lost ground with a late collapse. Benfica scored four times, including in the 97th minute through Anatoliy Trubin, their goalkeeper. This pushed them into a playoff spot on goal difference.

Other big matches saw heavy scoring. Liverpool beat Qarabag 6-0 at Anfield. Arsenal held off Kairat Almaty 3-2. These wins helped English teams claim five of the top eight spots. Bayern Munich came from behind to beat PSV 2-1. Barcelona turned around a halftime deficit to win 4-1 over Copenhagen.

Key Details

Here are the full results from Matchday 8:

• Paris Saint-Germain 1-1 Newcastle United
• Manchester City 2-0 Galatasaray
• Liverpool 6-0 Qarabag
• Borussia Dortmund 0-2 Inter
• Barcelona 4-1 Copenhagen
• Arsenal 3-2 Kairat Almaty
• Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 Villarreal
• Eintracht Frankfurt 0-2 Tottenham Hotspur
• Atletico Madrid 1-2 Bodo/Glimt
• Benfica 4-2 Real Madrid
• Club Brugge 3-0 Marseille
• PSV 1-2 Bayern Munich
• Ajax 1-2 Olympiacos
• Napoli 2-3 Chelsea
• Monaco 0-0 Juventus
• Union Saint-Gilloise 1-0 Atalanta
• Athletic Club 2-3 Sporting CP
• Pafos 4-1 Slavia Prague

Standout Performances and Goals

Arsenal topped the table with 24 points from eight games and a goal difference of +19. Goals from Gyokeres, Havertz, and Martinelli secured their 3-2 win over Kairat Almaty. Bayern Munich took second with 21 points and +14 goal difference after beating PSV. Erling Haaland scored early for Manchester City in their 2-0 win.

Liverpool's 6-0 rout featured strong attacking play. Barcelona's second half saw Lewandowski equalize, Lamine Yamal score a brilliant goal, Raphinha from the penalty spot, and Marcus Rashford with a free kick for 4-1.

"That free kick from Rashford was pure class. It dipped right over the wall and left the keeper with no chance." – Barcelona fan at Camp Nou

Chelsea fought back in Naples, winning 3-2 at Napoli despite an early lead for the home side. Enzo Fernandez scored from a penalty. Tottenham beat Frankfurt 2-0, with Randal Kolo Muani scoring against his old club.

Benfica's win over Real Madrid came late. Real led early through Rodrygo, but Benfica responded with goals from Schjelderup twice and Trubin's stoppage-time strike. Sporting CP beat Athletic Club 3-2 with a 95th-minute goal by Alisson Santos to grab a top-eight spot.

PSG drew 1-1 with Newcastle. Kylian Mbappe scored twice for PSG but they conceded late. Bodo/Glimt upset Atletico Madrid 2-1.

The top eight direct to round of 16: Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Tottenham, Barcelona, Chelsea, Sporting CP, Manchester City.

Teams 9-24 head to playoffs, including Benfica, Inter, Leverkusen, and others. Marseille and Real Madrid missed out on goal difference.

What This Means

The league phase ends. The round of 16 draw happens Friday. Top-eight teams get easier paths, avoiding playoffs. Playoff teams face single-elimination ties for round of 16 spots. English dominance shows with five teams direct: Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham, Chelsea, Manchester City.

Real Madrid's early exit shocks fans. They drop to the Europa League or out entirely. Benfica's late push under Jose Mourinho keeps them alive. Mourinho's team benefited from Trubin's heroics.

Barcelona builds momentum with the comeback win. Liverpool's blowout boosts confidence. Bayern and Arsenal look strong favorites. Smaller clubs like Sporting CP and Bodo/Glimt prove upsets possible.

Knockout phase brings new pairings. Seeding favors top teams. All eyes on the draw. Teams now rest before February games. The competition stays wide open after eight matchdays of tight racing.