UEFA Champions League preview, Matchday 8, 29 January 2025

Gear up for the most packed night of UEFA Champions League football in history, as Matchday 8 of the competition’s League Phase concludes on the evening of Wednesday 29 January 2025.

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With all 18 matches in this Matchday 8 taking place simultaneously across Europe, it’s going to be a wild night: the top eight finishers on the log secure progression through to the Round of 16; finishers nine through 24 go into an extra round of Playoffs; and teams 25 to 36 will end their continental campaigns for the season.

While Liverpool (who are away to PSV Eindhoven) and Barcelona (who host Atalanta) are the only teams certain to finish in the top eight and advance directly to the Round of 16, the likes of Arsenal, Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid and AC Milan are fighting to join them in that exclusive club.

Arsenal will face Girona (who cannot finish in the top 24) and midfielder Declan Rice is confident of their chances: “Playing in this format has been really interesting. Playing big teams, coming up against different opposition, I’ve really liked it. We have to go to Girona, which will be tough, but hopefully a win there and we can seal our spot in the top eight.”

There are some major heavyweights chasing a win on the final day of the League Phase to try and secure a top-eight finish and therefore skip the Playoffs. This includes Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Juventus and the reigning champions Real Madrid, who will chase a win away to French side Brest.

“With the quality we have up front, I never doubted us. I think we’re on a good run; I think that our dynamic is very positive,” said Real manager Carlo Ancelotti.

One of the absolute must-watch games will come from the Etihad Stadium, where Manchester City – who are in danger of exiting the competition entirely – host a Club Brugge team that needs a positive result to guarantee their own progression into the Playoffs.

“We have the last chance at home to Brugge and hopefully we can qualify,” said City manager Pep Guardiola.

“It could happen, if we don’t win we don’t deserve it. It’s always a difficult tie, this is the reality, we haven’t got enough points and we have to accept it. We have to do what we have to do.”

There will also be a ‘Battle of Britain’ pitting Aston Villa against Celtic at Villa Park. The English side could finish in the top eight if they win and results go their way, while the Scottish visitors will definitely advance to the Playoffs, but could finish high enough to be a seeded team for the draw.

“It’s a brilliant feeling for myself and the boys,” said Celtic captain Calum McGregor. “We’ve worked so hard throughout this campaign. We’re pretty much there, which is what we wanted. We have one game left, so can we keep pushing and see where we can get to as well.”

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Broadcast details

Wednesday 29 January

22:00: Goals Show – LIVE on SuperSport Events

22:00: Aston Villa v Celtic – LIVE on SuperSport La Liga

22:00: Barcelona v Atalanta – LIVE on SuperSport Football and SuperSport Maximo 2

22:00: Bayer Leverkusen v Sparta Prague – LIVE on SuperSport Cricket and SuperSport OTT7

22:00: Borussia Dortmund v Shakhtar Donetsk – LIVE on SuperSport Motorsport

22:00: Brest v Real Madrid – LIVE on SuperSport Variety 4

22:00: Dinamo Zagreb v AC Milan – LIVE on SuperSport Tennis