Champions League Revamp: High-Stakes Showdown Awaits

The revamped Champions League league phase reaches a thrilling conclusion with top clubs like Manchester City, PSG, and Real Madrid facing potential elimination or playoffs. The new format sees 36 teams competing in a single league with the top eight advancing and others vying for playoffs.

The Champions League's revamped league phase concludes on Wednesday, with heavyweights like Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain at risk of early elimination. Meanwhile, defending champion Real Madrid and six-time winner Bayern Munich are also battling to avoid playoffs in Europe's elite soccer competition.

This season's overhaul replaced the group stage with a 36-team league phase, where clubs play one-off matches against eight opponents from a seeded draw. The top eight teams automatically progress to the round of 16, the next 16 enter playoffs, and the remainder face elimination.

Currently, only Liverpool and Barcelona have secured places in the last 16. Manchester City and PSG must win their final matches to ensure playoff spots. With the league phase's first-place reward unclear, the stakes remain high in the packed fixture list.

(With inputs from agencies.)