Wednesday brings the end of the Champions League league phase with Matchday 8, which could bring chaos unparalleled in the history of the tournament, maybe even the sport. All 36 teams will be in action as 18 games will take place simultaneously at 3 p.m. ET with so much left to be decided. Arsenal are in good shape, but don’t quite have a spot in the top eight mathematically locked up yet, so here’s what they need to happen.
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Arsenal
Table position: 3rd
Points: 16
Matchday eight opponent: Girona
What’s needed: Can clinch top eight spot with draw
With 16 points secured, the Gunners can secure a place in the top eight without a victory, but at least earning a draw will ensure that they secure a place directly in the last 16. Despite only allowing two goals in UCL play, Arsenal have managed to lose one match and draw another, otherwise they’d also be in the running for the top spot. That won’t matter when it’s all said and done considering that Mikel Arteta has at least accomplished the goal of leading his team as high as possible up the table even without Bukayo Saka. The knockouts will be where it gets real, but all you’ve got to do is get there to have a chance.
UEFA Champions League: What Man City, Liverpool, Barcelona, Bayern, PSG and others need to do on Matchday 8
Chuck Booth
Matchday 8 TV schedule
All times Eastern
Champions League standings
Key: Positions 1-8 qualify for round of 16 while positions 9-24 qualify for knockout phase playoffs and positions 25-36 are eliminated.
| Pos | Team | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 2 | +13 | 21 |
| 2 | Barcelona | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 26 | 11 | +15 | 18 |
| 3 | Arsenal | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 2 | +12 | 16 |
| 4 | Inter | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 1 | +7 | 16 |
| 5 | Atletico Madrid | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 16 | 11 | +5 | 15 |
| 6 | AC Milan | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 13 | 9 | +4 | 15 |
| 7 | Atalanta | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 18 | 4 | +14 | 14 |
| 8 | Bayer Leverkusen | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 7 | +6 | 13 |
| 9 | Aston Villa | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 4 | +5 | 13 |
| 10 | AS Monaco | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 10 | +3 | 13 |
| 11 | Feyenoord | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 17 | 15 | +2 | 13 |
| 12 | Lille | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 9 | +2 | 13 |
| 13 | Brest | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 8 | +2 | 13 |
| 14 | Borussia Dortmund | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 19 | 1 | +8 | 12 |
| 15 | Bayern Munich | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 17 | 11 | +6 | 12 |
| 16 | Real Madrid | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 17 | 12 | +5 | 12 |
| 17 | Juventus | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 5 | +4 | 12 |
| 18 | Celtic | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 10 | +1 | 12 |
| 19 | PSV | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 10 | +1 | 12 |
| 20 | Club Brugge | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 8 | -2 | 11 |
| 21 | Benfica | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 14 | 12 | +2 | 10 |
| 22 | PSG | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 8 | +2 | 10 |
| 23 | Sporting CP | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 11 | +1 | 10 |
| 24 | Stuttgart | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 13 | -1 | 10 |
| 25 | Manchester City | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 15 | 13 | +2 | 8 |
| 26 | Dinamo Zagreb | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 18 | -8 | 8 |
| 27 | Shakhtar Donetsk | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 13 | -6 | 7 |
| 28 | Bologna | 7 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 8 | -5 | 5 |
| 29 | Sparta Prague | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 19 | -12 | 4 |
| 30 | RB Leipzig | 7 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 8 | 14 | -6 | 3 |
| 31 | Girona | 7 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 11 | -7 | 3 |
| 32 | Crvena Zvezda | 7 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 12 | 22 | -10 | 3 |
| 33 | Sturm Graz | 7 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 14 | -10 | 3 |
| 34 | RB Salzburg | 7 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 23 | -19 | 3 |
| 35 | Slovan Bratislava | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 24 | -18 | 0 |
| 36 | Young Boys | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 23 | -20 | 0 |
