Champions League: Which clubs can still reach the top eight and qualify for the knockout stages?

This is where things get interesting.

Let’s start with the easy part. For Real Madrid and Liverpool, each with 15 points, and Tottenham, with 14 points, a victory in the eighth round will guarantee direct entry into the round of 16 draw.

While Tottenham face already eliminated Eintracht Frankfurt in Germany, Arne Slott’s side host Qarabag, who could still make it into the top eight.

Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool captain, told UEFA: “It is very important to miss the play-offs, and this helps with the intense program we have.”

“It’s all up to us again next week, at home. Let’s make sure we’re in the top eight. We’ve put ourselves in a good position, but that’s for next week.”

Real Madrid plays away to Benfica, led by Joe Mourinho, who needs a win to have a chance to sneak into the qualifiers.

Behind Tottenham comes a group of eight teams, starting with defending champion Paris Saint-Germain in sixth place and reaching Atalanta in 13th place with 13 points.

Newcastle, Chelsea and Manchester City are all in that group needing to win – and even then knowing their fate may come down to goal difference is a given.

Eddie Howe’s side face the daunting task of traveling to Paris Saint-Germain, while Chelsea visit Napoli and City host Galatasaray.

Whoever reached Karabakh in 18th place still has a mathematical chance of advancing automatically.

This is partly because, although there are 16 teams still vying for the remaining top six spots, only two of the 18 matches next Wednesday will have those teams facing each other.

Newcastle’s trip to Paris is the first, and Borussia Dortmund’s home match against Inter Milan is the other.