PSG and Real Madrid miss automatic qualification on frenetic group-stage finale
- By Reuters -
- Jan 29, 2026

Holders Paris St Germain and Real Madrid both failed to seal automatic spots in the Champions League knockout round as they slipped out of the top eight on a frenetic final night of group-stage action across Europe on Wednesday.
PSG could only draw 1-1 at home to Newcastle United — a result that left both sides facing a playoff despite starting the final night in the automatic places.
Fifteen-time winners Real Madrid were beaten 4-2 at Jose Mourinho’s Benfica, meaning they fell from third to ninth.
Liverpool thrashed Qarabag 6-0 to end their group campaign in style and finish in third place.
Barcelona, who began the evening in ninth spot, spared themselves a playoff tie as they came from a goal down to beat Copenhagen 4-1 and finish fifth, one place behind Tottenham Hotspur who won 2-0 at Eintracht Frankfurt.
Chelsea came from behind to win 3-2 at Napoli with Joao Pedro’s double helping them clinch sixth spot. Defeat left Napoli down and out in 30th place.
Portugal’s Sporting grabbed a last-gasp 3-2 win at Athletic Bilbao thanks to a goal by Alisson Santos to snatch a top-eight spot and effectively relegate Real Madrid to the playoffs.
Manchester City beat Galatasaray 2-0 to jump from 11th to eighth.
Arsenal, who like Bayern Munich were already assured of a top-eight finish, became the first club in the new 36-team group format to finish with a 100% record, beating bottom club Kairat Almaty 3-2. Bayern finished second after a 2-1 victory at PSV Eindhoven that left the Dutch club eliminated.