With the 2025–26 Champions League league phase and playoff round now complete, all six Premier League clubs are anxiously awaiting confirmation of their Round of 16 opponents.
Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea all advanced to the knockout stage, underlining England’s strong presence in Europe this season. Meanwhile, Newcastle United stormed past Qarabag 9–3 on aggregate — one of the most emphatic scorelines in the competition’s history.
While the official draw will determine the exact matchups, the list of possible opponents is beginning to take shape — and there are some daunting prospects.
Potential Opponents
The remaining English sides now have a clearer idea of who could stand in their way. Liverpool and Tottenham, who booked early qualification on matchday eight, are in the same bracket and could face either Atletico Madrid or Galatasaray. Despite mixed domestic form, both managers will fancy their chances.
Arsenal, under Mikel Arteta, topped their group and may now take on a Bundesliga powerhouse such as Atalanta or Bayer Leverkusen.
Manchester City’s route appears more complicated. Pep Guardiola’s men only sealed automatic progression on the final day and could be drawn against either Real Madrid or Bodo/Glimt — both of whom have beaten them earlier in the campaign.
Chelsea, led by Liam Rosenior, may face Newcastle or reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain. A showdown with PSG — their recent Club World Cup final opponents — would present a serious challenge to Rosenior’s unbeaten start at Stamford Bridge.
Arsenal Top the Rankings
According to Opta’s latest Power Rankings, Arsenal are favourites to lift the trophy. The north London side hold a perfect 100/100 rating, placing them top globally and boosting hopes of finally claiming European glory.
They dominated the league phase with eight wins from eight, scoring 23 goals and conceding just four. Based on current data, Arsenal are given a 24% chance of winning the Champions League — the highest probability in the competition — ahead of Bayern Munich and Liverpool.
