How Each Premier League Club Can Reach the Champions League Final

The six Premier League clubs learned their matchups for the UEFA Champions League knockout stage during Friday’s draw.

We now know the matchups in the last-16 and potential future opponents for each team.

Here are the paths each English club could take toward the final in 2025/26.

Every Premier League club’s route to the Champions League final:

Arsenal

Mikel Arteta will be pleased with Arsenal’s draw, placing them on a favorable side of the bracket. They avoided facing top teams like Real Madrid, Manchester City, PSG, Chelsea, and Liverpool until possibly the final.

The Gunners will compete against Bayer Leverkusen in the round of 16, with either Sporting CP or Bodo/Glimt awaiting in the quarter-finals, giving them the easiest path to the semi-finals.

If they advance, they will meet either a Spanish or English team: Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Newcastle United, or Tottenham Hotspur.

Chelsea

Chelsea faces a challenging matchup against last year’s champions, PSG, to move on to the next round. Luis Enrique’s team might not seem as strong as last season, making this matchup uncertain.

The winner will encounter the victor of Liverpool and Galatasaray in the next stage, and afterwards, they could face Real Madrid, Manchester City, Atalanta, or Bayern Munich.

Liverpool

Liverpool shares a path with Chelsea, meaning they could face each other if Liverpool defeats Galatasaray and Chelsea overcomes PSG.

The two teams have a long rivalry in the Champions League, having met five times between 2005 and 2009.

However, both teams could exit early; Liverpool lost to Galatasaray in Istanbul earlier in the league, and PSG is favored to win against Chelsea.

Man City

The draw has been tough for Manchester City, starting with a match against Real Madrid, a team that has consistently posed challenges for them. While Madrid does not look as strong currently, they have previously bested City in key knockout games.

If City wins against Real, they will likely face Bayern, assuming Bayern beats Atalanta. Bayern is a leading contender for the title.

Should City navigate those matches, they will confront either Chelsea, PSG, Galatasaray, or Liverpool in the semi-finals, marking the hardest route to the final.

Newcastle United

Newcastle’s Champions League journey has often been tied to encounters with Barcelona, making their draw against them fitting.

If they pull off an upset, they could face Tottenham in the quarter-finals, though Atletico Madrid may be a more likely opponent.

In the event they reach the semi-finals, they might face Arsenal or other teams like Bayer Leverkusen, Bodo/Glimt, or Sporting CP.

Iconic Performances – Asprilla’s hat-trick downs the mighty Barcelona at St James’ Park

Despite their struggles in domestic play, Tottenham has the potential for a deep run in Europe after landing in a favorable draw.

They have shown strength against continental opponents and will face either Newcastle or Barcelona next, while Arsenal, Bayer Leverkusen, Bodo/Glimt, or Sporting CP may wait in the semi-finals.

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