How teams can qualify for Champions League knockout rounds - ESPN

It's been a journey into the unknown, but the new-look 36-team Champions League is finally reaching the climax of the league phase.

While we're starting to get some kind of idea of who's going to go through, a lot can happen in the last two rounds. We don't yet (officially) know the eight clubs that will go straight through to the round of 16, or the 16 teams that will have to take part in the knockout playoff round in February.

Three teams have already been eliminated, with nine more to come over the next week.

Unlike in previous seasons, no teams will drop into the Europa League from the Champions League.

Unexpectedly, there are some big clubs in real danger of being eliminated, which might not have been the case under the old format.

Let's take a look at what's at stake and how the final matchdays are shaping up.

The teams in position 1-8 go straight to the round of 16, and won't have to play games in February.

The clubs in places 9-24 will face the playoff round next month.

Those in 25th to 36th are eliminated.

Yes, because the league placings create the knockout bracket. Unlike in previous seasons, where there would be open draws, paths will be set after this phase has been completed.

The new «seeding» system means the highest-placed teams can't face each other until the latter stages of the knockout round.

For instance, if we look at the table right now, Liverpool and Barcelona are in first and second and they would not be able to play each other until the final. The teams in third and fourth — currently Arsenal and Bayer Leverkusen — can't play Liverpool or Barcelona until the semifinals.

However, the value of being placed high in the table has been complicated by poor European seasons for Manchester City, Paris