Top‑eight scramble dominates Champions League group climax

LONDON, Jan 27 : After 126 matches, 426 goals, five hat-tricks and 28 red cards the Champions League group phase reaches its head-spinning climax on Wednesday with 30 of the 36 clubs still with all to play for on the final night of action across Europe.

Arsenal, the only team with a 100 per cent record, and Bayern Munich cannot finish outside the top eight and are therefore automatically through to the last 16.

The bottom four - Kairat Almaty, Villarreal, Slavia Prague and Eintracht Frankfurt - are all eliminated, while 13 clubs are assured of at least a playoff spot.

But the scenarios are complex as some teams try to avoid the jeopardy of the playoffs by clinching a top-eight spot and others desperately try to earn themselves a lifeline by avoiding finishing below the elimination trap door of 24th.

Here are the main talking points ahead of Wednesday:

THE BATTLE FOR THE TOP EIGHT

Six more automatic spots are available on the final night with Real Madrid, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, holders Paris St Germain, Newcastle United and Chelsea all with their top-eight destiny firmly in their own hands.

Wins for Real at Benfica, Liverpool at home to Qarabag and Spurs away to Eintracht Frankfurt would ensure they move into the knockout phase.

The standout clash of the night sees sixth-placed Paris St Germain host Newcastle, who are seventh, with both teams on 13 points and with identical goal differences.

Whoever wins goes through while the loser would probably fall into the playoffs. A draw would leave both sides sweating.

Eighth-placed Chelsea (13 points) would probably go through with victory at a Napoli side fighting for survival, although they could still drop down on goal difference with several clubs also on 13 points just below