The UEFA Champions League group stage comes to an end on Wednesday, 28 January 2026, with all matches kicking off simultaneously at 9:00 PM, and Barcelona’s fate is still very much alive.
Several clubs have already secured their places in the top eight. Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Liverpool are all through. Real Madrid face Benfica and even a draw would push them to 16 points, while Liverpool play Qarabağ and are also safe regardless of a draw.
The real focus for Barcelona is on the chasing pack PSG, Newcastle, Tottenham and Chelsea as at least one, and possibly two, of these sides are expected to drop points.
The biggest boost for Barcelona is the clash between PSG and Newcastle, with both teams playing each other. This guarantees dropped points. If either side loses, Barcelona benefit, and if the game ends in a draw, both teams come down the table.
Tottenham face a tricky test against Eintracht Frankfurt. While Spurs have often found ways to survive in the Champions League, their inconsistency makes this a game where dropped points remain possible.
Barcelona are also level on points and goal difference with Sporting CP, meaning goal margin will be crucial. Sporting travel away to Athletic Club, who are fighting to avoid elimination and are expected to be highly motivated.
Elsewhere, Chelsea face Napoli, with Napoli on the brink of elimination and struggling for form after a heavy loss to Juventus. Given Chelsea’s recent performances, the Blues are backed to take all three points.
Softfootball believes the teams most likely to drop and open the door for Barcelona are PSG, Newcastle and possibly Tottenham. If Barcelona defeat Copenhagen comfortably and improve their goal difference, the path to a top-8 finish is very realistic.
All eyes will be on Wednesday night and for Barcelona, the margins could finally fall in their favour.
