Supercomputer Predicts Final League Phase Table

A supercomputer has predicted what the Champions League table will look like at the conclusion of the competition’s current phase.

The 2025/26 edition of Europe’s most-prestigious competition is now well underway, with this season’s Champions League representing the second-ever league stage, which replaced the more traditional group stage formatting in 2024.

As is always the case with the Champions League, a number of elite European sides will be vying for the glory of winning what many regard to be the greatest club achievement that is available. Paris Saint-Germain, under Luis Enrique’s management, will no doubt seek to retain their title.

Now past the halfway point, the current Champions League could – and no doubt will – throw up some surprising results as it continues. Opta Analyst have asked their supercomputer how it thinks the Champions League table will look at the league stage’s conclusion.

Eliminated Teams – 36th to 25th

Based on Opta’s Expected Points and Position data, a number of gigantic clubs have been predicted to crash out of the Champions League after the group stage, including Ajax, a team that have continental pedigree courtesy of four European Cup/Champions League victories. After seven league games, only Kairat, in their maiden Champions League season, German outfit Eintracht Frankfurt, Slavia Prague, Pafos, Union Saint Gilloise, and Qarabag are predicted to finish below the Amsterdam side.

Moving up the table, Opta have positioned PSV Eindhoven, Club Brugge, and Bodo/Glimt as teams that will miss out on progressing. It’s been a hugely disappointing league phase campaign for Marseille, and the French giants are tipped to crash out. Time is running out for Athletic Bilbao to turn their fortunes around after doing so well in Europe in recent campaigns, including reaching the Europa League semi-final last term.

Play-Off Teams – 24th to 9th

Moving into teams that will qualify for the play-off games that follow the league, the next stage of the table, Opta have predicted that Antonio Conte’s Serie A champions scrape 24th place by the skin of their teeth. Atletico Madrid have been a letdown but they are expected to be in contention for the knockout stages through the playoffs.

Copenhagen have somewhat sprung a surprise and the Danes may well find themselves in the play-offs. As too are Chelsea, who are tipped to require another round of European action to book their place in the Round of 16.

German side Bayer Leverkusen and shockingly Hansi Flick’s reigning La Liga champions Barcelona are staring at qualification but needing play-offs to advance further. Jose Mourinho-led Benfica and Turkish heavyweights Galatasaray are also backed to qualify although they are predicted to be away from home in the second leg of their respective play-offs.

Any side that finishes between 16th and ninth in the table qualifies for the play-offs as a seeded team, which ensures that they will play the second leg at home. That’s expected to be the case for Newcastle United, according to Opta, which projects them to finish ninth just missing out on automatic progress.

Greek side Olympiacos and French outfit Monaco look likely to be in the playoffs and hosting the away leg on home soil. Villarreal

Italian giants Juventus are struggling in the league phase and still need to pick up some points if they are to make the playoffs. Opta think they will manage to qualify with ease, but they are set to miss out on the top eight.

Sporting CP, Atalanta and Borussia Dortmund are also projected mid-table outcomes following matchweek seven. That means the pool of clubs in the play-offs could lead to shock exits.

Automatic Qualifiers – 8th to 1st

In eighth place on Opta’s predicted table, a position that would ensure an automatic pass to the round of 16, is Tottenham Hotspur, who find themselves surprisingly faring well in Europe despite their Premier League woes.

Ahead of Thomas Frank’s Spurs, in seventh, are Bayern Munich, who have recorded a 2-0 win over USG thanks to a Harry Kane opener in their seventh match. Next up are Inter Milan who were beaten at home by Arsenal and haven’t come anywhere close to replicating their runners up finish from last season.

Manchester City’s winning run in the Champions League came to an end in November. They had won all four of their matches to start the campaign but fell to a surprise 2-0 defeat to Leverkusen in November after Guardiola made mass changes to his starting XI. A nightmare in Norway, losing 3-1 to Bodo/Glimt has the Cityzens predicted to finish fifth.

Record holders Real Madrid destroyed AS Monaco 6-1 on matchweek seven and despite Xabi Alonso’s departure it should be smoothing sailing for Los Blancos. Defending champions Paris-Saint Germain smashed six past Tottenham in week five and are now predicted to finish in third place, leaving the top two places to two English clubs eager for European glory.

Arne Slot’s Liverpool are out of the title race but fully focused on reclaiming the top prize in European club football. A 3-0 win away to Marseille has just slightly got fans dreaming of a possible dream finish to the season.

The only unbeaten side left in the competition are the Gunners, who have won all six of their league phase matches. The north London side, bidding to become champions of Europe for the first time in their history, are expected to top the league phase by a distance, and they have been given nearly a 40 per cent chance of reaching the final.

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