The 2025–26 Champions League league phase delivered another thrilling spectacle which concluded in style during the final round of fixtures.
Automatic progression to the last 16 and places in the knockout playoffs were up for grabs during a jam-packed slate of action on Wednesday night. For some, there was delight, while others were left licking their wounds.
Plenty of Europe’s elite underperformed on the grandest of stages but such hardship was not universal, with an array of clubs actually improving upon last season’s performance on the continent.
Here’s how this season’s Champions League league phase table compares to the 2024–25 standings.
Final 2025–26 Table vs. Final 2024–25 Table
| Club | 2025–26 Position | 2024–25 Position | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenal | 1 | 3 | +2 |
| Bayern Munich | 2 | 12 | +10 |
| Liverpool | 3 | 1 | -2 |
| Tottenham | 4 | — | — |
| Barcelona | 5 | 2 | -3 |
| Chelsea | 6 | — | — |
| Sporting CP | 7 | 23 | +16 |
| Man City | 8 | 22 | +14 |
| Real Madrid | 9 | 11 | +2 |
| Inter | 10 | 4 | -6 |
| Paris Saint-Germain | 11 | 15 | +4 |
| Newcastle | 12 | — | — |
| Juventus | 13 | 20 | +7 |
| Atlético Madrid | 14 | 5 | -9 |
| Atalanta | 15 | 9 | -6 |
| Bayer Leverkusen | 16 | 6 | -10 |
| Borussia Dortmund | 17 | 10 | -7 |
| Olympiacos | 18 | — | — |
| Club Brugge | 19 | 24 | +5 |
| Galatasaray | 20 | — | — |
| Monaco | 21 | 17 | -4 |
| Qarabağ | 22 | — | — |
| Bodø/Glimt | 23 | — | — |
| Benfica | 24 | 16 | -8 |
| Marseille | 25 | — | — |
| Pafos | 26 | — | — |
| Union Saint-Gilloise | 27 | — | — |
| PSV Eindhoven | 28 | 14 | -14 |
| Athletic Club | 29 | — | — |
| Napoli | 30 | — | — |
| Copenhagen | 31 | — | — |
| Ajax | 32 | — | — |
| Eintracht Frankfurt | 33 | — | — |
| Slavia Prague | 34 | — | — |
| Villarreal | 35 | — | — |
| Kairat | 36 | — | — |
Bayern Munich, Man City Climb, Barcelona Descend
Only half of the teams competing in the 2025–26 Champions League phase were also involved in last year’s table, Of those 18 clubs, it’s Sporting CP who have enjoyed the biggest ascent, moving up 16 places on last year’s finish and even securing a shock entry straight into the last 16.
Manchester City and Bayern Munich also enjoyed healthy improvements on the continent, with Pep Guardiola’s men climbing 14 spots and earning redemption for last term’s horror show in which they finished just 22nd. The Germans were outside of the top eight in 2024–25 but finished up as runners-up in this season’s league phase table after seven wins from eight games.
Arsenal were the only side to beat Bayern in this year’s league phase—both on the field and in the final standings. The Gunners have topped the rankings, slightly improving upon their third-place finish last time out.
It was Liverpool who topped the table last season but they have traded places with Arsenal, moving down to third despite six wins in total. The Reds have sought respite in the Champions League after an awful domestic campaign.
Despite finishing outside of the top eight for another season, reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain did actually enjoy a small rise. The French giants climbed four places and will be hoping to show significant improvements in the knockout phase—as they did last season.
Luciano Spalletti’s arrival has allowed Juventus to enjoy an improved finish, bettering last season’s position by seven places, but their fellow Italians Inter and Atalanta both dropped six places.
Despite their chaotic finale at Benfica which saw them drop out of the top eight, Real Madrid actually improved upon last year. They only finished 11th last term, with ninth a minor improvement, although there will be few celebrating in Spain’s capital. Their city rivals Atlético Madrid also slumped, dropping from fifth to 14th.
Madrid’s Clásico foes Barcelona descended the standings, too, but Hansi Flick’s men retained their place in the top eight, even if they dropped to fifth. La Blaugrana continue to be among the favorites for the competition and will avoid an unwanted playoff in February.
READ THE LATEST CHAMPIONS LEAGUE NEWS, PREVIEWS AND PLAYER RATINGS
- Kylian Mbappe Highlights Worrying Real Madrid ‘Problem’ in Scathing Assessment
- Pep Guardiola Reveals Jose Mourinho Plan After Receiving Huge Favour
- Who Chelsea Could Play In The Champions League Round of 16
- Who Real Madrid Could Play in the Champions League Knockout Playoff
This article was originally published on www.si.com as How Final 2025–26 Champions League League Phase Table Compares to 2024–25.
