Premier League Clubs’ UEFA Champions League Performances: An Analysis
By: AT
Image Credit: Mitch Rosen
The league stage of the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League (UCL) concluded following the eighth matchday on January 28. While many clubs throughout Europe either rose in triumph or faded away in disappointment, all six Premier League (EPL) clubs participating in the 2025-26 UCL — Arsenal FC, Chelsea FC, Liverpool FC, Manchester City, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur — performed notably well, particularly in the final two matchdays. (See our UCL analysis on the first six 2025-26 UCL league stage matches here.)
Five of the six participating EPL clubs finished among the first eight positions, which allow for direct qualification to the round of 16. The sixth club qualified for the knockout stage playoff round, which is reserved for clubs that finished from ninth- to 24th place. Clubs ranked 25th to 36th are eliminated from the UCL.
The 2025-26 rankings for EPL clubs represent an improvement from those of EPL clubs that participated in the 2024-25 UCL edition, the first under the current format. Last season, out of four participating EPL clubs, three qualified for the round of 16, while the fourth — Manchester City — finished 22nd and settled for a playoff round matchup against LaLiga club Real Madrid. City lost that matchup, ultimately depriving themselves from competing in a UCL round of 16 contest for the first time since 2012-13, when they finished 4th/last in their group.
The analysis will be presented by order of the clubs’ rankings in the league stage. Let us see how these six clubs from the most prestigious football league in the world fared in the final matchdays of the 2025-26 UCL league stage, and how these matches affected their final rankings.
Arsenal FC
The London-based club concluded their 2025-26 UCL league stage campaign with eight victories in as many matches, eclipsing Liverpool’s first-place finish and record in last season’s UCL league stage. Their final two matches were a 3-1 away victory against Inter Milan and a 3-2 home victory against Kazakhstan Premier League club Kairat Almaty.
The Gunners will compete in the UCL knockout stage for the fourth consecutive season, having reached the semifinals last season before losing to defending UCL winners and Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).
Liverpool FC
Liverpool finished their UCL league stage campaign with two resounding clean-sheet victories, particularly a 3-0 away victory against Marseille and a whopping 6-0 home victory against Azerbaijan Premier League club Qarabag FK.
The Reds’ two victories propelled them from a playoff knockout stage position to third place, resulting in the club automatically qualifying for the UCL round of 16 for a second consecutive season.
Liverpool will compete in the UCL knockout stage for the fourth consecutive season, having also lost against PSG in the round of 16. That said, Arsenal must remind themselves that a first-place finish in the league stage does not guarantee a deep run in the competition.
Tottenham Hotspur
Similar to Liverpool, Tottenham were looking at a playoff round matchup before the penultimate matchday. However, despite struggling mightily in the Premier League, Tottenham also earned two clean-sheet victories, both 2-0 scores against Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund at home and against Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt away.
Finishing fourth, Spurs will return to the UCL knockout stage for the first time since 2022-23. Between then and now, however, Spurs hoisted the 2024-25 UEFA Europa League (UEL) title, a first piece of silverware since winning the 2007-08 EFL Cup.
Chelsea FC
Despite looking like a safer bet to qualify directly for the round of 16, Chelsea secured that fate after two close victories, 1-0 at home against Cypriot First Division club Pafos FC and a 3-2 comeback victory away against 2024-25 Serie A winners SSC Napoli.
Chelsea finish in sixth place and return to the UCL knockout stage for the first time since 2022-23. Like Tottenham, between then and now, Chelsea won silverware: the 2024-25 UEFA Conference League (UECL) title. The Blues become the first club to win all three active European continental club competitions.
Manchester City
City became the fifth out of eight clubs to qualify directly for the round 16, securing the eighth and final position. Despite losing 3-1 away against Eliteserien club Bodø/Glimt on matchday 7, City redeemed themselves on the final matchday with a decisive 2-0 home victory against Turkish Süper Lig club Galatasaray.
The 2022-23 UCL winners will compete in the UCL knockout stage for the 13th consecutive season.
Newcastle United
Although they did not qualify directly for the round of 16, Newcastle nevertheless secured qualification for the playoff round. However, their qualification was not easy. The Magpies ultimately garnered four out of six points, winning 3-0 at home against Eredivisie club PSV Eindhoven and, on the final matchday, rallying for a 1-1 draw away against PSG.
Newcastle conclude their league stage campaign with a 12-place finish, tied with 11-place PSG and one-point ahead of Serie A club and 14th-place Juventus FC. The northeastern English club will play against Qarabag in the playoff round and will host the second-leg match of that duel.
More importantly, Newcastle will play UCL knockout stage football for the first time in club history!
Chances to Win it All
As of January 31, 2026, out of the 24 remaining UCL participants, these six clubs fare well in DraftKings’s prediction markets with respect to their chances of winning the 2025-26 UCL title. The odds (and their rankings among the 24 clubs) for all six clubs are the following:
Arsenal FC
2024-25 European continental club competition performance: UCL semifinals, lost 3-1 on aggregate against PSG
2025-26 UCL title odds: +370 (1st)
Chelsea FC
2024-25 European continental club competition performance: UECL winners, defeated LaLiga club Real Betis by a 4-1 score
2025-26 UCL title odds: +1,800 (7th)
Liverpool FC
2024-25 European continental club competition performance: UCL round of 16, lost on penalties (1-1 on aggregate) PSG
2025-26 UCL title odds: +1,000 (6th)
Manchester City
2024-25 European continental club competition performance: UCL playoff round, lost 6-3 on aggregate against Manchester City
2025-26 UCL title odds: +800 (5th)
Newcastle United
2024-25 European continental club competition performance: N/A (competed in the 2023-24 UCL, finishing fourth of their group in the group stage)
2025-26 UCL title odds: +4,000 (12th)
Tottenham Hotspur
2024-25 European continental club competition performance: UEL winners, defeated EPL rivals Manchester United by a 1-0 score
2025-26 UCL title odds: +3,000 (10th)
