Champions League: Which clubs can make the top eight and qualify for the knockouts?

The battle for the top eight is where things get interesting.

Let’s start with the easy bit. For Real Madrid and Liverpool, both on 15 points, and Tottenham, on 14, a victory on matchday eight will secure direct entry into the last 16.

Spurs face eliminated Eintracht Frankfurt in Germany, where the north London outfit won last year on the way to a Europa League triumph that secured them Champions League football this season.

Arne Slot’s Liverpool side are at home to Qarabag, who can still make the top eight.

“It’s all down to us again next week, at home. Let’s make sure we’re in the top eight,” Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk told Uefa.

“It’s very important as you miss the play-offs, and it helps with the intense programme that we’re having. We’ve put ourselves in a good position.”

Real are away to former manager Jose Mourinho’s Benfica.

Mourinho reached three Champions League semi-finals in a row with Real before leaving in 2013, but Benfica – with only two wins in their first seven games – will need to beat Real to have a chance of sneaking into the play-offs.

Behind Spurs come a group of eight teams, starting with holders Paris St-Germain in sixth down to Atalanta in 13th, on 13 points.

Newcastle, Chelsea and City are all in that group needing a win – and even then knowing their fate could come down to goal difference.

Chelsea are also up against a former manager in Antonio Conte, who won Serie A with Napoli last season but will welcome the Blues to Naples with his side sitting outside the play-off spots on goal difference.

City host Galatasaray, while Eddie Howe’s Newcastle side face the daunting task of travelling to PSG.

Everyone down to Qarabag in 18th still has a mathematical chance of automatically advancing.

That is in part because, remarkably, despite 16 teams still being in contention for the six remaining top-eight spots, only two of the 18 matches next Wednesday have those sides facing each other.

Newcastle’s trip to Paris is one and Borussia Dortmund at home to Inter Milan is the other.