UCL: Aston Villa and Lille secured their spots in the Round of 16 on a thrilling Matchday 8 filled with drama and decisive moments

By Anastasios Gordon Sekandi – updated at 09:25 EAT Thursday 30 January 2025.

Morgan Rogers struck a hat-trick as Aston Villa beat Celtic to qualify for the round of 16. Courtesy Photo.

HICGI – According to UEFA, highly anticipated final round of league-phase fixtures delivered on its promise, showcasing an electrifying night of UEFA Champions League drama.

With all 18 matches kicking off simultaneously, the night was packed with storylines—including an astonishing 64 goals. Among the biggest headlines, Aston Villa and Lille clinched automatic qualification for the Round of 16, while Manchester City staged a stunning comeback from the brink of elimination to secure a spot in the knockout phase play-offs.

Who is through and who is eliminated?

Round of 16
Arsenal, Aston Villa, Atlético de Madrid, Barcelona, Inter, Leverkusen, Lille, Liverpool

Knockout phase play-offs
Atalanta, Borussia Dortmund, Bayern München, Benfica, Brest, Celtic, Club Brugge, Feyenoord, Juventus, Manchester City, Milan, Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain, PSV, Real Madrid, Sporting CP

Eliminated
Bologna, Crvena Zvezda, Girona, GNK Dinamo, Leipzig, Salzburg, Shakhtar, Slovan Bratislava, Sparta Praha, Sturm Graz, Stuttgart, Young Boys

The knockout phase play-off draw takes place at 12:00 CET on Friday 31 January.