The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Champions League playoffs have come to an electrifying conclusion, with teams that seemed certain to progress crashing out at the last minute, while underdogs defied expectations to secure spots in the round of 16. This season is already one for the history books, with students sharing their thoughts on the dramatic playoffs and the teams now set to battle it out in the knockout stages.
The new “league phase” structure of the UEFA Champions League has altered the tournament format, with the top eight teams receiving automatic qualification to the round of 16, while teams ranked 9th through 24th must first navigate the playoff round to earn their place. This year, teams such as Atalanta, Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, AC Milan, PSV Eindhoven, Paris Saint-Germain, and Benfica found themselves in the mix. In the end, Club Brugge, Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Feyenoord, PSV Eindhoven, Paris Saint-Germain, and Benfica made it through to the round of 16.
“The teams played well for their place in the knockout stages. Some were underdogs, and it was impressive to see them advance. Some big clubs didn’t make it, which shows how tough the playoffs were,” said sophomore Arbin Baral.
As Baral mentioned, the playoffs were challenging, even for some of the biggest clubs. Manchester City, the reigning Premier League champions, faced off against Real Madrid, who hold both the Champions League and La Liga titles. Despite a valiant effort, City were knocked out, making it one of the most high-profile exits of the tournament. Meanwhile, Feyenoord, who had been struggling with injuries and squad changes, were the ultimate underdogs. Their top striker, Santiago Gimenez, was sold to AC Milan, and the team’s captain and replacement striker were sidelined by injuries. Yet, Feyenoord pulled off a 1-1 draw at the San Siro in the second leg, sending them through to the round of 16.
“Feyenoord’s victory was incredible,” said junior Sailendra Bhandaru. “They were the clear underdogs, but they still managed to knock out AC Milan. [Also] I think Benfica will be the Dark Horse of this tournament, though, because they’ve been playing really well, especially after beating Monaco.”
The Champions League is known for producing stunning performances, and this season is no exception. Serhou Guirassy of Borussia Dortmund, in his first Champions League campaign, has already become the tournament’s top scorer with 10 goals. Another player to watch is Kylian Mbappé of Real Madrid. Having signed from Paris Saint-Germain, Mbappé continues to shine in the competition, including a memorable hat-trick against Manchester City.
“I think Kylian Mbappé will be my player of the tournament,” said freshman Jacob Rodrigues. “He’s been on fire for Madrid, and that hat-trick was just amazing. He’s going to keep scoring.”
Other standout players include Robert Lewandowski, who is still scoring for Barcelona at the age of 36, and Raphinha, who has impressed with eight goals so far. Players like Pavlidis of Benfica, Julian Alvarez of Atletico Madrid, and Ousmane Dembélé of PSG have also made a mark, showing that unexpected stars can shine in the Champions League.
With the knockout stages looming, the Champions League is set for even more drama. Will the “Dark Horses” like Feyenoord and Borussia Dortmund continue their surprising runs? Or will the heavyweights, such as Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, reclaim their dominance? One thing is for certain, this season’s tournament promises to deliver even more excitement.