European Giants in Danger: Stunning UCL Eliminations Looming
The revamped UEFA Champions League is reaching its final phase, with a crucial matchday set for Tonight. In a dramatic two-hour window, 18 matches will be played simultaneously, with high stakes on the line. Shockingly, major clubs like Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain are at risk of early elimination.
This season, UEFA introduced a brand-new format, replacing the traditional group stage with a 36-team league phase. Each team plays single matches against eight different opponents, and only the top eight teams qualify directly for the Round of 16.
Teams ranked between 9th and 24th will enter a playoff round, while the rest will be eliminated. So far, only Liverpool and Barcelona have secured direct qualification, while 16 teams—including Real Madrid—are still battling for the remaining six direct spots to avoid the playoffs. Manchester City & PSG on the Brink of Exit
Manchester City are in serious danger. Currently sitting in 25th place, Pep Guardiola's men must beat Club Brugge to secure at least a playoff spot. A draw or a loss could mean a shocking early exit.
Meanwhile, PSG recently climbed into the playoff positions after beating City, but their fate remains uncertain. A loss to Stuttgart could see them crash out of the competition. Real Madrid Breathing Easier, But the Battle Rages On
Fifteen-time champions Real Madrid eased their concerns with a 5-1 win over Salzburg, but they still need a strong result against Brest to secure a direct spot in the Round of 16.
Other European giants still stuck in the playoff zone include Bayern Munich, Juventus, PSG, and last year's runners-up Borussia Dortmund. The intense competition is making this one of the most unpredictable Champions League seasons in recent history.
Australian football analyst Craig Foster praised the new format, saying: "This season has shattered all expectations. In previous years, top teams would secure qualification easily, but now, nothing is guaranteed. This is one of the most thrilling Champions League campaigns ever."
As the final whistle approaches on this decisive matchday, all eyes will be on Europe's biggest clubs. Will we witness a shocking elimination, or will the giants of football find a way to survive this ultimate test?
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Roya News
a day ago
- Roya News
King watches Jordan's qualifier game against Oman during London visit
His Majesty King Abdullah II followed the national football team's World Cup qualifier match against Oman on Tuesday evening, tuning in from the Jordanian embassy in London during his working visit to Europe. Photos from the embassy showed the King watching the game with visible enthusiasm as the national team fought to secure a place in the next round of qualifiers. His presence reflected the significance of the match not only as a sporting event but as a moment of national pride. King Abdullah's ongoing European tour includes meetings with key leaders aimed at strengthening bilateral ties and advancing Jordan's regional diplomacy, particularly amid ongoing developments in the Middle East.
Al Bawaba
3 days ago
- Al Bawaba
Video: PSG's Hakimi gives Brigitte Macron an awkward look
Published June 3rd, 2025 - 12:23 GMT ALBAWABA - Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) star Achraf Hakimi recently went viral on social media after a video revealed him giving Brigitte Macron an odd and awkward look during a meet-up that celebrated the football team's victory against Inter Milan in the Champions League finale. PSG won against Inter Milan 5-0 at the UEFA Champions League Final on May 31, 2025, sparking widespread celebrations on social media and in Paris' streets. Hakimi contributed to one goal out of the five scored in Milan's net. Several social media users noticed Hakimi's observatory look, alongside his teammate Lucas Hernández, who appeared visibly uncomfortable and confused. This may have stemmed from recent media coverage and controversy surrounding Brigitte Macron's appearance and identity. Recent rumors and investigations from the media claimed that Brigitte Macron is a transgener who was born a man with childhood photos as "evidence." The alleged photos were first shared by a French magazine, but quickly flooded social media with claims and reports. — Camille Moscow 🇷🇺 🌿 ☦️ (@camille_moscow) June 2, 2025 However, many reported on social media that the boy in the photos was not Brigitte Macron but "her brother, Jean-Michel Trogneux, from 1953, 1954, and 1955." The ongoing rumors were recently reignited by American far-right political commentator Candace Owens, who claimed that French President Emannuel Macron and his wife Brigitte sent her a "legal threat" to prevent her from speaking further about the matter in question. The rumors first occurred when two women (Amandine Roy and Natacha Rey) went on YouTube claiming that Brigitte was born in 1953 as a boy under the name "Jean-Michel Trogneux." They were later targeted in a defamation lawsuit and persecuted by a court in Normandy city. Emmanuel Macron has constantly denied the allegations mentioned above across the years, describing them as "false" and "fabricated lies." © 2000 - 2025 Al Bawaba (
Ammon
3 days ago
- Ammon
Nations League final four: France, Spain, Germany, Portugal face off amid tiredness and injuries
Ammon News - No rest for the winners. Sandwiched between the Champions League final and Club World Cup, the Nations League final four provides another opportunity to win a trophy for players who might have more need of a break. Seven France players, four from Portugal, and one each from Spain and Germany were involved as Paris Saint-Germain defeated Inter Milan in the Champions League final on Saturday. Germany defender Yann Aurel Bisseck was injured playing for Inter and will miss the Nations League semifinal against Portugal in Munich on Wednesday. PSG players Gonçalo Ramos, João Neves, Nuno Mendes and Vitinha will need to shake off any lingering effects from celebrations before they play for Portugal. France plays Spain in the other semifinal in Stuttgart on Thursday, when Spain's Fabián Ruiz is likely to start in midfield despite starring in midfield for PSG on Saturday. France players Désiré Doué, Bradley Barcola, Ousmane Dembélé, Lucas Hernandez and Warren Zaïre-Emery all helped PSG end its long wait to lift the Champions League trophy. France players Marcus Thuram and Benjamin Pavard were on the losing side for Inter Milan. While France coach Didier Deschamps will need to assess the impact of PSG's partying on his players, three of his preferred four-man backline are also injured. William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano and Jules Koundé are all out. Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga is also injured as a long season takes its toll. The winners of each semifinal will contest the final in Munich on Sunday. The losers won't get a break yet — they'll need to play in Stuttgart to decide third place. What is the Nations League? The new competition was formed in 2018 to replace what UEFA called 'meaningless friendlies' with competitive games pitting equally ranked teams against each other. For this, it set up a league structure with four divisions containing groups of national teams, then – from this edition – a new knockout round after the group phase among the top division's group winners and runners-up to determine which play in the finals. In the quarterfinals, Spain defeated the Netherlands on penalties, France also needed penalties against Croatia, Germany defeated Italy 5-4 on aggregate, and Portugal beat Denmark 5-3 on aggregate. It ensured all three previous winners of the competition – Portugal (2019), France (2021) and Spain (2023) – qualified for the final four along with host Germany. How important is the Nations League? Spain used success in 2023 as a springboard for winning the European Championship in 2024, and France reached the World Cup final in 2022 after winning the Nations League the year before. While fans might struggle to remember previous winners amid an increasingly packed schedule, coaches and players welcome the competitive edge it provides. For Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann, it's a chance to win his first title. Though not comparable to winning a European Championship or World Cup, it would restore some pride in German soccer after the national team's decline following its 2014 World Cup win. Key facts — France's game with Spain is a repeat of their Euro 2024 semifinal, when the team starring Lamine Yamal got the better of Kylian Mbappé's France on its way to lifting the title. — Lyon attacking midfielder Rayan Cherki could make his debut for France. — Isco is back for Spain after a six-year-absence. The 33-year-old former Real Madrid star enjoyed a stellar season at Real Betis. — Germany captain Joshua Kimmich would make his 100th national team appearance if he plays against Portugal. — With Jamal Musiala out injured, Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz will be under more pressure to create openings for Germany. — Porto star Rodrigo Mora was called up by Portugal for the first time. The 18-year-old attacking midfielder has been linked with a host of clubs including Manchester United, Barcelona and PSG. — The evergreen Cristiano Ronaldo, now 40, will lead Portugal again. He might not get a break after this tournament either.
