What Inter, Milan, Juventus and Atalanta need to qualify for Champions League Ro16 | OneFootball

All 36 participating teams will be involved in Champions League action on Wednesday night for the final round of league phase fixtures in the first of the newly-formatted tournament. Here is what Inter, Milan, Juventus and Atalanta need to qualify for the knock-out rounds and round of 16.

What teams need to qualify for Champions League knock-out rounds

A quick re-cap: Teams who finish the league phase in first place down to eighth will qualify directly for the round of 16. The teams who finish from ninth down to 24th will qualify for the play-offs. Teams in 25th down to 36th will be eliminated.

The knock-out round play-offs will be a two-legged affair and will take place in the midweek slots of February 11/12 and February 18/19.

The draw for the knock-out rounds will take place on Friday, January 31.

The Champions League trophy

EPA-EFE/JEAN-CHRISTOPHE BOTT

All five of the competing Italian sides will be in action on Wednesday night. Bologna, on five points after seven games, are already out as they can not catch up with VfB Stuttgart in 24th (10 points).

Inter, Milan, Juventus and Atalanta can all, mathematically, still finish in the top eight by the end of Wednesday night.

What Inter need to finish in the Champions League top eight

MILAN, ITALY – NOVEMBER 26: The players of FC Internazionale show appreciation to the fans at full-time following the team’s victory in the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD5 match between FC Internazionale Milano and RB Leipzig at Stadio San Siro on November 26, 2024 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Inter, in fourth place, are the highest ranked of the Italian teams. They have already secured a place in the play-offs, and are very close to having a place in the top eight wrapped up as well.

The Nerazzurri require a draw against Monaco if they are to keep the situation under their own control. Simone Inzaghi’s side will also be able to finish in the top eight with a loss, but that will then depend on goal difference.

What Milan need to finish in the Champions League top eight

Christian Pulisic of AC Milan (obscured) celebrates scoring his team’s first goal with teammates during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD5 match between SK Slovan Bratislava and AC Milan at Narodny Futbalovy Stadion on November 26, 2024 in Bratislava, Slovakia. (Photo by Christian Hofer/Getty Images)

Milan are the second-highest ranked Italian team in the competition in sixth place. They are just one point behind their city rivals, Inter and have also secured a place in the play-off rounds as a minimum.

A win for the Rossoneri against Dinamo Zagreb would guarantee a spot in the top eight and direct qualification to the Round of 16. A draw could still be enough, but like Inter, that would then come down to goal difference.

Milan currently have 15 points in the table, which means that they could theoretically lose and still finish in the top eight, but six teams are on 13 points and another five on 12, which means that is a fairly unlikely scenario.

What Atalanta need to finish in the Champions League top eight

epa11842780 Atalanta’s Charles de Ketelaere celebrates after scoring the 3-0 lead during the UEFA Champions League soccer match between Atalanta BC and SK Sturm Graz at Bergamo Stadium in Bergamo, Italy, 21 January 2025. EPA-EFE/MICHELE MARAVIGLIA

Atalanta are currently seventh with 14 points, one point and one position behind Milan and two points off Inter.

Gian Piero Gasperini’s side have a tough task as they will be away against Barcelona, who are currently the second-highest ranked team in the competition.

Like Inter and Milan, a win will secure a top eight finish for Atalanta.

A draw would put them on 15 points, and though qualification would still technically be possible, 11 teams would be able to catch up with them and therefore makes a top eight finish quite unlikely.

A place in the play-off round is secured regardless.

What Juventus need to finish in the Champions League top eight

TURIN, ITALY – DECEMBER 11: Juventus players celebrate victory at the end of the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD6 match between Juventus and Manchester City at Juventus Stadium on December 11, 2024 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)

Juventus’s situation is fairly straight-forward. They must win against Benfica if they are to have any hope of finishing in the top eight, but even then, it is far from guaranteed, as they currently sit in 17th place and would therefore have to overtake nine teams in the table.

A draw or a loss for Juventus would mean a spot in the play-off rounds, which has already been secured.