The Champions League league phase is done and dusted, a thrilling catalogue of games seeing Manchester City narrowly avoid elimination, Liverpool top the table and big names struggle on their way to the playoffs.

The UEFA Champions League 2024/25 group stage is over, and the historic Round 8 produced 16 matches across Europe, as it was for the very first time that a single Matchday of the premier continental league of Europe had this many matches.

Liverpool travel to Vitality Stadium to face Bournemouth in Premier League action with key players fully rested after being left out in the Champions League.

When it comes to buying low, selling high, and churning out a monumental profit on promising young footballers, few teams in France can hold a candle to Lille OSC. Les Dogues signed Nicolas Pépé

Liverpool became the first team to guarantee a place in the last 16 of the new Champions League format by beating Lille 2-1 on Tuesday, while Barcelona fought back from two goals down to stun Benfica 5-4 in a thriller.

As the league phase comes to a close, there's still plenty of shuffling that will happen in Champions League play. Only Barcelona and Liverpool have clinched their places in the top eight putting them automatically through to the last 16 but plenty of teams will be looking to join them.

Liverpool beat Lille 2-1 on Tuesday to maintain their perfect record in this season's Champions League and clinch qualification for the last 16, while Barcelona produced a stunning comeback to beat Benfica 5-4 in a classic to secure their own place.

Arne Slot says Liverpool defender Amara Nallo must learn from his “cruel” red card in Wednesday’s 3-2 defeat to PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League. The academy graduate’s first-team debut lasted just four minutes at Philips Stadion as he was sent off late in the second half for a professional foul on Johan Bakayoko.

Therein lies the problem, though. While there can be no slaughtering of the product for what it was - which was an incredibly handy and easily digestible guide through the complex league phase system - there was a tinge of emptiness and numbness to it all.

Neymar and Antony were expensive mistakes for their last clubs — but who else fits into the "worst-ever" bracket?

The champions continue to improve their squad despite their lead at the top of the WSL - and their spending stands apart from other clubs