We are entering the final matchday of the UEFA Champions League this week, and all French teams are still in the hunt to lift the trophy.

AS Monaco, Lille OSC and Stade Brestois are each assured of the knockout phase at least, while Paris Saint-Germain climbed into a top-24 position thanks to a 4-2 victory over Manchester City last week.

Three of the four Ligue 1 clubs in this tournament have a chance to book an automatic place in the last 16, while the math for Luis Enrique’s men in Paris is simple should they avoid defeat.

Here’s a look at every possibility the four French clubs have on matchday eight.

AS Monaco

A 1-0 victory over Aston Villa put Les Monégasques back in the hunt for a top-eight place, with Adi Hütter’s men currently 10th on 13 points. Bayer Leverkusen are presently holding that coveted eighth spot above them on goal difference.

Monaco, however could finish eighth with the following:

• A victory over Inter Milan

And three of the following conditions being met:

• Brest and Lille don’t win by a two-goal margin when compared to Monaco’s score

• Aston Villa fail to defeat Celtic

• Bayer Leverkusen fail to defeat Sparta Prague

• Atalanta fail to defeat FC Barcelona

• Atlético Madrid lose to RB Salzburg

A Monaco draw against Inter may still be enough to put them in the last eight if all of the following scenarios happen:

• Brest and Lille don’t win

• Aston Villa lose to Celtic

• Bayer Leverkusen lose to Sparta Prague

Lille OSC

Bruno Génésio’s side are currently 12th in the table and unbeaten at home in the Champions League this season. They host Feyenoord on Wednesday at Stade Pierre-Mauroy.

For them to finish in the top eight, a victory and four of the following situations must happen:

• Aston Villa doesn’t beat Celtic

• Bayer Leverkusen doesn’t beat Sparta Prague

• AC Milan lose to Dinamo Zagreb

• Atalanta don’t beat Barcelona

• Monaco don’t beat Inter

• Atlético Madrid lose to RB Salzburg

• Brest fail to beat Real Madrid by a better score than their result

Stade Brestois 

Before 2025 began, Brest had assured themselves a spot in the knockout phase, claiming points in their first four games, including three victories. While Éric Roy’s side have lost two of their previous three matches in this competition, there’s still a chance for them to move directly into the round of 16.

In order to make that dream a reality, they first need to defeat Real Madrid and have four of the following conditions fulfilled:

• Lille and Feyenoord draw

• Monaco doesn’t defeat Inter

• Aston Villa fail to defeat Celtic

• Bayer Leverkusen don’t defeat Sparta Prague

• Atalanta don’t defeat Barcelona

• AC Milan lose to Dinamo Zagreb

• Atlético Madrid lose to RB Salzburg

Paris Saint-Germain

PSG will have to go through the knockout phase if they are to eventually get to the last 16, though the good news is their destiny is in their hands.

Luis Enrique’s men can make it easy on themselves by simply avoiding defeat to VfB Stuttgart on Wednesday, which would guarantee they qualify for the knockout phase.

A defeat, however, would eliminate Les Parisiens from the competition if three of the following scenarios occur:

• Benfica win, lose or draw versus Juventus and wind up with a superior goal differential or more goals than PSG

• Sporting CP win, lose or draw versus Bologna and boast a better goal differential than PSG

• Manchester City defeat Club Bruges

• Dinamo Zagreb defeat AC Milan

• Shakhtar Donetsk defeat Borussia Dortmund with a goal differential that surpasses PSG

GFFN | Joel Lefevre