How Real Madrid can avoid facing Europe’s top teams in the Champions League

Real Madrid have already secured their place in the next round of the UEFA Champions League, but they now face a crucial task — improving their current position to avoid a challenging Round of 16 matchup against one of Europe’s top teams.

Currently sitting in 16th place, Real Madrid are set to qualify for the next phase, which gives them the advantage of playing the second leg at home.

However, their potential opponents will be determined by a draw. Teams ranked between 9th and 16th will be placed in one pot, while those ranked from 17th to 24th will be in another.

In the second pot, clubs like Juventus (17th), Benfica (21st), and Paris Saint-Germain (22nd) are contenders. Manchester City, who are currently 25th, could also enter this group if they beat Brugge (20th).

There is risk at every corner

The competition remains incredibly tight, making these early knockout ties highly unpredictable. In the rankings, Liverpool and Barcelona currently lead.

Liverpool only need a draw against PSV to maintain their top position, while Barcelona are in a similar situation.

A draw against Atalanta would be enough to secure second place, thanks to their superior goal difference of +15, compared to Arsenal’s +12 and Inter’s +7.

Real Madrid will visit Brest this Wednesday, where the French side have already guaranteed their place in the Round of 16, sitting one point ahead of Madrid.

What does Real Madrid need?

Winning in Brest would help Los Blancos avoid an early clash with dominant teams like Liverpool or Barcelona. A draw would still leave them at risk of facing a formidable opponent.

To climb higher in the standings, Madrid would need several teams to slip up. Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, for instance, are expected to win their respective home matches against Slovan Bratislava and Shakhtar Donetsk.

Aston Villa, hosting Celtic, and Lille facing Feyenoord also have favourable chances. Madrid’s path remains difficult, but they will be determined to avoid a risky fixture by securing the best possible result in Brest.