Liverpool and Barcelona become first 2 teams to secure automatic UCL Round of 16 qualification after gameweek 6
Liverpool and Barcelona have become the first two teams to secure automatic qualification to the next round of the 2024 UEFA Champions League. Both teams achieved this feat with two games to spare in the maiden league format of the competition.
The Reds have arguably been the most impressive side in the Champions League this season. Arne Slot's side have maintained a 100 percent record so far in Europe. They sit atop the standings with 18 points, winning six games on the trot, scoring 13 goals, and conceding just once.
Liverpool began their Champions League campaign with a 3-1 away win at AC Milan. They also defeated Bologna (2-0), RB Leipzig (1-0), Bayer Leverkusen (4-0). In their most challenging test so far, they beat defending Champions Real Madrid 2-0 at Anfield, before edging Girona 1-0 in their last outing.
Barcelona, on the other hand, are second in the standings, having accumulated 15 points from six matches. La Blaugrana kicked off with a disappointing 2-1 loss to AS Monaco. However, they have not lost since then, beating Young Boys (5-0), Bayern Munich (4-1), Red Star Belgrade (5-2), Brest (3-0) and most recently Borussia Dortmund (3-2).
With both teams locked in for the next round, there are now six automatic Round of 16 slots left for grabs. Arsenal, Bayer Leverkusen, Aston Villa, Inter Milan, Brest, and Lille currently complete the top eight in that order, all with 13 points. The other eight Round of 16 slots will be determined via a knockout phase playoff between teams ranked ninth to 24th on the table.
Liverpool will face Lille and PSV Eindhoven in their remaining Champions League fixtures while Barcelona will take on Benfica and Atalanta.
Liverpool and Barcelona are favorites to win the 2024 UEFA Champions League
Judging by how they've started the campaign, it is safe to say that Liverpool and Barcelona are two of the favorites to win the Champions League this season. The Merseyside club have been in top form and boasts of the best defensive setup, conceding only once in six matches.
Arne Slot's boys have also been in top form domestically and are also top of the Premier League standings. They have played a game less and have a four-point lead over second-placed Chelsea.
Likewise, Barcelona have been decent this season. They have the best attacking unit in the Champions League having scored the most goals so far (21). The Catalan club have been quite shaky recently in LaLiga but still leads the standings with 38 points, two points more than rivals Real Madrid with a game in hand.