Champions League predictions for Jan. 21 with Barcelona, Liverpool, Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, Juventus and more in action.

The Champions League returns today for the penultimate round of the league stage. This round of fixtures — the first ‘matchday seven’ in the tournament’s history — are the first European Cup matches to be played in January since 1968.

Which teams are in the hunt for automatic qualification for the last 16? Who's on the brink of elimination? What about the playoffs?

Champions League action kicks off in 2025 and Barcelona look to secure their place in the round of 16 when they visit Benfica. Barcelona dropped points in La Liga for the seventh time in their last eight games,

As we approach the penultimate game in the 2024/25 Champions League campaign, the stakes have never been higher. Some teams have already guaranteed their place in the round of 16, while others are still looking to salvage their European campaigns through automatic promotion or the playoffs.