Plenty at stake in final round

The new league phase of this season's expanded Champions League is all set for a frantic conclusion tonight, as 18 matches are played simultaneously across Europe. AFP Sport rounds up what is at stake.

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Top 8 places up for grabs

There is a real incentive for finishing in the top eight places of the giant, 36-team standings - those sides will skip the two-legged knockout round play-offs next month, getting some precious rest as they advance straight to the last 16 in March.

Liverpool, with seven wins out of seven, and Barcelona are the only two teams to have already guaranteed a place in the last 16 after seven games in the league phase.

Arsenal, Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid, AC Milan, Atalanta and Bayer Leverkusen occupy the other six spots for now, but so much could change on the final night.

After all, Stuttgart in 24th position are only three points behind Leverkusen in eighth, with 15 sides in between them.

Arsenal and Inter need only draw away to Girona and at home to Monaco respectively in order to secure their last-16 spots.

With so little between teams in terms of points, so much could boil down to goal difference, setting up a chaotic final night.

Who could be eliminated?