The eight teams to automatically qualify from the Champions League League Phase have been revealed, according to Opta’s super-computer.
The new format for Europe’s elite club competition is starting to take shape, with all 36 sides having played four of their eight matches.
Teams that finish in the top eight automatically qualify for the last-16 stage, with those from ninth to 24th competing in an extra play-off round, meaning only the bottom 12 are knocked out.
And, according to Opta, the top eight to automatically qualify will see some European heavyweights be joined by three surprise packages.
The data claims that Liverpool will finish top, with Arne Slot’s side having won all four of their games so far.
Liverpool will finish top of the Champions League League stage, as per Opta’s super-computer
But Arsenal are set to miss out on the top eight and be forced to take part in the play-off round
The Gunners were beaten by Inter Milan on Wednesday and have seven points in four games
The Reds’ most likely points total is 19, although the supercomputer gives them a 10.7 per cent chance of winning all of their eight matches.
They will be joined in the top eight by Inter Milan in second, Barcelona in fourth, Borussia Dortmund in fifth and Man City in sixth, with those four teams used to reaching the latter stages of the competition in recent years.
However, Sporting Lisbon – who thumped Man City 4-1 on Tuesday – have been tipped to finish third, with Ruben Amorim’s side predicted to finish on 17 points, although they could be significantly weakened by the 39-year-old’s exit to Manchester United.
Europa League winners Atalanta are also backed to finish in the top eight, with the Italian outfit set to be joined by AS Monaco in automatically qualifying.
The presence of both teams in the top eight, along with Sporting, would be viewed as a huge shock, while it also means that several big-hitters would be forced into the play-off round.
In fact, despite winning their first three games, Aston Villa will finish ninth, according to the data, which comes after their disappointing 1-0 defeat by Club Brugge.
Meanwhile, Arsenal – who lost to Inter on Wednesday – have also been backed to just miss out in the top eight, although their remaining fixtures see them face Sporting, Monaco, Girona and Dinamo Zagreb.
The likes of Real Madrid, Juventus, Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen were among the favourites for the Champions League at the start of the season.
AS Monaco are backed to automatically qualify for the last-16 stage in what would be a shock
Sporting Lisbon are tipped to come third, although Ruben Amorim’s exit could weaken them
However, PSG are backed to finish 25th in what would be a disaster for the French giants
But, given their mixed results so far, the super-computer has claimed they will also be forced to take part in the play-off round.
Elsewhere, PSG’s struggles have been one of the stories of the tournament so far, with the French giants having picked up just four points in four matches to leave Luis Enrique’s side 25th and outside of the qualification zone.
With fixtures against Bayern Munich, Red Bull Salzburg, Manchester City and Stuttgart to come, PSG face an uphill task to turn their form around.
And, according to the super-computer, PSG will fail to qualify for the next stage, with Opta predicting them to end in 25th and behind the likes of Club Brugge, Dinamo Zagreb, Celtic and Feyenoord.
Meanwhile, French minnows Brest, Lille, Atletico Madrid and Benfica are the other teams tipped to make it into the play-off round.
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