Chelsea and Manchester City are out. Arsenal are through. And Wednesday’s second legs in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 carry the kind of weight that only knockout football can produce — where one bad half, one moment of hesitation, can end a European campaign in an instant.

Tuesday’s action delivered a dramatic night headlined by Sporting CP’s stunning comeback, which ended Bodø/Glimt’s remarkable Champions League run. But for English clubs, the picture was mixed at best. City threatened Real Madrid without converting. Chelsea struggled to leave a mark on the holders. Arsenal, though, did what they needed to do and secured their place in the last eight.

Now attention turns to Wednesday, where four more clubs will learn their fate. Barcelona host Newcastle United. Bayern Munich face Atalanta. Liverpool take on Galatasaray. And Tottenham Hotspur must somehow overturn a deficit against Atlético Madrid. Here’s what to expect from each tie.

The State of Play Heading Into Wednesday’s Second Legs

The context for each match matters enormously. Barcelona travel into their home leg having been fortunate — genuinely fortunate — to escape St. James’ Park with a result in the first leg. Eddie Howe’s Newcastle performed in exactly the way they have made their name under the lights, pressing relentlessly and causing Barça problems that few sides in Europe manage to create.

Tottenham face the steepest climb. Manager Igor Tudor’s side need what Sports Illustrated describes as a “mini-miracle” to progress past Atlético Madrid, though the article notes that this competition has a well-established habit of producing exactly that kind of result. Liverpool’s clash with Galatasaray, meanwhile, sits at the other end of the difficulty spectrum — the Reds going in as heavy favourites at Anfield.

Bayern Munich versus Atalanta rounds out the evening, a tie that pits German efficiency against the Italian side that has become one of European football’s most watchable teams over the past two seasons.

Wednesday’s Champions League Fixtures at a Glance

The early kick-off — Barcelona versus Newcastle — is flagged by Sports Illustrated as potentially the most intriguing match of the evening, which is saying something given the stakes attached to every game on the schedule.

Why Newcastle vs. Barcelona Could Be the Night’s Defining Match

Barcelona are La Liga champions and current league leaders. They also won at St. James’ Park earlier in the Champions League league phase. And yet, according to the source preview, they “succumbed in ways that so many teams have done in the past to Eddie Howe’s Magpies under the lights” in the first leg — meaning Newcastle outplayed them and left Barça relieved to still be alive in the tie.

Now the roles reverse. Barcelona are at home, at the Camp Nou, with the crowd behind them and the quality of a squad that sits at the top of Spanish football. For Newcastle, this represents one of the most significant away assignments in their recent history — a club that has rebuilt its European identity under Howe now tasked with holding firm, or better still, scoring, against one of the continent’s most potent attacks.

The Magpies are described as “not yet dead and buried,” which tells you the first leg left the tie genuinely open. That alone makes this must-watch football.

Tottenham’s Uphill Battle and the Question of Miracles

Of the four ties, Tottenham’s situation is the most precarious. Sports Illustrated is direct about it — Tudor’s side need something close to miraculous to eliminate Atlético Madrid. The Spanish club, managed by Diego Simeone, are built precisely to defend leads and suffocate opponents over two legs. It is arguably the thing they do better than any other club in Europe.

And yet the Champions League has a history of delivering the improbable. Remontadas, last-minute goals, complete tactical collapses from sides that looked certain to advance. The competition rewards belief, and Spurs will need it in abundance on Wednesday night.

Whether Tudor’s squad has the personnel and the tactical blueprint to pull it off is the central question heading into the match. The source does not offer confident optimism for Tottenham, but it does leave the door open — just barely.

Premier League’s European Night: Who Survives, Who Doesn’t

Tuesday confirmed that Arsenal will be in the quarterfinals. Wednesday will determine how much Premier League company they keep. Newcastle could join them with a result in Barcelona. Liverpool are strongly positioned against Galatasaray. Tottenham face the longest odds of any English club still in contention.

The contrast with Chelsea and Manchester City’s exits is sharp. City “at least threatened to stun Real Madrid,” while Chelsea “struggled to lay a glove on the holders.” The tone around both exits is one of underwhelming performance when it mattered most — a warning for any English side that assumes reputation alone will carry them through in Europe.

Sporting CP’s comeback victory over Bodø/Glimt served as Tuesday’s reminder that this competition punishes complacency and rewards courage. Wednesday’s slate offers four more chances for the unexpected.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which match kicks off earliest on Wednesday?
Barcelona vs. Newcastle United kicks off at 5:45 p.m. GMT / 1:45 p.m. ET / 10:45 a.m. PT, making it the day’s early fixture.

Has Arsenal already qualified for the quarterfinals?
Yes. According to

Are Chelsea and Manchester City still in the Champions League?
No. Both clubs were eliminated following their second-leg results on Tuesday, with Chelsea and City described as bowing out to European heavyweights.

What happened to Bodø/Glimt in the Champions League?
Sporting CP ended Bodø/Glimt’s Champions League run on Tuesday with a comeback victory in Lisbon, described in the source as bringing “a cruel end” to the Norwegian club’s fairytale in the competition.

Do Tottenham have a realistic chance of beating Atlético Madrid?
Sports Illustrated describes it as requiring a “mini-miracle,” but notes that the Champions League has a history of facilitating unlikely results, so Spurs are not entirely out of it.

Who does Sports Illustrated identify as the most intriguing match on Wednesday?
Barcelona vs. Newcastle United is highlighted as potentially the most intriguing fixture of the evening, given how competitive Newcastle were against Barcelona in the first leg.