Liverpool, Arsenal and Aston Villa's next opponents in CL ahead of playoffs

The Champions League play offs begin on Tuesday night, with 16 teams fighting for the final eight place in the next stage of the knockouts.

Eight sides qualified automatically for the last 16, including three Premier League, more than any other country. Liverpool ended up top of the league phase, having won seven of their eight games.

Arsenal came home in third place, only behind Barcelona on goal difference. And a final day win over Celtic saw Aston Villa secure the eighth and final automatic qualification spot in the last 16.

The draws for that round, the quarter-finals and semi-final will all take place on 21 February. But the teams who have booked their place in the last 16 already know which sides they could face.

Starting with Liverpool, the Reds enjoyed a brilliant league phase, capped off by a win over Real Madrid at Anfield. Beating Los Blancos was a feat Jurgen Klopp never achieved in his time as boss.

Having topped the table, Arne Slot's side will face one of Paris Saint-Germain, Benfica, Monaco or Brest. PSG and Brest face off in an all French play-off, while Monaco will take on Benfica.

After losing only one game in their league phase campaign, Arsenal came home in third place. That means the Gunners will face one of AC Milan, PSV Eindhoven, Feyenoord or Juventus in the last 16.

Juve will host PSV in their first meeting on Tuesday, with AC Milan travelling to Feyenoord in their first leg on Wednesday. The return legs will be played next week, with Arsenal's potential opposition then being whittled down to two teams.

The final English team to have already booked their place in the last 16 is Aston Villa. They beat Celtic 4-2 on the final day in a Battle of Britain to snatch the eighth and final automatic qualifying place.

By doing so, they set up a last-16 tie against either Atalanta, Borussia Dortmund, Sporting Lisbon or Club Brugge. Sporting host Dortmund in their first leg on Tuesday while Atalanta go to Club Brugge on Wednesday night.

Manchester City could make it four Premier League teams in the last 16. But to do, Pep Guadiola's men will have to beat Real Madrid, who knocked them out last season in the quarter-finals.

City endured an awful league phase, finishing a lowly 22nd. They host Los Blancos in the first leg of their play-off on Tuesday. If they do make it past the La Liga leaders, City will face Atletico Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen in the last 16.