Matchday 8 of UCL Swiss Stage is over. It's a night filled with excitement, beyond expectation and jaw dropping moments. For La Liga, maybe surprise is the precise word to describe the audience's impression.
The results are not satisfied for the Spanish top teams. For this last round, Real Madrid was nailed by their former boss Mourinho's Benfica with 4-2. Ranked 9th on the table, they lost the direct qualification for Round of 16. Unfortunately, Real Madrid was allocated to the same pool with Benfica, which means, they might meet again in the Play-Off round.
Atletico Madrid slipped into the 14th place on the table. From one side, Bodo Glimt's unyielding attacks and robust defenses lift them upon to a higher stage, but Atletico's lack of direct passes, loose organization and messy ball possession are easy to detect. Next round, they might face Club Brugge or Galatasaray. If they advances, their potential rival would be either Liverpool or Tottenham.
Athletic Club and Villarreal are out of this year's Champions League. For now, their primary focus might shift to their national league and clinch a better spot to envision next year's endeaver.