What do the Bundesliga teams need to reach the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League round of 16?
Three Bundesliga sides are well on course to qualify for the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League knockout stages, while another has a chance via the play-offs. bundesliga.com has a look at who needs what on the final two matchdays in January...
Bayer Leverkusen
Position: 4th
Points: 13
Remaining fixtures: Atletico Madrid (a), Sparta Prague (h)
Xabi Alonso's charges have pressed on in their return to the Champions League at the same time their domestic form has improved to rekindle memories of the winning machine that raced to the title last season. Two wins in a row against Salzburg (5-0) and Inter Milan (1-0) are part of a run of six successive victories in all competitions and have lifted Leverkusen to fourth position in the league-phase table - the highest of all the Bundesliga's five representatives.
If Bayer can stay in the top eight, they will progress automatically to the last 16. Competition remains fierce for those eight spots, however, and Leverkusen are just a point ahead of four teams placed between ninth and 12th. One of those is Atlético Madrid, who Leverkusen face next on 21 January. Should they win that and then beat Sparta Prague (currently 28th out of 36 teams) the following week, Leverkusen would march straight past the play-off round. Even if they don't get the results they want, the 2023/24 domestic double-winners are virtually nailed-on for at least a play-off place finish.
Watch: The best of Bayer Leverkusen's title-winning campaign
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