Champions League crunch time as pressure piles on

Several top clubs have already secured their spots in the knockout stages of the Champions League, including Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester City, and Atalanta. However, other European giants like Real Madrid, Liverpool, and Inter Milan still need to confirm their qualification as the league phase nears its conclusion.

While the top eight teams advance directly to the last 16, those placed ninth to 24th must compete in a two-legged play-off round to join them. This leaves several prominent clubs uncertain about their participation in the crucial stages of the competition.

Inter Milan, currently leading Serie A, face a challenging task as they prepare to host Arsenal, the only team with a perfect record so far. Despite a recent defeat to Liverpool, Inter must secure a positive result against Arsenal, who are also eager to clinch a top-eight finish. Manager Cristian Chivu expressed confidence in his team's adaptability and highlighted their strong historical record against Arsenal in the Champions League.

Real Madrid, another European heavyweight, is also among the clubs still working to secure their place in the knockout stages, though specific details about their situation are not elaborated in the provided content.