Five clubs sit on maximum points after three rounds. Three others have yet to open their account. Matchday 5 is where the league phase table starts to sort itself into the three bands that decide who plays knockout football and who does not: the top eight go straight to the round of 16, places nine to 24 drop into the knockout play-off round, and the bottom 12 are out. UEFA has published the fixture list for both nights.
Tuesday, 24 November
Arsenal vs Borussia Dortmund
Arsenal, on seven points after three rounds, host a Dortmund side on six. Both are in the pack chasing a direct top-eight berth and neither can afford to drop points to a close rival. The Emirates meeting is the stand-out tie of the Tuesday card.
Manchester City vs Napoli
Napoli come to the Etihad on three points with little margin left. Manchester City are on six, and a home win would push them into the top-eight band ahead of the final three rounds.
Real Madrid vs PSV Eindhoven
Real Madrid are among the five clubs on a maximum nine points. PSV Eindhoven arrive on four and need a result in the Spanish capital to stay in the play-off pack.
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Bodø/Glimt vs LASK
Both clubs sit on three points, and both arrive at the point where the league phase begins to turn on fine margins. Kick-off at the Aspmyra Stadion is 6:45pm local time.
Galatasaray vs Aston Villa
Aston Villa travel to Istanbul with nine points, level with Paris Saint-Germain at the summit. Galatasaray are on three and will need a run of home wins to keep a play-off place in reach.
Como vs AEK Athens
Como have been one of the autumn’s surprises on six points. AEK Athens arrive on three and must take something back from Lombardy to stay in touch with the top 24.
Feyenoord vs Porto
Porto are the biggest-name club in the three-way tie on zero points after three matchdays. Feyenoord themselves sit on three, so neither side can afford to lose if the knockout play-off round is still on the table.
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Leipzig vs Lens
Both clubs are stuck on three points. A loss for either would leave them in genuine qualification trouble with only three rounds remaining after this one.
Slovan Bratislava vs Real Betis
Real Betis are the unseeded club no one expected to see in the top eight on nine points. Slovan Bratislava have yet to collect a point and are already staring at an early exit.
Wednesday, 25 November
Club Brugge vs Liverpool
Liverpool, perfect on nine points, visit a Club Brugge side on six that went deep in last season’s knockout rounds. The Belgian champions are not easily cowed at the Jan Breydel.
Lille vs Bayern Munich
The fixture of the night. Bayern Munich arrive at Stade Pierre-Mauroy on five points, below their usual pace. Lille are rooted to the bottom with zero after three games, a run that already demands something close to a perfect finish just to reach the play-off round.
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Paris Saint-Germain vs Roma
Paris Saint-Germain, the defending champions, top the table on a maximum nine points and host a Roma side on four, confirmed by ESPN’s match listing for the Parc des Princes. A home win would push the French club towards sealing a direct top-eight berth.
Sporting CP vs Manchester United
Manchester United are among the clubs on three points, just inside the top 24 as things stand. Sporting are on six at the José Alvalade and will know November home form is the clearest route towards the direct bracket.
Sabah vs Barcelona
Barcelona travel to Azerbaijan for the 9:45pm local time kick-off against debutants Sabah. The Catalans are on six, Sabah on three, and the trip to Baku is one of the longer midweek journeys of the autumn.
Slavia Praha vs Villarreal
Slavia Praha have taken only one point from three games and are close to being out of the race. Villarreal, on three themselves, need to turn the Prague trip into a bounce they can build on.
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Atlético de Madrid vs Viking
Atlético, on four points, host a Viking side on one. A direct top-eight finish will still be the ambition at the Metropolitano, but the margin is already slim.
Inter vs Stuttgart
Stuttgart, on seven points, travel to San Siro to face an Inter side on three. The Germans have quietly been one of the league phase’s over-performers; the Italian club badly need the win to climb back up the table.
Shakhtar Donetsk vs Fenerbahçe
Shakhtar sit on four points, Fenerbahçe on two. The quietest fixture of the night, but neither club can take a loss if the knockout play-off round is still the target.
Three more league phase rounds follow after matchday 5: matchday 6 on 8 and 9 December 2026, matchday 7 on 19 and 20 January 2027, and the simultaneous eighth and final round on 27 January 2027.
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