The league phase of the UEFA Champions League wrapped up on Wednesday night. For Bundesliga teams, the results were varied. Bayern Munich finished in the top eight and secured a spot in the Round of 16.
Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund ended up outside the top eight but made it into the best 24. They will need to win a playoff to move on. Eintracht Frankfurt, however, did not make it into the top 24 and has been eliminated.
Bundesliga Teams in UCL: The Playoff Draw
The draw for the knockout playoff round happened on Friday, January 30. Bundesliga fans were worried about a possible matchup between Leverkusen and Dortmund, as they were one of the two options for each team.
Fortunately, that concern did not materialize. Leverkusen will face Greek champions Olympiacos, while Dortmund will go up against Italy’s Atalanta Bergamo. There remains a possibility that two Bundesliga teams could compete against each other in the Round of 16.
Bayern will play against the winners of either Leverkusen vs. Olympiacos or the victorious team from Dortmund vs. Atalanta, while first-place Arsenal will meet the winners of the other tie.
The Charm of European Club Football
One of the appealing aspects of European club football is the opportunity to compete against teams you wouldn’t normally face in domestic leagues. Meeting a national rival in this context often diminishes some of the excitement.
This holds true for Bundesliga teams in the UCL as well as teams across Europe.
A notable exception was the 2013 Champions League final between Bayern and Dortmund, which showcased German football and served as a great promotion for the Bundesliga.
However, encountering national rivals early in the season, as can happen now, is a drawback of the current Champions League format.
On the positive side, the new system allows smaller teams from lesser-known leagues a valid chance at Champions League knockout stages, which was not always possible before.
Final Thoughts
The Bundesliga teams in the UCL have successfully avoided facing each other in the knockout playoff round. Should Leverkusen and/or Dortmund progress, they could meet Bayern in the Round of 16.
This scenario may impact the competition for the additional Champions League spots that Bundesliga teams aim for next season. Currently, the English Premier League leads this race, followed by the Portuguese league, with the German league in third place.
If German teams eliminate each other from the Champions League, it reduces the chances of securing that important second spot.