The league phase of the UEFA Champions League ended with a bang on Wednesday evening. As for the Bundesliga teams in UCL, it was a mixed bag of results. Bayern Munich finished well inside the top eight of the table. They qualify directly for the Round of 16.
In terms of the rest of the German sides in Europe’s biggest club competition, Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund finished outside of the top eight, but within the best 24. That means that they must win a playoff to reach the Round of 16. Meanwhile, Eintracht Frankfurt finished outside of the top 24; they are therefore eliminated.
Bundesliga Teams in UCL: The Playoff Draw
The draw for the knockout playoff round of the Champions League took place on Friday, January 30. Ahead of it, Bundesliga fans feared that there might be a clash between Leverkusen and Dortmund, because they were one of two possibilities, each team had to be drawn against.
Ultimately, that did not come to pass, as Leverkusen were drawn against Greek champions Olympiacos, while Dortmund will face Atalanta Bergamo from Italy. However, there is a chance that two of the remaining Bundesliga teams in UCL will play each other in the Round of 16.
Bayern will take on the winners of either Leverkusen vs. Olympiakos or the advancing team from Dortmund vs Atalanta, while first-place finishers Arsenal will take on the winners of the other one of those two ties.
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The Charm of European Club Football
When it comes to European club football at the highest level, one of the greatest things about it is that you get to play against sides that you otherwise wouldn’t meet in domestic competitions. When you do meet a national rival there, it almost takes away some of that glamour.
That isn’t just the case for Bundesliga teams in UCL, but for sides across the continent.
A very rare exception to this rule was the 2013 Champions League final between Bayern and Dortmund.
It was a source of pride for all fans of German football, and that game produced a great spectacle, for all lovers of the Beautiful Game to enjoy, along with being the best possible advert for the Bundesliga.
But when these ‘national derbies’ happen so early on this season, as it is now possible, it is one of the disadvantages of the current Champions League format.
The flipside of that is the fact that under the new system, there are smaller teams from lesser-known leagues that can now have a real shot at Champions League knockout football, while they otherwise wouldn’t.
Final Thoughts
The Bundesliga teams in UCL have avoided having to meet in the knockout playoff round, but should Leverkusen and/or Dortmund advance, they could find themselves on a collision course with Bayern in the Round of 16.
This could, in the end, have consequences in the race for one of the two extra Champions League spots that Bundesliga teams in UCL are hoping to get for next season. The English Premier League is currently leading that race ahead of the Portuguese league, and the German league is in third place.
If German teams knock each other out of the Champions League, it is less likely that they will get that crucial second spot.
Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / Revierfoto
Recording Date: 28.01.2026
