- Opta supercomputer has predicted the number of Premier League teams that would progress to the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League
- Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City lost their first leg of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League Round of 16
- The trio of Barcelona, Arsenal, and Newcastle were held in a draw in the last 16
Opta’s supercomputer has made a bold prediction on the number of Premier League teams likely to progress to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League.
Six Premier League clubs progressed to the knockout stages through direct qualification and the playoffs.
Source: Getty Images
Predictions before the UCL Round of 16 first leg
Before the first-leg matches, the supercomputer gave English clubs strong chances of winning their respective ties following their impressive performances during the group stage.
According to BBC, the Round of 16 pairings involving Premier League sides included Galatasaray vs Liverpool, Atletico Madrid vs Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United vs Barcelona, Bayer Leverkusen vs Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain vs Chelsea, and Real Madrid vs Manchester City.
Read also
Supercomputer predicts Manchester City to edge Real Madrid in UEFA Champions League R16 showdown
Arsenal were tipped to defeat the German side with an 85.8% probability, while Liverpool were given an 82.3% chance of beating the Turkish champions.
Manchester City were handed a 64.3% chance of overcoming the Spanish giants, while Chelsea were given a 53.3% probability of defeating PSG.
Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United were both rated below the 50% mark ahead of their first-leg encounters.
Source: Getty Images
Opta predicts quarter-finalists
The Opta supercomputer has also projected the chances of Premier League clubs reaching the quarter-finals.
According to Sky Sports, Arsenal’s probability dipped slightly to 78.1%, while Liverpool’s chances dropped to 51.4% after their defeat in Istanbul, despite a decisive second leg awaiting them at Anfield.
Newcastle United’s chances also declined to 31.9%, while the outlook for Manchester City, Chelsea, and Tottenham worsened significantly, falling to 17.1%, 7%, and 3.3%, respectively.
Galatasaray beat Liverpool 1-0, while Newcastle United played out a 1-1 draw with Barcelona. Atletico Madrid subdued Tottenham Hotspur 5-2, while Bayern Munich demolished Atalanta 6-1 in a one-sided encounter.
Meanwhile, Bayer Leverkusen and Arsenal shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw. Real Madrid Manchester City 3-0, Bodo/Glimt cruised to a 3-0 win over Sporting Lisbon, and Paris Saint-Germain pummeled Chelsea with a 5-2 victory, per BBC.
Legit.ng compiled the reactions of fans following the prediction. Read them below:
@TheNumberGameX said:
“The Premier league teams were beaten mercilessly.
“Hope they can turn it around next week.”
@Sharaf2706 wrote:
“Arsenal and liverpool have some good chances.”
@6ftPaul added:
“I’m an Arsenal fan, but I think Liverpool’s percentage should be higher than 51.4%, as they will be playing at Anfield😐.”
Supercomputer shares Premier League UCL projections
Legit.ng earlier reported that, according to Opta’s latest projections, five English teams are expected to qualify for Europe’s elite competition.
Arsenal have been given a 100% probability of qualifying, while Manchester City are rated at 99.65%. Aston Villa are projected to finish third with 69 points and have an 85.38% chance of securing a Champions League ticket.
Source: Legit.ng