The last round of games in the League Phase of the 2025-26 Champions League has added a different bit of excitement to the competition, with all matches kicking off simultaneously and the chances to qualify for the knockouts or simply staying in the competition remaining in the balance. This season, there is a dose of historical context with some of those fixtures, as teams won’t simply fight for moving into the Round of 16 or make it to the playoffs, but get one over the other in a head-to-head battle or seek long-standing revenge. We look at some of those historical clashes that are one to look for in the final League Phase games of the 2025-26 Champions League season.
Frankfurt vs Tottenham
The clash between Frankfurt and Tottenham might not carry much history in the Champions League, as their only two meetings before this came just three seasons ago. However, their frequent faceoffs in European contests have carried a lot of stakes, which makes it an engrossing encounter. The pair’s first meeting came in the Deutsche Bank Park itself, also the venue of their final League Phase game this season, fighting for the top spot in the group in the previous format. While an early claim on the first place did not happen for either side due to a goalless draw, the reverse fixture at London produced a spectacle of a five-goal thriller. Frankfurt, managed by Oliver Glasner back then, took the lead inside 14 minutes, but it was short-lived as Heung Min Son found the equaliser only five minutes later.
The early shock and silence turned to ecstasy for the home support, which then multiplied when Harry Kane put the English side in the lead this time, on the half-hour mark from the spot. Their South Korean star then completed a brace by blasting a splendid volley into the net to give a comfortable 3-1 advantage at half-time. Frankfurt's evening got from bad to worse when Tuta was sent off for a second booking on the hour mark, but instead of Spurs adding more to their tally with the player advantage, Glasner’s men pulled one back in the 87th minute to make matters interesting at the end. There was more drama when Antonio Conte’s side won a penalty, but this time the England captain missed horribly. It did not matter in the end, with Spurs hanging on to seal the victory and also secure the top spot of their group.
The two obviously met in the Europa League quarterfinals with another tight battle ensuing, where Frankfurt took the lead once again in the first leg at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium through now Liverpool player Hugo Ekitike, as early as six minutes, but, like the previous encounter, failed to preserve it. Right back Pedro Porro scored the leveller that proved to be crucial for the away leg, where Dominick Solanke gave the visitors in the second leg from the spot. An impressive defensive display in the second half got them over the line as Spurs eventually went on to lift the title last season. Although there is nothing to play for the German club in this season’s league phase after suffering elimination, while Spurs require a win to be certain of their place in the Round of 16, it could jeopardise the latter's chances if Frankfurt decides to bow out of the competition with a victory in front of their fans.
PSG vs Newcastle United
Another of the fixtures that does not have much historical context, but the only two meetings between the two in the Champions League before this became memorable. The duo faced each other in the final Champions League season with the group stage, with the Magpies returning to the competition proper for the first time since the 2002-03 season. Significant investment from the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia made the club fulfil its dream with a side like PSG to face in the first home game, making it a very special evening. St James’s Park was covered entirely by Black and White with an electrifying atmosphere and a hostile one for the opposition, which led to a historical result. PSG withered in front of the home support while Newcastle’s attack lit up the occasion on the European stage.
When Paraguayan star Miguel Almiron scored from a rebound in the 17th minute, the stage to create history was set. The place went into ruptures and the intensity of it increased when Dan Burn headed in a second after a goalmouth scramble before half-time, with Sean Longstaff ensuring the home side kept piling more misery on the visitors in the rainy evening with an early strike in the second half to make it 3-0. Lucas Hernández pulled one back, but it did not spark anything for the Parisians as Newcastle went on to add their fourth with a spectacular finish from Fabian Schar in stoppage time to seal their biggest home win in the competition. European returnees have stunned a regular that drew the headlines, but the reverse fixture was far more chaotic.
Despite the win, Newcastle’s return to Europe was not all smiles, as they could not win again that season, diminishing their knockout chances. They needed another victory against PSG in the final group game to boost their chances, but this time they are playing away. The Magpies thought they had given themselves the hope of climbing second in their group when Alexander Isak gave them a dream lead after he slotted home the rebound from the saved effort off Almiron. However, despite keeping the lead until the very end amid the PSG onslaught, VAR adjudged a handball in the fifth minute of stoppage time, giving the home side a penalty. Star man Kylian Mbappe dispatched it to end the tie as a draw, breaking the Toon’s hearts.
Monaco vs Juventus
To be fair, AS Monaco and Juventus have faced each other only six times in the Champions League before, so some of their memorable encounters still stick in the mind. The first meetings between the sides came all the way back in the 1997/98 season in the semifinal stage. The Bianconeri, managed by Marcelo Lippi, had a star-studded squad, including the legendary Zinedine Zidane, Fillipo Inzaghi, Didier Deschamps and their iconic forward Alessandro Del Piero. On the other hand, the principality club boasted future starlets like Willy Sagnol, David Trezeguet and Fabian Barthez. Juventus bossed the first leg with Del Piero scoring a hat-trick, with two of them coming from the spot, while Zidane got the other one to make Costinha’s equaliser look small in a dominating 4-1 win.
However, just as the two-time European champions were thinking they would cruise to a sixth Champions League final and a third in succession, Monaco gave them a run for their money in ṭhe second leg, which ended as a five-goal thriller. Although Nicola Amoruso, brought on as an early substitution in the game to replace the injured Inzaghi, gave the visitors the lead inside 15 minutes, leaving the hosts a mountain to climb, Monaco took it as a challenge. Philippe Léonard’s 38th-minute equaliser initially did not ruffle feathers, but when a young Thierry Henry found himself on the scoresheet in the second half, there was a growing sense of belief that a comeback was possible. Yet, Juventus held their nerves with their star man from the first leg, Del Piero, coming back to haunt the opposition with a 74th-minute goal. Although Robert Špehar scored the game-winner seven minutes from time, it became too little too late to affect the tie.
Monaco faced a similar heartbreak when the two met in the Champions League semifinal for the second time in 2015. The Ligue 1 side faced the same scenario of pursuing their first Champions League final, being a surprise name in the last four this time, while the Serie A giants, stacked with stars again, were seeking a ninth appearance in the showpiece. Despite the team breaking the dominance of PSG in the league and bringing Kylian Mbappe to the world, the Bianconeri proved too big a challenge, as they clinched the tie 4-1 on aggregate. Gonzalo Higuain’s first-half brace in France already set the stage as the Bianconeri scored two more in Turin.
Although Mbappe scored in the 69th minute, the defensive might of Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini, with Gianluigi Buffon in between the sticks, remained unshaken.
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Benfica vs Real Madrid
Benfica taking on Real Madrid in the final league phase game of the 2025-26 Champions League will be a battle of royalty, between two European winners. The undisputed kings, Los Blancos, have 15 honours to their name, while the Eagles dominated the 1960s with back-to-back titles in 1961 and 1962. The latter success came against Madrid themselves in their first meeting ever in the competition. The final also became the second-highest-scoring showpiece in the competition’s history and certainly one of the most dramatic ever witnessed. While Benfica was looking to hold on to its title, Real Madrid wanted to rekindle their dominance of winning the first five titles of the competition, a streak which was broken by the Portuguese giants.
The determination of Los Blancos to win the title that became synonymous with their history and legacy was evident when the great Ferenc Puskás scored a seventh goal in just his second appearance in the Champions League final, hosted in Amsterdam. The joy was doubled when he found his second of the evening just five minutes later, but Benfica were not here to see their opposition tear them apart. Jose Aguas instilled the belief in the 25th minute, while Domiciano Cavem scored the important equaliser on the half-hour mark. However, they failed to contain the Hungarian who scored again for his second hat-trick in the showpiece. It seemed Real will take another leap with the Puskás-Di Stefano duo as a reminder of their previous final triumphs.
But this time their luck ran out. Trailing 3-2 at half-time, Benfica found inspiration through Eusebio, who produced a stunning second-half performance that will be etched forever in the competition's history. The Eagles equalised for the third time in the encounter through Mario Coluna, scoring for the back-to-back final, before the Portuguese legend took charge of the affair. The side won a penalty, which was converted by the 20-year-old world beater to give them the lead for the first time in the 64th minute, before completing his brace and settling the tie with 20 minutes left on the clock with a spectacular drive. Benfica were again the kings of Europe, while Real Madrid were beaten for the first time. Despite that, the final also brings bad memories for Benfica fans, as it was their last European honour before their coach Béla Guttmann gave the infamous curse of not being European champions again for the next 100 years after stepping down following a dispute with the board for a pay rise.
Napoli vs Chelsea
However, the most symbolic clash in the final league phase games is between Napoli and Chelsea, which instantly takes us back to the 2011/12 Champions League season, only the third meeting since then. Both met for the first time in the competition back then, with the Round of 16 being the stage featuring two galvanising legs. The affair would be remembered for a stunning comeback by the Blues, but the tune was set in the first leg, where Napoli did a turnover of their own. Chelsea were enduring an awful season up until this point and needed a spark badly as they travelled to Naples. It seemed they got one when Juan Mata gave them an unlikely lead, completely against the run of play. Yet, the Partenopei remained committed to their fierce attack, continuing to ravage the Blues’ defence and finally finding their reward with Ezequel Lavezzi's deft equaliser in the 38th minute.
The visitors' worries multiplied when Daniel Sturridge was made to rue his miss, with the excellent Edinson Cavani finding the net. Lavezzi then added his second in the 65th minute to claim a 3-1 win, leaving Chelsea all to do in the second leg. Andre Villas-Boas was also sacked, with his assistant Roberto Di Matteo taking interim charge and he created one of the most unexpected stories in the competition's history, winning their first ever Champions League honour. It began with their extraordinary performance at Stamford Bridge a week later. Chelsea felt a new energy from the get-go in the second leg, rallied by their fans as they sought redemption.
After creating chances to destabilise Napoli early, the Blues had to manage their defence as well, with Petr Cech making a series of important saves. When it seemed like the visitors would take control like the first leg, a moment of inspiration from Didier Drogba, who smashed a bullet header on the half-hour mark, turned the tide. The home side then equalised the tie right after the restart with their legendary captain, John Terry, heading in Frank Lampard’s corner. However, the skipper could have easily turned villain with his scuffed clearance falling to Gökhan Inler two minutes later, who finished the chance. Yet, it was the midfield maestro Lampard who got his side back on track again from the spot to force extra-time, where Branislav Ivanovic struck the winner that secured a dramatic 5-4 victory on aggregate.
