UEFA Pundit: 18 Final Groups Matches, Same Start Time

As the final matchday of the league phase descends, the "Big Multiplex" on Wednesday night presents a sheer logistical and emotional overload with all 18 games kicking off at once.

Arsenal and Bayern Munich can afford a relaxed evening, having already secured direct Round of 16 passage; expect Arsenal to sweep aside Kairat Almaty with a clinical home victory and Bayern to outmuscle PSV Eindhoven in the Netherlands, as both giants possess a depth of squad that makes their second-string units look like top-tier starters.

Meanwhile, Liverpool should breeze past Qarabağ at Anfield, fueled by a perfect European home record this season, while Manchester City will likely dominate a Galatasaray side that historically struggles to maintain defensive discipline when exposed to Pep Guardiola’s relentless positional play at the Etihad.

The tension shifts to the "bubble" teams where every goal impacts the live table. Chelsea face a daunting trip to Naples, where Antonio Conte’s Napoli—despite some domestic stumbles—are desperate to climb out of the 25th-place elimination zone; I predict a high-intensity draw here, as Chelsea’s recent defensive stability under Liam Rosenior meets the raw, desperate energy of a Stadio Diego Armando Maradona crowd. In a similar vein, the clash between Borussia Dortmund and Inter Milan is the quintessential "heavyweight" struggle; Dortmund’s home form is legendary, but Inter’s tactical cynicism and past record of shutting down elite offenses suggest they will nick a narrow win to avoid the play-off round.

Juventus will need to find their clinical edge away at AS Monaco, but given Monaco’s recent flair in Europe, a home win for the Principality side wouldn't be a surprise, potentially pushing the Old Lady into a precarious play-off position. Elsewhere, the stakes are just as high for the Spanish and French contingents.

Real Madrid’s "Champions League DNA" will be tested at the Estádio da Luz against a Benfica side that has already claimed big scalps this year, but Madrid’s ability to find a result in Lisbon is almost a law of nature in this competition. FC Barcelona should find comfort back at the Spotify Camp Nou against Copenhagen, leveraging their superior technical speed to secure a much-needed three points.

Across other venues, expect Atlético Madrid to suffocate Bodø/Glimt with their signature pragmatism, while Paris Saint-Germain should settle the score against Newcastle in a high-octane rematch where the Parisians’ individual brilliance in transition usually wins out.

In the "mid-table" battles, Atalanta’s relentless pressing should prove too much for Union Saint-Gilloise, and Bayer Leverkusen will likely edge Villarreal in a tactical duel of possession. To round out the night, expect Athletic Club, Sporting CP, and Ajax to leverage their historic home-ground advantages to secure results against Sporting, Slavia Prague, and Olympiacos respectively, in what will be the most chaotic 90 minutes in the tournament's history.