The new league phase of this season's expanded Champions League is all set for a frantic conclusion on Wednesday, as 18 matches are played simultaneously across Europe and the likes of Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain battle to avoid an early exit.
There is a real incentive for finishing in the top eight places of the giant, 36-team standings - those sides will skip the two-legged knockout round play-offs next month, getting some precious rest as they advance straight to the last 16 in March.
Liverpool, with seven wins out of seven, and Barcelona are the only two teams to have already guaranteed a place in the last 16 after seven games in the league phase. Arsenal, Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid, AC Milan, Atalanta and Bayer Leverkusen occupy the other six spots for now, but so much could change on the final night.
After all, Stuttgart in 24th position are only three points behind Leverkusen in eighth, with 15 sides in between them. Arsenal and Inter need only draw away to Girona and at home to Monaco respectively in order to secure their last-16 spots.
With so little between teams in terms of points, so much could down boil down to goal difference, setting up a potentially chaotic final night.
The teams finishing from ninth to 24th in the standings will go into Friday's draw for the play-offs, with the first legs to be played on February 11th and 12th and the return matches a week later.
The teams finishing between ninth and 16th will be seeded, and the draw will be based on a pre-determined bracket. This means the teams finishing ninth and 10th will face the side either in 23rd or 24th place, while 15th and 16th will face either 17th or 18th.
There is nothing to stop teams from the same country facing each other, and teams can also be drawn against opponents they already met in the league phase.
Much is bound to change on Wednesday, but based on the current standings PSG could play French rivals Lille in the play-offs, while Bayern or Real Madrid could play Juventus or Celtic.