Youth League Champions League path group stage: How it ended, all the results

The 2023/24 UEFA Youth League Champions League path group stage ran in parallel with the senior competition, with AC Milan, Copenhagen, Feyenoord, Lens, Manchester City, Porto, Real Madrid and Salzburg topping their groups to earn round of 16 slots.

While the group winners progress straight to the round of 16, the eight runners-up, among them former champions Barcelona, go into the play-offs. That draw takes place at 12:00 CET on Tuesday 19 December with the second-placed group sides away against the eight winners from the domestic champions path, including holders AZ Alkmaar, competing on 6/7 February for the remaining spots in the knockout phase. The competition concludes with a one-venue, four-team knockout tournament in April.

Feyenoord were 2-0 down at Celtic and were still behind in the 90th minute but made a dramatic late comeback to win 3-2. That proved enough for Robin van Persie's team to finish top of Group E as Atlético, already assured of getting through their group in all ten seasons, were unable to get the point they needed as they lost 1-0 at home to Lazio.

Porto made the most of their 4-0 Matchday 5 win at Barcelona as the 2018/19 winners beat Shakhtar 2-0 to top Group H on head-to-head record despite the Blaugrana's 3-0 victory at Antwerp. It is the first time the two-time champions will have been in the play-offs despite previously reaching the round of 16 on seven occasions.

In Group F, Dortmund took second place behind 2022/23 semi-finalists Milan as they won 2-0 at home to Paris Saint-Germain, who also bowed out away to the German club in the round of 16 last season. Manchester City, like Milan, were assured of top spot in their section ahead of Leipzig before Matchday 6, when both drew their Group G closers.

Groups A to D ended on Tuesday with several round of 16 and play-off slots still up for grabs. In Group A, Copenhagen are into the last 16 for the first time since the inaugural 2013/14 season after defeating Galatasaray 6-0, meaning Bayern's 2-0 win at Manchester United was only good enough for a play-off slot.

Real Madrid kept up their record of reaching the round of 16 in all ten editions thanks to their 2-0 Group C victory at Union Berlin, who bowed out in front of a crowd of 20,744, the second highest attendance in UEFA Youth League history. Braga, like Union in their debut campaign, will be in the play-offs after drawing 2-2 at Napoli.

Another newcomer, Lens, had already won Group B before today and were held 1-1 by Sevilla, who clinched second place as PSV Eindhoven lost 3-1 at home to Arsenal. Inter secured their first Group D win, 1-0 against Real Sociedad, and that was enough to take them into the play-offs as Benfica lost 4-2 at fellow former champions Salzburg, previously confirmed in first.

Group stage

Matchday 6

Wednesday 13 December

Group E
Celtic 2-3 Feyenoord, Atlético 0-1 Lazio 

Group F
Newcastle United 3-1 AC Milan, Borussia Dortmund 2-0 Paris Saint-Germain 

Group G
Leipzig 0-0 Young Boys, Crvena zvezda 2-2 Manchester City 

Group H
Antwerp 0-3 Barcelona, Porto 2-0 Shakhtar Donetsk

Tuesday 12 December

Group A
Manchester United 0-2 Bayern, Copenhagen 6-0 Galatasaray 

Group B
Lens 1-1 Sevilla, PSV Eindhoven 1-3 Arsenal 

Group C
Union Berlin 0-2 Real Madrid, Napoli 2-2 Braga 

Group D
Inter 1-0 Real Sociedad, Salzburg 4-2 Benfica

Matchday 5

Wednesday 29 November

Group A
Galatasaray 1-0 Manchester United, Bayern 2-1 Copenhagen

Group B
Arsenal 0-2 Lens, Sevilla 1-0 PSV Eindhoven

Group C
Braga 1-0 Union Berlin, Real Madrid 6-0 Napoli 

Group D
Real Sociedad 0-2 Salzburg, Benfica 1-1 Inter

Tuesday 28 November

Group E
Lazio 0-2 Celtic, Feyenoord 0-1 Atlético 

Group F
Paris Saint-Germain 1-2 Newcastle United, AC Milan 4-1 Borussia Dortmund 

Group G
Young Boys 2-1 Crvena zvezda, Manchester City 2-1 Leipzig 

Group H
Shakhtar Donetsk 3-1 Antwerp, Barcelona 0-4 Porto

Matchday 4

Wednesday 8 November

Group A
Bayern 2-1 Galatasaray, Copenhagen 2-2 Manchester United 

Group B
Arsenal 1-1 Sevilla, PSV Eindhoven 2-0 Lens 

Group C
Napoli 1-0 Union Berlin, Real Madrid 0-0 Braga 

Group D
Real Sociedad 2-1 Benfica, Salzburg 1-1 Inter 

Tuesday 7 November

Group E
Lazio 1-3 Feyenoord, Atlético 4-0 Celtic 

Group F
Borussia Dortmund 2-2 Newcastle United, AC Milan 3-2 Paris Saint-Germain

Group G
Manchester City 3-0 Young Boys, Crvena zvezda 0-1 Leipzig

Group H
Shakhtar Donetsk 0-3 Barcelona, Porto 3-1 Antwerp

Matchday 3

Wednesday 25 October

Group E
Feyenoord 2-2 Lazio, Celtic 0-2 Atlético 

Group F
Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 AC Milan, Newcastle United 1-2 Borussia Dortmund

Group G
Young Boys 0-4 Manchester City, Leipzig 2-1 Crvena zvezda

Group H
Barcelona 2-0 Shakhtar Donetsk, Antwerp 1-4 Porto 

Tuesday 24 October

Group A
Galatasaray 2-1 Bayern, Manchester United 0-1 Copenhagen 

Group B
Sevilla 2-1 Arsenal, Lens 2-1 PSV Eindhoven

Group C
Braga 0-0 Real Madrid, Union Berlin 4-1 Napoli 

Group D
Inter 2-3 Salzburg, Benfica 2-1 Real Sociedad 

Matchday 2

Wednesday 4 October

Group E
Atlético 1-2 Feyenoord, Celtic 1-1 Lazio

Group F
Borussia Dortmund 1-2 AC Milan, Newcastle United 0-1 Paris Saint-Germain 

Group G
Leipzig 1-1 Manchester City, Crvena zvezda 2-1 Young Boys

Group H
Antwerp 1-2 Shakhtar Donetsk, Porto 0-2 Barcelona 

Tuesday 3 October

Group A
Manchester United 3-0 Galatasaray, Copenhagen 3-2 Bayern

Group B
Lens 1-0 Arsenal, PSV Eindhoven 1-1 Sevilla

Group C
Union Berlin 1-4 Braga, Napoli 0-4 Real Madrid 

Group D
Inter 1-1 Benfica, Salzburg 5-2 Real Sociedad

Matchday 1

Wednesday 20 September

Group A
Galatasaray 1-5 Copenhagen, Bayern 2-0 Manchester United

Group B
Sevilla 0-1 Lens, Arsenal 1-2 PSV Eindhoven

Group C
Real Madrid 2-1 Union Berlin, Braga 1-0 Napoli

Group D
Real Sociedad 3-3 Inter, Benfica 1-1 Salzburg 

Tuesday 19 September

Group E
Lazio 0-2 Atlético, Feyenoord 3-0 Celtic 

Group F
AC Milan 4-0 Newcastle United, Paris Saint-Germain 0-1 Borussia Dortmund

Group G
Young Boys 1-3 Leipzig, Manchester City 5-2 Crvena zvezda 

Group H
Shakhtar Donetsk 1-4 Porto, Barcelona 2-1 Antwerp

Team guide

• Joint-record two-time winners Barcelona, plus fellow former champions Benfica, Porto, Real Madrid and Salzburg were involved (holders AZ Alkmaar were in the domestic champions path).

• Past runners-up Paris and Shakhtar were also in this path. Milan reached the 2022/23 semi-finals, a stage Atlético made the previous season.

• Atlético, Barcelona, Bayern, Benfica, Man City, Paris, Porto and Real Madrid maintained their perfect record of having entered all ten editions of this competition, which began in 2013/14 (the 2020/21 edition was cancelled).

• Teams making their competition debuts in this path were Antwerp, Braga, Lazio, Lens, Newcastle and Union Berlin.

Knockout calendar

Play-off draw: 19 December, Nyon
Play-offs: 6/7 February
Knockout draw (round of 16 onwards): 9 February, Nyon
Round of 16: 27/28 February
Quarter-finals: 12/13 March
Semi-finals: 19 April (single venue)
Final: 22 April (single venue)