The UEFA Champions League play-off round has set the stage for a thrilling encounter as defending champions Real Madrid are once again pitted against Manchester City in what is undoubtedly the standout fixture of this stage.
The draw, conducted on Friday, has rekindled a recent rivalry between the two European heavyweights, marking the fourth consecutive season in which they have crossed paths in the knockout rounds.
Last season, Real Madrid edged past Manchester City in a dramatic quarter-final penalty shootout, reinforcing their dominance in European competitions. However, this time, the Premier League champions will look to exact revenge.
City, who barely scraped through after finishing 22nd in the newly introduced league phase format, will host the first leg before traveling to Spain for the decisive return fixture.
Elsewhere, Celtic will be up against six-time European champions Bayern Munich, as the Scottish giants return to the knockout rounds for the first time in 12 years.
An all-French showdown will see Paris Saint-Germain take on the surprise package of the tournament, Brest. Meanwhile, Juventus will square off against PSV Eindhoven, and Feyenoord are set to battle AC Milan —two ties featuring past
winners of Europe’s elite club competition.
Additionally, last season’s Europa League champions, Atalanta, who narrowly missed out on an automatic last-16 spot, will lock horns with Club Brugge of Belgium.
Sporting CP will take on last season’s runners-up Borussia Dortmund, while Monaco face a stern test against Benfica, whom they previously lost to in the league phase.
The play-off ties are scheduled for February 11/12 (first leg) and February 18/19 (second leg). The eight winners from these encounters will proceed to the Round of 16, joining the top-ranked teams from the league phase.
Clubs that have already secured their last-16 berths include:
🔹 Liverpool
🔹 Barcelona
🔹 Arsenal
🔹 Inter Milan
🔹 Atletico Madrid
🔹 Bayer Leverkusen
🔹 Lille
🔹 Aston Villa
Full Play-Off Draw
🔹 Brest (FRA) vs. Paris Saint-Germain (FRA)
🔹 Club Brugge (BEL) vs. Atalanta (ITA)
🔹 Manchester City (ENG) vs. Real Madrid (ESP)
🔹 Juventus (ITA) vs. PSV Eindhoven (NED)
🔹 Monaco (FRA) vs. Benfica (POR)
🔹 Sporting CP (POR) vs. Borussia Dortmund (GER)
🔹 Celtic (SCO) vs. Bayern Munich (GER)
🔹 Feyenoord (NED) vs. AC Milan (ITA)
Path to the Quarter-Finals and Beyond
Following the conclusion of the play-offs, the draw for the last 16, quarter-finals, and semi-finals will take place on February 21. The last-16 draw follows a pre-determined bracket, meaning winners of the play-offs will already
know their potential quarter-final opponents.
Potential Round of 16 Clashes
🔹 Brest/PSG vs. Liverpool/Barcelona
🔹 Club Brugge/Atalanta vs. Lille/Aston Villa
🔹 Man City/Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid/Bayer Leverkusen
🔹 Juventus/PSV vs. Arsenal/Inter Milan
🔹 Monaco/Benfica vs. Barcelona/Liverpool
🔹 Sporting CP/Dortmund vs. Aston Villa/Lille
🔹 Celtic/Bayern Munich vs. Bayer Leverkusen/Atletico Madrid
🔹 Feyenoord/AC Milan vs. Inter Milan/Arsenal
The road to Munich is shaping up to be an electrifying journey, with Europe’s finest clubs vying for supremacy. Let the battle begin!
