January 31 – Manchester City will face defending champions Real Madrid. The top two UEFA-ranked teams will come head-to-head much earlier than most expected, after each club failed to make the top eight during Wednesday’s group stage climax.
Europe’s two giant clubs have met four times in the past five seasons with each club winning twice. Last season Real Madrid beat Man City on penalties.
With the Champions League’s first-ever league phase wrapping up after a dramatic night of 18 simultaneous matches, the expanded 36-team table was finally set. The top eight teams secured direct passage to the Round of 16, leaving the clubs finishing between ninth and 24th to fight for their place via February’s two-legged play-offs.
Manchester City survived an early scare versus Club Brugge to scrape a place in the playoffs – where their reward is to play the reigning European champions just to qualify for the Round of 16.
That undoubtedly marks the heavyweight match of the playoff phase, though the draw still allowed for plenty of entertaining matchups.
Each club entered Friday’s draw already aware of their potential opponents, with matchups determined by final league phase standings. However, it was left to former Spain midfielder Thiago Alcantara to officially reveal the ties at UEFA’s House of Football in Switzerland.
The full draw is as follows (seeded teams second):
- Club Brugge vs Atalanta
- Sporting CP vs Borussia Dortmund
- Man City vs Real Madrid
- Celtic vs Bayern Munich
- Juventus vs PSV
- Feyenoord vs Milan
- Brest vs PSG
- Monaco vs Benfica
The inaugural play-off first legs are set for Tuesday, February 11, and Wednesday, February 12, with the return fixtures a week later on February 18 and 19.
Once the play-offs conclude, attention will turn to the knockout rounds, with UEFA staging the draw for the Round of 16, quarter-finals, and semi-finals on Friday, February 21st.
This will finally determine the opponents for the eight teams that secured automatic qualification, lead by Liverpool, Barcelona, and Arsenal.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1738350299labto1738350299ofdlr1738350299owedi1738350299sni@g1738350299niwe.1738350299yrrah1738350299