The draw ceremony has started – almost time to find out who'll face who in the UEFA Champions League knockout phase play-off draw!

Madrid finished one point below the automatic qualification places in the league table in 11th, while City came back to seal a 3-1 win over Club Brugge on the final day to edge their way into the play-offs, finishing 22nd.

City will have the home advantage in the first leg and have won four of their previous 12 meetings with Madrid in the competition (D5 L3).

However, Madrid have knocked an English club out of the Champions League knockout stages 13 times; only Los Blancos themselves have eliminated opponents from a specific nation more often in the competition (16 v German clubs).

Under the new format, clubs from the same country can face each other in the play-off, with Brest and Paris Saint-Germain drawn against each other in an all-French tie in Friday's draw.

Juventus and AC Milan avoided a clash at this stage though and will face Dutch clubs PSV and Feyenoord respectively.

Juventus have won five of their last eight meetings with Dutch opponents in major European competitions (D2 L1), one more than their previous 13 against Dutch opponents (W4 D4 L5). Milan's last success against a Dutch opponent in major European competition, meanwhile, came in October 2008 in the UEFA Cup against Herenveen (D3 L1 since)

Elsewhere, Bayern Munich, who also narrowly missed out on an automatic qualification spot despite winning their final game, will face Celtic, with the first leg taking place in Glasgow.

And Borussia Dortmund, who will soon be under the leadership of former Bayern head coach Niko Kovac, come up against Sporting CP.

The other two ties in the play-offs will see Club Brugge, who qualified despite their defeat to City, host Atalanta in the first leg, while Benfica travel to Monaco.

When do the knockout phase play-off games take place?

The knockout phase play-offs are played over the course of two weeks:

First legs: 11/12 February 2025

Second legs: 18/19 February 2025

Source: https://x.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1885290196029014189?t=og1os9Ecnd4f-5k3R0y28Q&s=19

Arsenal all the way.

This Ucl is ours(Liverpool) to lose

We will play Barca in the final and spank them in the final

My worry tho, that Aston Villa, Atalanta, Club brugge and Lille path is too easy. UEL type of fixture at best

Abeg bring back the old champions league, not this convoluted arrangement.
Yesterday, I was watching the highlights, and they kept saying all the small teams have been eliminated
So what was the point? It wasn't called "champions" league for no just cause.

Arsenal to win the Champions league. This I have seen.

it is certain one team will surely go under and you already know who ..🤔

Hmmmm

Confusion every where

And mancity woes continues

Man city for just respect their selves allow club brugge comot them. They might be humiliated at the bernabeu

The only chance for Arsenal to win something this season 😁

All I want to say is that Manchester united qualified automatically for the quarter finals in the Europa league. We might actually win it and qualify automatically for the champions next season regardless of whatever position we finish in the EPL.

I wish Real Madrid all the best

Treasure17:
Arsenal all the way.

Even if they present the cup to arsenal free, they can't lift it.

Anything Bayern no concern me again in this life on Sporty, even if them like make them pair them against Akwa United.

My Top 3 Contenders: Real Madrid, Liverpool & Barca.
Worthy mentions: Bayern Munich, Inter & City if they survive Real Madrid.

Hmmm

cassidy1996:
Hmmmm

Stop stealing my hmmmm

sylve11:
Hmmm

stop stealing my hmmmm

Ok

While the big boys wait, let them struggle to qualify

Treasure17:
Arsenal all the way.

Arsenal cannot win the champions league without a sound striker...

Where Red Devils 😈😈😈?

Nazgul:
All I want to say is that Manchester united qualified automatically for the quarter finals in the Europa league. We might actually win it and qualify automatically for the champions next season regardless of whatever position we finish in the EPL.

nobody dey drop go anywhere this time, na drop and go home

Inter will win this years champions league. Conceded fewer goals than any other team also goal scored too.
Real Madrid should be able to eliminate Citizens.
The remaining fixtures most can’t be predicted cause injuries and form can change.

Guardiola's worst fear has been materialised.

There's absolutely nothing normal about big dogs like Man City, Madrid, PSG and Bayern playing playoffs.

That's kinda humbling...!

This might just be the year of the underdog in the UCL.

Guy Behave.

Treasure17:
Arsenal all the way.