Champions League Play-Off Draw: Full Match Pairings Announced

The draw for the Champions League play-off matches took place on 31 January, determining the fixtures for teams competing for a spot in the Round of 16. This season’s format has undergone changes, increasing the number of knockout-stage matches.

Following the group stage, the top eight teams automatically advanced to the Round of 16, while clubs finishing between 9th and 24th place must compete in play-offs. These teams have been divided into two groups: seeded teams (9th-16th place) and unseeded teams (17th-24th place). The seeded clubs will host the second leg of their respective ties. The winners of these play-offs will proceed to the Round of 16, where they will face the top eight teams from the group stage.

Champions League Play-Off Fixtures:

  • Brest vs PSG (Possible Round of 16 opponents: Liverpool or Barcelona)
  • Monaco vs Benfica (Possible Round of 16 opponents: Liverpool or Barcelona)
  • Juventus vs PSV (Possible Round of 16 opponents: Arsenal or Inter)
  • Feyenoord vs Milan (Possible Round of 16 opponents: Arsenal or Inter)
  • Manchester City vs Real Madrid (Possible Round of 16 opponents: Atlético Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen)
  • Celtic vs Bayern Munich (Possible Round of 16 opponents: Atlético Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen)
  • Club Brugge vs Atalanta (Possible Round of 16 opponents: Lille or Aston Villa)
  • Sporting CP vs Borussia Dortmund (Possible Round of 16 opponents: Lille or Aston Villa)

One of the standout fixtures is the clash between Manchester City and Real Madrid. The 14-time Champions League winners will face the reigning Premier League champions in what promises to be a highly anticipated showdown. A small moment in the group stage, involving Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny, nearly altered the draw, as an error in the match against Atalanta could have led Madrid to face Sporting CP instead.

With high stakes and Europe’s top clubs vying for a place in the next round, the Champions League play-offs are set to deliver intense and thrilling encounters.

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