The journey to the UEFA Champions League final in Munich continues as the knockout rounds begin. Teams that finished between 9th and 24th place in the league stage must compete in a two-legged play-off to secure a spot in the last 16. Here’s a breakdown of what to expect from the upcoming draw.
When is the UEFA Champions League Knockout Play-off Draw?
The draw will take place on January 31 at 11:00 AM UK time and will be broadcast live on TNT Sports and discovery+. It will be held at UEFA’s headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.
When Will the Play-off Matches Be Played?
The first-leg matches will take place on February 11 and 12, while the second-leg matches will be played on February 18 and 19.
Who Could Manchester City and Celtic Face?
Both Manchester City and Celtic finished 22nd and 21st in the league stage, respectively. This means they will face one of two European powerhouses:
- Real Madrid (15-time Champions League winners)
- Bayern Munich (German giants)
Who Could Liverpool, Arsenal, and Aston Villa Face in the Last 16?
Since they finished in the top eight, these teams will skip the play-off round and advance directly to the last 16. However, the draw on February 21 will determine their opponents.
- Liverpool (1st place) will play Monaco, Brest, Paris Saint-Germain, or Benfica.
- Arsenal (3rd place) will face Feyenoord, Juventus, AC Milan, or PSV Eindhoven.
- Aston Villa (8th place) will take on Atalanta, Borussia Dortmund, Sporting Lisbon, or Club Brugge.
How Does the Champions League Knockout Play-off Work?
The knockout phase uses a bracket system rather than a traditional random draw. Here’s how it works:
- The top 8 teams from the league stage automatically qualify for the last 16.
- Teams ranked 9th to 16th are seeded and will face an unseeded team (ranked 17th to 24th).
- Each seeded team has only two possible opponents based on final rankings.
- The first team drawn is placed on the silver side of the bracket, and their opponent is placed on the blue side.
- The matches are played over two legs, and the seeded teams play the second leg at home.
Seeded and Unseeded Teams for the Play-off Round:
Seeded Teams:
- Atalanta
- Borussia Dortmund
- Real Madrid
- Bayern Munich
- AC Milan
- PSV Eindhoven
- Paris Saint-Germain
- Benfica
Unseeded Teams:
- Monaco
- Brest
- Feyenoord
- Juventus
- Celtic
- Manchester City
- Sporting Lisbon
- Club Brugge
Can Teams from the Same Country Face Each Other?
Yes! Unlike in previous rounds, clubs from the same country can play against each other from the play-off stage onwards. They can also face teams they played in the league phase.
With the knockout stage set to begin, fans can expect some thrilling matchups as teams fight to keep their Champions League dreams alive!
