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Champions League Knockout phase play-offs: Manchester City face Real Madrid in blockbuster tie

The play-offs' first leg will take place on February 11 and 12 while the second leg is scheduled to be held on February 18 and 19.

The group formations are shown on an electronic panel after drawing the UEFA Champions League knockout phase play-off draw, at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. (Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP)

A stuttering Manchester City learnt their fate in the knockout phase play-off tie on Thursday when they were drawn against defending champions Real Madrid.

Both the European heavyweights failed to finish in the automatic qualification slots for the last 16 as one of the top eight sides after they finished 11th and 22nd, respectively, in the new league-phase format.

Now, the teams who finished 9th to 24th will have to compete in a two-legged play-off round in order to become the last 8 teams which will make up the last 16.

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With teams from the same country also allowed to face each other, unlike in previous years, the playoffs will have an all-French tie with Paris St Germain facing Brest.

Juventus and AC Milan avoided each other in the draw, with the two Serie A sides facing Dutch clubs PSV Eindhoven and Feyenoord, respectively.

In other ties, Club Brugge will play Atalanta, Sporing will take on Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich will face Celtic and AS Monaco will lock horns with Benfica.

The teams who have automatically already qualified for the last 16 were Liverpool, Barcelona, Arsenal, Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid, Bayern Leverkusen, LOSC Lille and Aston Villa.

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The play-offs’ first leg will take place on February 11 and 12 while the second leg is scheduled to be held on February 18 and 19. After that, the Round of 16 draw will take place on February 21 with all the qualified teams.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE KNOCKOUT PLAYOFFS DRAW

Club Brugge v Atalanta
Sporting v Borussia Dortmund
Manchester City v Real Madrid
Celtic v Bayern Munich
Juventus v PSV Eindhoven
Feyenoord v AC Milan
Brest v Paris St Germain
AS Monaco v Benfica
*Team mentioned second plays second leg at home