Reigning champions Real Madrid will go up against 2023 victors Manchester City in the standout fixture of this season’s Champions League play-off round, as determined by Friday’s draw.
This marks the fourth consecutive year that the teams have been matched against each other in a knockout round, with Real triumphing in a penalty shoot-out during last season’s quarter-finals.
City, who barely advanced by finishing 22nd in the league stage in this inaugural season of the new format for Europe’s top club competition, will host the first leg before heading to Spain for the second match.
In other matchups, Celtic will take on six-time European champions Bayern Munich after the Scottish champions reached the knockout stage for the first time in 12 years.
Paris Saint-Germain will face surprise team Brest in an all-French contest, while Juventus will compete against PSV Eindhoven, and Feyenoord will play against AC Milan in two matchups involving former tournament winners.
Last season’s Europa League champions Atalanta, who fell just short of the top eight that offered direct entry to the last 16, will meet Club Brugge from Belgium.
Portugal’s sporting has been drawn against last season’s finalists, Borussia Dortmund, while Monaco will encounter Benfica after losing at home to the Portuguese side during the league phase.
The play-off matches are scheduled for next month, with the eight victorious teams advancing to the last 16 alongside the eight top-placed teams from the league stage.
Liverpool, Barcelona, Arsenal, Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, Lille, and Aston Villa are the teams that have already secured a spot in the last 16.
These clubs finished in the top eight in the standings in the 36-team league phase — this first season of the new format featured all participating teams in one large pool, each playing eight matches against eight different opponents.
The draw for the remaining part of the competition is partially pre-determined, which means that the team that wins the tie between City and Real will face either Atletico Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen in the last 16.
The draw for the last 16 and beyond will be held on February 21, and it’s yet to be confirmed whether Liverpool will gain any advantage from finishing first in the league phase.
Arne Slot’s squad will play either PSG or Brest or Monaco or Benfica in the last 16 in March.
This season’s Champions League final will be at the Allianz Arena in Munich on Saturday, May 31.
