Breaking down the Champions League playoff draw

Thanks to a change in format, 2024-25 UEFA Champions League will carry on into February with the complete field for the round of 16 still to be determined.

The top eight teams in the final standings of the initial phase of the competition, which concluded earlier this week, automatically booked their spot for the round of 16, while the bottom 12 sides were eliminated. But teams ranked No. 9 to 24 face the prospect of a two-legged playoff next month to determine the final eight clubs to advance. 

Friday’s draw conducted by UEFA at its headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland determined the playoff matches and the bracket for the rest of the tournament. The draw for the round of 16 matchups will take place on Feb. 21. 

Here are the matches for two-legged playoffs which take place from Feb. 11-12 and Feb. 18-19. Team listed second will host the decisive second leg. 

Stade Brestois 29 vs. Paris Saint Germain 

This is the only playoff matchup that pits two teams from the same country against each other. PSG currently tops the table in France’s Ligue 1 with a healthy 10-point lead, while Brest is languishing in eighth place, 19 points adrift. Brest has already lost to PSG this season during its domestic campaign and closed out the initial phase of the Champions League with a pair of shutout losses. PSG, meanwhile, has won three in a row in the Champions League, including a 4-2 thriller over Manchester City. Brest is winless in their previous 20 contests vs. PSG. 

Winner to play: Either Liverpool or Barcelona 

Club Brugge vs. Atalanta 

This series between the reigning Belgian champions and the Italians should be very interesting. Brugge proved to be a tough nut to crack during the initial phase of the Champions League, conceding just 11 goals and recording shutouts against Aston Villa and Juventus. Atalanta actually gave up fewer goals (six) and had one of the best attacking records of the first round with 20 goals. Will the Belgians be able to contain the attack-minded Italians? 

Winner to play: Either Lille or Aston Villa 

Manchester City vs. Real Madrid 

Without question, this is the marquee matchup of the playoffs: A battle between the reigning champions of England and Europe. Over the last decade, Real Madrid and Manchester City have met three times in the Champions League semifinals and once in the quarterfinals. This is the fourth-straight year that they’ll face each other in the competition. The Blues needed a win over Club Brugge this week just to stay alive, while Real Madrid finished just outside of the top eight. All eyes will be on Real’s Vinícius Júnior (seven goals) and City’s Erling Haaland (six goals) who rank among the tournament’s top scorers.  

Winner to play: Either Atlético Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen 

Juventus vs. PSV Eindhoven 

This is one of two rematches from the initial phase of the tournament, as Juventus earned a 3-1 win over the Dutch side in Turin in their opening Champions League match. An all-Italian derby in the playoffs between Juventus and AC Milan was avoided when the Bianconeri were paired with PSV Eindhoven. Juve also avoided heavyweights Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, so they’ll consider themselves lucky to have drawn PSV who pose somewhat of a challenge, but far from an insurmountable one. 

Winner to play: Either Arsenal or Inter Milan 

Feyenoord vs. AC Milan 

Another Dutch vs. Italian matchup sees the Rotterdam-based club tangle with the Rossoneri. Milan is a team in transition with Portugal’s Sergio Conceicao recently replacing countryman Paulo Fonseca as the club’s new manager. Results have been mixed so far for Conceicao as his brief time in charge was highlighted by a 2-0 loss to Juventus in Serie A. But Feyenoord is coming off a heavy 6-1 loss to French club Lille this week in the Champions League, and there is growing speculation that manager Brian Priske’s spell in charge could be over by the time they have to face Milan. 

Winner to play: Either Arsenal or Inter Milan 

Celtic vs. Bayern Munich 

Two Canadian internationals could go head-to-head in this one as Alphonso Davies and Bayern face off against Alistair Johnston and Celtic. Davies recently suffered a muscle strain in his left hamstring, so there are questions as to whether the left fullback will be healthy in time for this two-game playoff. Johnston started in all eight games for Celtic in the initial phase and the right fullback played a starring role in helping the Scottish outfit clinch a playoff spot. Bayern have stumbled through the competition thus far, suffering losses to Barcelona, Aston Villa and (shockingly) Feyenoord, so it’ll be interesting to see if they can refocus and put away Celtic. 

Winner to play: Either Atlético Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen 

Sporting CP vs. Borussia Dortmund 

Last year’s finalist Borussia Dortmund shouldn’t overlook Sporting CP. While the club from Lisbon was winless in its final four games of the initial phase, they have one of the competition’s top scorers in Swedish striker Viktor Gyökeres who has found the back of the net six times thus far. Still, the Germans will be confident of their chances, especially with Serhou Guirassy in tow — the Guinea international is the competition’s top scorer with nine goals. Dortmund’s 22 goals were the second-highest tally of any team in the initial phase, so Sporting will have a big task on their hands in shutting down the German’s high-powered attack. 

Winner to play: Either Lille or Aston Villa 

AS Monaco vs. Benfica 

This is another rematch from the initial phase of the competition — Benfica came from behind by scoring two very late goals to earn a 3-2 win away to Monaco last November. The Portuguese outfit earned another come-from-behind road win this week vs. Juventus, a result that propelled them into 16th place in the table and allowed them to avoid Real Madrid and Bayern Munich in Friday’s draw. A matchup against Monaco shouldn’t be too tough for the Lisbon side as their French opponent lost three of its last four games of the initial phase of the tournament.  

Winner to play: Either Liverpool or Barcelona