Manchester City will face 15-time European Cup winners Real Madrid in a high-stakes Champions League play-off round. The first leg will take place at the Etihad Stadium on either February 11 or 12, with the return leg scheduled for the following week at the Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid. This encounter marks yet another chapter in the intense rivalry between the two clubs, who have met frequently in recent seasons.
City, who secured their first Champions League title in 2023, will need to overcome one of the tournament’s most successful clubs to advance to the last 16. Madrid, led by Carlo Ancelotti, finished 11th in the newly formatted league phase, while City ended in 22nd place. The winner of this tie will go on to face either German Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen or Spanish giants Atlético Madrid in the next round.
Celtic Draw Bayern Munich in a Tough Test
Scottish champions Celtic will also face a formidable challenge as they take on German powerhouse Bayern Munich. Brendan Rodgers’ side will host Bayern at Celtic Park in the first leg before traveling to the Allianz Arena for the decisive second leg. Celtic, who became the first British club to win the European Cup in 1967, will have to produce a historic performance to overcome the six-time Champions League winners.
Bayern, who finished 12th in the league phase, enter the tie as clear favorites. However, Celtic have demonstrated resilience in European competitions and will look to capitalize on their passionate home support in Glasgow. The winner of this match-up will join the last 16, where they will face the victor of the Bayer Leverkusen vs. Atlético Madrid contest.
How the Champions League Play-Off Draw Works
The revamped Champions League format sees the top eight teams from the 36-team league phase automatically qualify for the last 16. The next 16 teams, ranked from 9th to 24th, enter the play-off round, while the bottom eight are eliminated. This new system replaces the traditional champion league group-stage format, introducing a single league table instead.
In the play-off draw, the teams that finished between 9th and 16th were seeded, while those placed 17th to 24th were unseeded. Seeded teams, such as Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, were drawn against unseeded teams, including Manchester City and Celtic. As a result, City and Celtic must navigate past two of Europe’s most decorated clubs to keep their Champions League hopes alive.
Arsenal, Liverpool, and Aston Villa Await Last-16 Draw
English clubs Arsenal, Liverpool, and Aston Villa avoided the play-off round after finishing in the top eight of the league phase. They will enter the last 16 directly, with their opponents to be determined by the outcome of the play-off matches. The draw for the last 16 is set for February 21.
Liverpool, who finished top of the league phase, are paired with Barcelona in the seeded group and will face the winner of Brest vs. Paris Saint-Germain or Monaco vs. Benfica. Arsenal, who finished third, are matched with Inter Milan and will take on either Juventus vs. PSV Eindhoven or Feyenoord vs. AC Milan. Meanwhile, Aston Villa, who secured eighth place, are paired with Lille and will meet the winners of Club Brugge vs. Atalanta or Sporting vs. Borussia Dortmund.
With the new Champions League format in full swing, European football fans are in for a thrilling knockout stage as top clubs battle for supremacy on the road to Wembley, where the 2024 final will be held.
