The draw for the Champions League playoff round has been confirmed, setting the stage for a series of high-stakes encounters as clubs battle for a place in the last 16. The pathway to the final, scheduled for 30 May in Budapest, is now taking shape with some tantalising fixtures on the horizon.
Instant Rematch Headlines the Draw
The standout tie sees an immediate rematch between Real Madrid and Benfica, following their dramatic league phase encounter. Benfica will host the first leg in Lisbon, seeking to replicate their astonishing 4-2 victory over the Spanish giants from Wednesday night. That remarkable result was sealed deep into injury time by an unlikely source – goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin, who scored to send the Portuguese club through.
Newcastle's Long Journey to Azerbaijan
Newcastle United have been handed a challenging 3,000-mile round trip to Azerbaijan for their first leg against Qarabag. Eddie Howe's men will travel to face the Azeri champions, who held Chelsea to a 2-2 draw at home in November despite suffering a 6-0 defeat at Liverpool. Newcastle can take confidence from their impressive 1-1 draw against reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain at Parc des Princes on Wednesday, but will be wary of the difficult away fixture.
Other Key Playoff Contests
The draw has produced several other intriguing matchups across Europe:
- Paris Saint-Germain, who lead Ligue 1, face familiar domestic opponents Monaco, who sit 10th in the French standings. Monaco will host the first leg and can draw encouragement from a 1-0 league victory when the sides last met on 29 November.
- Bodø/Glimt, the Champions League's surprise package, will host Inter Milan in the arctic circle for their first leg. The Norwegian team dramatically turned their campaign around with victories against Manchester City and Atlético Madrid in their final two league phase games.
- Other notable ties include Galatasaray versus Juventus, Club Brugge taking on Atlético Madrid, Borussia Dortmund playing Atalanta, and Olympiacos facing Bayer Leverkusen.
Playoff Schedule and Round of 16 Pathways
The first legs will be contested on 17 and 18 February, with return fixtures scheduled for 24 and 25 February. Meanwhile, clubs who have already secured safe passage to the round of 16 await their potential opponents:
Arsenal, who romped to the top of the league phase, will face either the winner of Olympiacos versus Leverkusen or whoever prevails between Borussia Dortmund and Atalanta.
Manchester City could be drawn against Real Madrid, Benfica, Inter Milan, or potentially Bodø/Glimt again if the Norwegian side cause another upset.
Liverpool will take on the winners of either Galatasaray versus Juventus or Club Brugge versus Atlético Madrid.
Tottenham will play the other team from that pairing, while Chelsea could face an all-Premier League tie against Newcastle if the Magpies overcome Qarabag, with PSG or Monaco as alternative opponents.
Should José Mourinho's Benfica stun Real Madrid once more, they could potentially face local rivals Sporting in the next round, adding further intrigue to the Portuguese football landscape.
The playoff stage promises intense drama as clubs compete for precious places in the knockout rounds, with every match carrying significant implications for the journey toward the Budapest final at the end of May.
