What are the Champions League knockout phase play-offs?
The 2024/25 tournament features a revamped format, introducing knockout phase play-offs for the first time. While the top eight teams from the league phase automatically advance to the round of 16, those finishing between ninth and 24th must battle through an additional knockout round to secure their place.
This stage consists of a two-legged play-off, where teams ranked ninth to 16th are seeded and drawn against teams finishing between 17th and 24th. The seeded teams, in principle, will host the second leg of their respective ties.
The matchups are determined based on final league standings. For instance, the ninth and tenth-placed teams will face those ranked 23rd and 24th, while teams finishing 11th and 12th are paired against the sides that ended in 21st and 22nd place, respectively.
The eight winners from the knockout phase play-offs will then join the top eight league finishers in the round of 16, where the tournament continues in a bracket-style format.
Which teams were in the Champions League knockout phase play-off draw?
The teams that finished between ninth and 24th in the inaugural league phase.
Seeded teams
9. Atalanta (ITA)
10. Borussia Dortmund (GER)
11. Real Madrid (ESP)
12. Bayern München (GER)
13. Milan (ITA)
14. PSV (NED)
15. Paris Saint-Germain (FRA)
16. Benfica (POR)
Unseeded teams
17. Monaco (FRA)
18. Brest (FRA)
19. Feyenoord (NED)
20. Juventus (ITA)
21. Celtic (SCO)
22. Manchester City (ENG)
23. Sporting CP (POR)
24. Club Brugge (BEL)
Where was the Champions League knockout phase play-off draw?
The draw took place at the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland.
How did the Champions League knockout phase play-off draw work?
For the knockout phase play-offs, eight bowls were prepared, each containing balls with the names of the seeded and unseeded teams. The teams were paired according to their league phase rankings and placed in corresponding bowls.
The draw began with the unseeded teams, starting from the lowest-ranked pair (23rd and 24th) and moving up to those ranked 17th and 18th. One team was drawn first and assigned to a pre-determined spot on the silver side of the bracket. The remaining team from the pair was then drawn and placed in the corresponding position on the blue side. This process continued until all unseeded teams had been allocated.
Next, the draw proceeded with the seeded teams, beginning with the 15th and 16th-ranked pair. The same method was applied: the first team drawn was placed on the silver side of the bracket, while the second was assigned to the blue side. The process continued up to the highest-ranked seeded teams (9th and 10th), finalizing the knockout phase play-off matchups.
As a general rule, the seeded teams will host the return leg of their respective ties.
Could teams from the same national association face each other in the Champions League knockout phase play-offs?
Sides could face another team from the same national association in the knockout phase play-offs. Clubs could also face opponents they met during the league phase.
When do the knockout phase play-off games take place?
The knockout phase play-offs are played over the course of two weeks:
First legs: 11/12 February 2025
Second legs: 18/19 February 2025
Each club is expected to play one match on a Tuesday and another on a Wednesday, following the planned scheduling format. UEFA will officially announce the full calendar, including match dates and kick-off times, later this evening.
In cases where stadium or city conflicts arise, adjustments will be made in line with the established principles set by the Club Competitions Committee to ensure smooth scheduling.
Champions League knockout phase play-off ties
Club Brugge vs Atalanta
Sporting CP vs Dortmund
Manchester City vs Real Madrid
Celtic vs Bayern München
Juventus vs PSV Eindhoven
Feyenoord vs AC Milan
Brest vs Paris Saint-Germain
Monaco vs Benfica
SOURCE: http://dew360.net | UEFA.com
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