The UEFA Champions League knockout phase play-off draw took place today, January 31, 2025, at the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland. The event revealed exciting matchups as 16 teams learned their fate, paving their paths to potential glory.
This new playoff format is being used for the first time this season, changing the traditional group phase structure. Instead of directly entering the Round of 16, teams finishing ninth to twenty-fourth will engage in these elimination rounds, known as the knockout phase play-offs.
The draw has produced some thrilling tie-ups, highlighted by the match between defending champions Manchester City and 15-time winners Real Madrid. The complete list of fixtures is as follows:
- Manchester City vs. Real Madrid
- Celtic vs. Bayern Munich
- Brest vs. Paris Saint-Germain
- PSV Eindhoven vs. Juventus
- Feyenoord vs. AC Milan
- Sporting CP vs. Borussia Dortmund
- Monaco vs. Benfica
- Club Brugge vs. Atalanta
The first legs of these encounters are scheduled for February 11 and 12, 2025, with the return legs on February 18 and 19.
This year's tournament format has drawn mixed reactions from teams and managers alike. On one hand, coaches from smaller clubs expressed excitement about the new playoff model, which gives them opportunities to compete on such grand stages. Brest's coach, Eric Roy, remarked, "There is room for surprises," showing optimism for underdogs like his team.
Fernando Torres, famed for his history with clubs like Liverpool and Chelsea, took the stage as the special guest. Reflecting on the shifting dynamics of the tournament, he mentioned, "This format presents challenges, but it also opens doors for new clubs to shine on the European stage and gives fans thrilling matchups to look forward to." Indeed, with traditional giants now facing the threat of elimination much earlier than before, the tournament's narrative is set for potential rewriting.
How does this all work? The teams were categorized as seeded and unseeded for the playoff draw. The seeded teams—teams ranked ninth to 16th—are matched against unseeded teams, which finished 17th to 24th. Following the seeded vs. unseeded structure, each seeded team plays their second leg at home.
Among the seeded teams are European heavyweights: Atalanta, Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid, Bayern München, AC Milan, PSV Eindhoven, Paris Saint-Germain, and Benfica. Meanwhile, Monaco, Brest, Feyenoord, Juventus, Celtic, Manchester City, Sporting CP, and Club Brugge represent the unseeded bracket.
Adding to the drama is the fact these matchups bring together old rivals and familiar faces. Some notable potential matchups were revealed during the draw: Real Madrid could end up facing Manchester City or Celtic, and Juventus might take on AC Milan, reigniting classic rivalries.
This year's league phase featured record-breaking performances, with an astonishing average of 3.26 goals per game, totaling 474 goals across matches. Such appetite for goal-scoring will only escalate as teams turn their focus onto the knockout format.
Looking forward, the stakes will be high as the eight winners of these playoffs move forward to the Round of 16, which will see draws take place on February 21, 2025. The matches for this round will be held on March 4/5 and March 11/12. The anticipated quarter-finals and semi-finals will follow, with the overall final set to take place on May 31, 2025, in Munich.
The Champions League remains the pinnacle of European football, with clubs vying for not just glory but substantial financial rewards. With the new playoff system, we could witness unexpected outcomes and thrilling narratives continue to develop. Fans are eagerly waiting for high-quality football, hoping for upsets and memorable moments throughout this knockout phase.