Manchester City will face a familiar challenge in the UEFA Champions League play-offs as they have been drawn against 15-time European champions Real Madrid. Meanwhile, Scottish champions Celtic will take on German giants Bayern Munich in a high-stakes encounter to secure a spot in the last 16. The draw sets up another thrilling clash between City and Madrid, marking their fifth two-legged battle in the past six seasons.
Pep Guardiola’s side secured their place in the playoffs after a 3-1 victory over Club Brugge in their final league-phase game. However, their reward is a daunting test against a Madrid side that ended their title defense last season via a dramatic penalty shootout in the quarter-finals. The last time these two teams met in a knockout round, City emerged victorious in the semi-finals on their way to winning a historic treble.
For Celtic, the challenge is equally tough as they prepare to take on Bayern Munich, now managed by former Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany. The Scottish side will be looking to pull off a major upset against the German powerhouse, with the winner set to face either Atletico Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen in the last 16.
Beyond the Manchester City-Real Madrid and Celtic-Bayern clashes, other key play-off fixtures include Juventus against PSV Eindhoven, Feyenoord versus AC Milan, and an all-French battle between Brest and Paris Saint-Germain. Additionally, Club Brugge will face Atalanta, Sporting CP takes on Borussia Dortmund, and Monaco squares off against Benfica.
The playoff first legs are scheduled for February 11-12, with the return legs set to take place a week later. The winners will advance to the last 16, where they will face teams that finished in the top eight of the league phase. Arsenal, Liverpool, and Aston Villa, who secured direct entry into the round of 16, will play their opponents in a separate draw on February 21.
