Football
30 Jan 2025
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Champions League Knockout Play-Off Draw: Everything You Need to Know

The Champions League knockout rounds works in a different way for 2024/25 / 90min / Sports Illustrated

How Does the Champions League Knockout Play-Off Draw Work?

The 2024/25 Champions League has undergone significant changes following UEFA’s decision to revamp the competition. The tournament has expanded to 36 teams, replacing the traditional group stage with the Swiss model league phase.

Following the conclusion of this inaugural league phase, 24 teams have progressed to the knockout phase. However, the path to the final is not straightforward. While the top eight teams have automatically advanced to the last 16, the remaining 16 teams must battle through a knockout play-off round to secure their place.

These teams will compete in a two-legged tie, with the eight winners advancing to the round of 16, where the top eight teams from the league phase are waiting. The stakes are high, making this a crucial stage of the tournament.

When is the Champions League Knockout Play-Off Draw?

The Champions League draw takes place this month / VALERY HACHE/GettyImages
The Champions League draw takes place this month / VALERY HACHE/GettyImages

With the league phase now concluded, the draw for the Champions League knockout play-off round will take place on Friday, 31 January at 11:00 GMT. The event will be held at the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland.

The draw will determine the fixtures for this round, and with many top clubs involved, it promises to be an exciting moment for fans and teams alike.

How is the Draw Structured?

The draw will be seeded, ensuring that teams finishing higher in the league phase have an advantage.

  • Teams ranked 9th to 16th will be seeded.
  • Teams ranked 17th to 24th will be unseeded.
  • Each seeded team will face an unseeded team.
  • Fixtures will be decided based on ranking pairings:
    • 9th & 10th vs. 23rd & 24th
    • 11th & 12th vs. 21st & 22nd
    • 13th & 14th vs. 19th & 20th
    • 15th & 16th vs. 17th & 18th

This means each club involved already knows they will be facing one of two possible teams.

Which Teams are in the Champions League Knockout Play-Off Draw?

Celtic have reached the knockout phase for the first time since 2012/13 / ANDY BUCHANAN/GettyImages
Celtic have reached the knockout phase for the first time since 2012/13 / ANDY BUCHANAN/GettyImages

Here are the clubs set to compete in the play-off round:

ClubFinal League Phase Position
Atalanta9th
Borussia Dortmund10th
Real Madrid11th
Bayern Munich12th
AC Milan13th
PSV Eindhoven14th
Paris Saint-Germain15th
Benfica16th
Monaco17th
Brest18th
Feyenoord19th
Juventus20th
Celtic21st
Manchester City22nd
Sporting CP23rd
Club Brugge24th

Teams Eliminated After the League Phase

The following teams failed to qualify and have been eliminated from the Champions League:

  • Dinamo Zagreb
  • VfB Stuttgart
  • Shakhtar Donetsk
  • Bologna
  • Crvena zvezda
  • Sturm Graz
  • Sparta Prague
  • RB Leipzig
  • Girona
  • RB Salzburg
  • Slovan Bratislava
  • Young Boys

Unlike previous seasons, eliminated teams will not drop into the Europa League. Their European campaign ends here.

Why Are Liverpool, Arsenal, and Barcelona Not in the Draw?

Liverpool automatically qualified for the last 16 / Carl Recine/GettyImages
Liverpool automatically qualified for the last 16 / Carl Recine/GettyImages

Liverpool, Arsenal, and Barcelona secured automatic qualification to the last 16 by finishing in the top eight of the league phase. These clubs performed exceptionally well and now benefit from extra preparation time ahead of their last-16 clashes in early March.

The top eight teams automatically advancing are:

  • Liverpool
  • Arsenal
  • Barcelona
  • Inter Milan
  • Bayer Leverkusen
  • Manchester United
  • Real Sociedad
  • Atlético Madrid

They will await the winners of the knockout play-off round, with the draw for the round of 16 taking place on Friday, 21 February.

When Will the Champions League Knockout Play-Off Matches Be Played?

The knockout play-off matches will take place over two weeks:

  • First legs: 11/12 February
  • Second legs: 18/19 February

Each team will play one match on a Tuesday and one on a Wednesday.

What Happens Next?

Following the knockout play-off round, the eight victorious teams will join the eight pre-qualified clubs in the round of 16. The draw for the next stage will be held on 21 February, after which the competition resumes in March.

With some of Europe’s biggest clubs fighting for a place in the next round, the Champions League knockout play-off round promises intense action, high stakes, and unmissable drama. Stay tuned for the draw results and match fixtures!

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