Manchester City vs Real Madrid headlines Champions League knockout playoffs; Bayern Munich to face Celtic

Manchester City and Real Madrid, champions of the previous two UEFA Champions League editions, will clash in the knockout playoffs round following the draw revealed on Friday. The champions of 2023, Manchester City, will play the first leg on February 11 (February 12, India time), while the 2024 champions, Real Madrid, will play the second leg on February 18 (February 19). It is crucial to mention that the team that triumphs over the two matches advances to the round of 16. The victor will face either Atletico Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen, both of whom are situated in the top eight of the new 36-team league rankings.

This marks the fourth straight occasion that Manchester City and Real Madrid have faced off in the Champions League knockout stage.

For those unfamiliar, the Champions League format has recently been altered, and the teams that placed from 9th to 24th in the standings fell into the two-leg knockout playoff stage. UEFA will reveal the Round of 16 matchups on February 21. The updated knockout bracket permits teams from the same nation to compete against one another prior to the quarterfinals, a change not seen in the last twenty years. Paris-Saint Germain will face its French competitor Brest, whereas Monaco will go up against Benfica.

Real Madrid placed 11th, whereas Manchester City just made it in 22nd. Once Manchester City concluded their position, Pep Guardiola and his team realized they would need to contend with either No. 11 Madrid or No. 12 Bayern Munich.