Champions League Draw: Real Madrid, Newcastle and PSG Learn Play-Off Opponents
All 16 teams taking part in the Champions League knockout round play-offs now know who they will need to overcome to book a place in the competition’s round of 16.
On Wednesday (January 28), five of the six Premier League sides competing in the 2025/26 Champions League – Arsenal, Liverpool, Spurs, Chelsea and Manchester City – confirmed their automatic qualification for the knockout stages.
Meanwhile, Newcastle’s spirited 1-1 draw away at European Champions Paris Saint-Germain was enough to secure them a play-off spot.
15-time winners Real Madrid could also only secure a play-off spot after their 4-2 loss against Benfica in Lisbon.
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Inter, Atletico, Borussia Dortmund and Juventus were the other standout sides who missed out on an automatic spot and instead will compete in two-legged play-off ties between February 17-18 and 24-25.
Teams that finished between ninth and 16th are classed as ‘seeded’ sides and will play the second legs at home, while those who finished between 17th and 24th are ‘unseeded’ and will face an away match in the second leg.
On Friday (January 30), the draw took place in Nyon, Switzerland.
Newcastle United were drawn away at Qarabag in the first leg of their play-off tie, while Real Madrid will travel to Jose Mourinho's Benfica in a repeat of their final league phase fixture.
Azerbaijani champions Qarabag have already faced Chelsea and Liverpool in this year's competition, holding the Blues to a 2-2 draw in November before falling to a 6-0 defeat against the Reds at Anfield on Wednesday.
The draw for the last 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals will be held on February 27.
The Champions League final will take place on May 30 in Budapest, Hungary.
Champions League knockout play-off draw in full
Borussia Dortmund v Atalanta
Olympiakos v Bayer Leverkusen
Galatasaray v Juventus
Club Brugge v Atletico Madrid
Qarabag v Newcastle
Monaco v Paris St-Germain
Benfica vs Real Madrid
Bodo/Glimt v Inter Milan
Who could Premier League teams face in Champions League last 16?
Arsenal could face Borussia Dortmund, Atalanta, Olympiacos or Leverkusen.
Man City will play either Benfica, Real Madrid, Bodo/Glimt or Inter.
Chelsea will face Qarabag, Newcastle, Monaco or PSG.
Liverpool or Tottenham will take on Galatasaray, Juventus, Club Brugge or Atletico Madrid.
Topics: Arsenal, Champions League, Football, Liverpool, Newcastle United, Real Madrid, UEFA, Premier League
Luke Davies