When is it? Which teams are involved? When are the fixtures? Everything you need to know about the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League knockout phase play-off draw.
The UEFA Champions League’s first-ever league phase came to a dramatic close on Wednesday, setting up for an equally equally exciting knockout round in two weeks. This season marks the first time the competition has adopted the new league phase format, and with that comes an additional knockout round before the round of 16.
The introduction of this format means that, for the first time, 16 teams will battle it out in knockout round playoffs to earn a spot in the last 16.
But who is taking part in this draw? And when is the next draw?
Here’s everything you need to know.
How Do the Knockout Phase Playoffs Work?
Under the new format, the top eight overall advance directly to the round of 16; sides finishing from ninth to 24th will contest the knockout phase play-offs, with the winners going through to the last 16.
Liverpool and Barcelona were the first clubs to secure their spots in the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League round of 16, and six other clubs have now joined them.
A further 16 teams enter the new knockout phase play-offs following the conclusion of the league phase.
2024/25 UEFA Champions League
Confirmed in the Round of 16:
- Arsenal, Aston Villa, Atlético Madrid, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Bayer Leverkusen, Lille, Liverpool
Confirmed in the Knockout Phase Playoffs:
- Atalanta, Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Benfica, Brest, Celtic, Club Brugge, Feyenoord, Juventus, Manchester City, Milan, Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain, PSV, Real Madrid, Sporting CP
Eliminated from the Competition:
- Bologna, Crvena Zvezda, Girona, Dinamo Zagreb, RB Leipzig, Salzburg, Shakhtar Donetsk, Slovan Bratislava, Sparta Prague, Sturm Graz, Stuttgart, Young Boys
Image Source: Uefa.com
Which Teams Are in the Champions League Knockout Phase Play-Off Draw?
The knockout phase play-offs are a new addition to the tournament for the 2024/25 season. While the top eight teams from the league phase automatically qualify for the round of 16, teams that finished between ninth and 24th place will compete in this two-legged knockout round for a place in the last 16.
From the knockout phase play-offs onwards, the tournament is a bracket. The teams that finished the league phase between ninth and 16th will be seeded for the knockout playoff draw, while teams placed 17th to 24th will be unseeded. The seeded teams will, in principle, play the second leg at home.
Seeded Teams
9. Atalanta (ITA)
10. Borussia Dortmund (GER)
11. Real Madrid (ESP)
12. Bayern München (GER)
13. Milan (ITA)
14. PSV (NED)
15. Paris Saint-Germain (FRA)
16. Benfica (POR)
Unseeded Teams
17. Monaco (FRA)
18. Brest (FRA)
19. Feyenoord (NED)
20. Juventus (ITA)
21. Celtic (SCO)
22. Manchester City (ENG)
23. Sporting CP (POR)
24. Club Brugge (BEL)
The eight clubs that prevail in the knockout phase play-offs progress to the round of 16.
When Is the Draw for the Knockout Playoff Round?
The draw for the 2024/25 UEFA Champions league knockout phase playoff round will take place from 12:00 CET on Friday 31 January.
Champions League Knockout Dates:
- Knockout Playoffs: February 11/12 & 18/19, 2025
- Round of 16: March 4/5 & 11/12, 2025
- Quarter-finals: April 8/9 & 15/16, 2025
- Semi-finals: April 29/30 & May 6/7, 2025
- Final: May 31, 2025
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