The UEFA Champions League knockout playoffs draw has set up an electrifying showdown between Real Madrid and Manchester City, the past two tournament winners, as they battle for a place in the round of 16.

Madrid vs. Man City: A Blockbuster Clash

• First leg: Feb. 11/12 at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester
• Second leg: Feb. 18/19 at the Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid
• Winner faces: Atletico Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen in the round of 16

Both teams finished outside the automatic top-eight qualification spots in the new 36-team league format, forcing them into the knockout playoffs. Madrid placed 11th, while City narrowly secured qualification in 22nd place after a crucial 3-1 victory over Club Brugge.

Other Key Matchups:

• Bayern Munich vs. Celtic
  • Features a Canadian battle between Alphonso Davies (Bayern) and Alistair Johnston (Celtic)
• PSG vs. Brest
  • An all-French encounter that will see them face off again in Ligue 1 this weekend
• AC Milan vs. Feyenoord
• Juventus vs. PSV Eindhoven
• Club Brugge vs. Atalanta
• Sporting Lisbon vs. Borussia Dortmund
• Monaco vs. Benfica

Awaiting in the Round of 16:

The eight teams that automatically qualified for the round of 16 include:
Liverpool, Barcelona, Arsenal, Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, Lille, and Aston Villa.

This marks the first time in two decades that teams from the same country can face each other before the quarterfinals, introducing a fresh dynamic to the Champions League knockout phase.

The round of 16 draw will take place on Feb. 21, following the conclusion of the playoff ties.