Mourinho’s Benfica to face Real Madrid in Champions League play-offs | OneFootball

Real Madrid have drawn Benfica in the Champions League play-offs, setting up a reunion with José Mourinho in Lisbon. According to El Periódico Mediterráneo, the draw was made on Friday.

There was a 50% chance of Madrid drawing Benfica, the alternative was Bodo/Glimt, who won on Wednesday at the Metropolitano and now face Inter Milan. Madrid avoid an Arctic trip, with temperatures down to -10 degrees, but Mourinho’s side, featuring Anatoli Trubin, looks a sterner test.

The first leg will be at Da Luz, with the return at the Bernabéu, where Mourinho will take the visitors’ bench for the first time since leaving in 2013. A warm reception is expected, and as Porto coach he visited in 2002 and 2003, taking a draw and a defeat.

Atlético Madrid have been paired with Club Brugge, while Galatasaray will play Juventus. The two Madrid clubs are on opposite sides of the bracket, so they could only meet in a final. Barcelona will await the winners of Monaco vs PSG or Qarabag vs Newcastle, while other ties include Borussia Dortmund vs Atalanta and Olympiacos vs Leverkusen.

First legs are scheduled for 17 and 18 February at the lower-ranked team, with returns on 24 and 25 February. The top eight from the league phase are exempt, namely Arsenal, Bayern, Liverpool, Tottenham, Barça, Chelsea, Sporting de Portugal and Manchester City.

The final draw takes place on Friday 27 February to map the path to the showpiece on 30 May at Puskas Arena in Budapest. The last 16 is slated for 10/11 and 17/18 March, the quarter-finals for 7/8 and 14/15 April, and the semi-finals for 28/29 April and 5/6 May. Higher-ranked teams will have home advantage in every tie.

Source: El Periódico Mediterráneo