Manchester City receive Champions League last-16 pathway update following completed play-off draw | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola and Manchester City’s possible opponents for the last-16 of this season’s UEFA Champions League have received an update on Friday.

By securing a place among the competition’s top eight, City have been afforded the luxury of watching developments unfold from the sidelines as the knock-out picture continues to take shape.

With the league phase now concluded and attention turning to February’s play-off ties, the margin between a favourable route and a far more demanding challenge is beginning to narrow.

Automatic qualification came as a significant boost after a league phase that tested Pep Guardiola’s squad both tactically and physically, having been placed at risk of being dragged into the additional February round. But a composed final-night display ensured progression without the need for further hurdles.

The identity of their next opponent, however, will depend entirely on the outcomes of two high-profile play-off ties involving sides Manchester City know well.

Following the completion of the UEFA Champions League’s last-16 play-off round draw this week, Manchester City’s quartet of potential opponents in the knock-out stage have found out their own fate.

Following a dramatic final matchday on Wednesday night, Benfica will once again face Real Madrid – this time in their two-legged last-16 play-off tie – after the Portuguese side scored a dramatic fourth goal via their goalkeeper to sneak into 24th position in the table.

As for Bodo/Glimt, whom Manchester City faced themselves in their eight-game league phase campaign and lost 3-1 to in the Arctic Circle, the Norwegian club will take on Pep Guardiola’s 2023 Final opponents in Inter.

Manchester City will face either of the aforementioned ties’ winners following a last-16 draw procedure on 27th February in the Round of 16 on 10/11 and 17/18 March, 2026.

As for the rest of the last-16 play-off round draw, the other six fixtures are as follows, with ties to be played on 17/18 and 24/25 February 2026:

Monaco vs Paris

Qarabağ vs Newcastle

Galatasaray vs Juventus

Club Brugge vs Atlético de Madrid

Borussia Dortmund vs Atalanta

Olympiacos vs Leverkusen

Manchester City’s place in the top eight of the league phase table was sealed on the final matchday with a controlled home victory over Galatasaray – a result that ultimately spared Pep Guardiola’s side from a two-legged February test.

Early dominance set the tone, and once the breakthrough arrived through the formidable Erling Haaland, City never appeared in danger of surrendering control and scored a second through Rayan Cherki – with both goals created by Jeremy Doku prior to his calf injury.

That win, coupled with results elsewhere, proved decisive in edging Manchester City above the cut-off line. With extra recovery time now banked, the focus will shift to analysing two very different potential opponents ahead of the late-February draw.