Champions League 2024/25 knockout play-off draw: Man City, Real Madrid & PSG learn opponents | OneFootball

Manchester City will face defending champions Real Madrid in this season's Champions League knockout play-offs while Paris Saint-Germain go up against French rivals Brest.

After the Champions League's first-ever league phase came to its conclusion at the end of 18 simultaneous matches on Wednesday night, the swollen 36-team table was finally complete. The sides that finished in the top eight automatically qualified for the round of 16 and so were not involved in Friday's draw, leaving the 16 clubs between ninth and 24th to battle it out over two legs in February.

Each club already knew that it could only face one of two opponents in these play-offs based on there final position in the league phase table, but Thiago Alcantara was on hand at UEFA's House of Football in Switzerland to decipher the precise ties.

(Seeded teams are listed second)

When are the Champions League knockout play-offs?

The Champions League trophy will be up for grabs on 31 May / Jonathan Moscrop/GettyImages

The first legs of these maiden play-offs are scheduled to take place on either Tuesday 11 February or Wednesday 12 February. The reverse fixtures will be held one week later on 18/19 February.

In the same week that these fixtures are concluded, there will be a draw for the round of 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals on Friday 21 February. This particular bout of ball juggling will finally resolve the opponents for the eight teams that automatically qualified for the round of 16, including the likes of Liverpool, Barcelona and Arsenal.