The Champions League knockout phase play-offs are a new addition to the 2024/25 season, adding an exciting twist to Europe’s most prestigious football competition. While the top eight teams from the group stage advance automatically to the Round of 16, those finishing 9th to 24th will have to battle it out in the knockout play-offs for a chance to secure their spot in the last 16.
In these play-offs, 16 teams (ranked 9th to 24th) will compete in a two-legged knockout format, with the winners progressing to the Round of 16. This new structure creates fresh opportunities for teams that didn’t quite make it to the top spots, ensuring the tournament remains unpredictable and exciting.
How Do the Knockout Phase Play-Offs Work?
From the play-offs onward, the Champions League tournament follows a bracket-style format. Here’s how the draw and match-ups work:
The Seeding System
- Seeded Teams: The teams ranked 9th to 16th are seeded and will be drawn against unseeded teams.
- Unseeded Teams: The teams finishing 17th to 24th in the group stage are unseeded and will face off against seeded teams.
The Draw Process
The draw for the knockout phase play-offs took place at the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland. It was a carefully organized procedure:
- First Draw: The unseeded teams were drawn first. Each team was assigned to one of the two sides of the bracket, starting with the teams ranked 23rd and 24th, and finishing with those ranked 17th and 18th.
- Second Draw: Once the unseeded teams were placed, the seeded teams (ranked 9th to 16th) were drawn in the same way. The first team drawn was assigned to one side of the bracket, and the second team placed in the corresponding spot on the other side.
Match Rules
- Home Advantage: The seeded teams, in principle, will play the second leg of their match at home.
- Two-Legged Knockout: Each tie is played over two legs, with one match at each team’s home stadium.
The Champions League Knockout Phase Play-Off Ties
Here are the matchups for the Champions League knockout phase play-offs 2024/25:
- Club Brugge vs Atalanta
- Sporting CP vs Dortmund
- Manchester City vs Real Madrid
- Celtic vs Bayern München
- Juventus vs PSV Eindhoven
- Feyenoord vs AC Milan
- Brest vs Paris Saint-Germain
- Monaco vs Benfica
These ties promise to deliver plenty of drama, with clubs eager to secure their place in the coveted Round of 16.
