The suspense is building, but the sixteen teams qualified for the playoffs will finally learn their fate. Reigning European champions, Paris Saint-Germain already knows they are the favorites and will face either AS Monaco or Qarabag FK in this crucial round.
The eight matchdays of the Champions League group stage have delivered their verdict, and once again, surprises were on the menu. Long established in the top 8 and virtually qualified for the knockout stage, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid were ultimately knocked out after disappointing results against Newcastle (1-1) and Benfica (2-4).
These two slip-ups benefited Sporting CP and Chelsea, who secured direct qualification. Like last season, both Paris and Madrid will have to go through the playoff round, scheduled for February 17-18 for the first leg and February 24-25 for the second leg. This mandatory hurdle also applies to AS Monaco, who must also navigate this intermediate round to hope for a spot in the Round of 16.
Few observers imagined AS Monaco would qualify against Juventus, but the Principality club managed to secure a draw (0-0) that was enough to clinch 21st place in the standings. All the teams involved gathered this Friday at noon in Nyon, Switzerland, for the Champions League playoff draw.
For the record, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid are among the eight seeded teams, alongside Inter, Newcastle, Juventus, Atlético de Madrid, Atalanta, and Bayer Leverkusen. In pot 2, we found Borussia Dortmund, Benfica, Olympiacos, Club Bruges, Galatasaray, Qarabag, Bodo/Glimt, and AS Monaco.
A favorable draw for PSG, tougher for Monaco
As per the regulations, each team had only two potential opponents, determined by their final group stage ranking. Thus, teams ranked 9th or 10th face those ranked 23rd or 24th; 11th and 12th meet 21st and 22nd; 13th and 14th take on 19th and 20th; finally, 15th and 16th go against 17th and 18th.
In practical terms, Paris Saint-Germain will either have a French showdown against Monaco or a clash against Qarabag. This scenario echoes last season when the Red and Blue nearly faced the Monégasques before ultimately being matched with Brest. For AS Monaco, however, the challenge looks much steeper, regardless of the opponent drawn, in a matchup that already promises to be decisive for their European journey.
For AS Monaco, the verdict is in: it will be either Paris Saint-Germain or the English side Newcastle. In both cases, Sébastien Pocognoli’s men have not been spared by the draw. Facing the reigning European champions or a solid, experienced English team, the task looks particularly daunting for the Monégasques.
On the other hand, Real Madrid, who went through the playoffs last season after a double confrontation against Manchester City, faces a similarly tricky scenario. This time, the Merengues must choose between Bodo/Glimt or Benfica… an opponent who just handed them a heavy defeat (4-2) only two days ago, reminding everyone that danger is very real.
Finally, it’s worth noting that the winners of these playoffs will meet either Chelsea or FC Barcelona in the Round of 16. The final opponents for PSG and Monaco in the next phase will only be known after the Round of 16 draw, scheduled for February 27.
Complete matchups for the Champions League playoffs:
- Benfica – Real Madrid
- Bodo/Glimt – Inter
- Monaco – PSG
- Qarabag – Newcastle
- Galatasaray – Juventus
- Club Bruges – Atlético de Madrid
- Borussia Dortmund – Atalanta
- Olympiacos – Bayer Leverkusen
Exciting matchups, featuring several clashes between European heavyweights, promise fiercely contested playoffs before entering the decisive phase of the competition.
