If Paris Saint-Germain wants to defend their Champions League title, they’ll have to do it through the knockout rounds. After failing to make the top eight during the final round of the 36-team league, the French club will have to compete in two additional matches in February for a chance to advance.
The top eight teams, which include Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham, Chelsea, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, and Sporting Lisbon, are now assured a spot until March. PSG will be joined in the knockout rounds by Real Madrid, Newcastle, and last year’s runner-up, Inter Milan, as they all finished between ninth and 24th. A draw will determine the matchups for these teams, which are set to compete in two-legged playoffs. Teams ranked 9th through 16th will be seeded, while those placed 17th to 24th will be unseeded; this draw is scheduled for Friday.
The eight teams that win in the knockout rounds will join the top eight in the Round of 16, slated to occur over two matches in March. The semi-finals will follow in April, with the final occurring in Budapest on May 30.
Teams eliminated from the tournament include Marseille, Paphos, Union Saint-Gilloise, PSV Eindhoven, Athletic Bilbao, Napoli, FC Copenhagen, Ajax, Eintracht Frankfurt, Slavia Prague, Villarreal, and Kairat.
The matchups for the knockout playoff phase will unfold like this:
- Monaco or Qarabag vs. PSG or Newcastle (against Barcelona or Chelsea)
- Club Brugge or Galatasaray vs. Juventus or Atlético Madrid (against Liverpool or Tottenham)
- Bodo/Glimt or Benfica vs. Real Madrid or Inter Milan (against Sporting Lisbon or Manchester City)
- Borussia Dortmund or Olympiakos vs. Atalanta or Bayer Leverkusen (against Arsenal or Bayern Munich)
- Qarabag or Monaco vs. Newcastle or PSG (against Chelsea or Barcelona)
- Galatasaray or Club Brugge vs. Atlético Madrid or Juventus (against Tottenham or Liverpool)
- Benfica or Bodo/Glimt vs. Inter Milan or Real Madrid (against Manchester City or Sporting Lisbon)
- Olympiakos or Borussia Dortmund vs. Bayer Leverkusen or Atalanta (against Bayern Munich or Arsenal)
Fan Take: This news is crucial for soccer enthusiasts as it sets the stage for thrilling matchups that could redefine the landscape of European football. The intense competition in the knockout rounds not only affects club legacies but could also influence which stars emerge on the global stage.
