Champions League play-offs draw pairs Real Madrid with Benfica and PSG with Monaco after Friday’s ceremony in Nyon
Real Madrid have been drawn to face Benfica, while Paris Saint-Germain will take on Monaco in the UEFA Champions League knockout phase play-offs following Friday’s draw in Nyon.
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The draw produced several high-profile fixtures as clubs battle for places in the round of 16 under the competition’s revamped format.
Borussia Dortmund will face Atalanta, while Galatasaray were paired with Juventus in another heavyweight encounter.
Atlético de Madrid will meet Club Brugge, Olympiacos were drawn against Bayer Leverkusen in a repeat of a league-phase clash, and Qarabağ will face Newcastle United in a first-ever Champions League meeting between the two sides.
Italian giants Inter Milan were drawn against Norwegian champions Bodø/Glimt, marking Bodø/Glimt’s first appearance in the knockout stages of the Champions League.
The tie between Real Madrid and Benfica carries added intrigue following their dramatic league-phase meeting on January 28, when the Portuguese side stunned the Spanish champions 4–2 at the Estádio da Luz.
Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin scored a remarkable 98th-minute header to secure victory and seal his club’s place in the play-offs.
That result denied Real Madrid automatic qualification for the round of 16, despite earlier goals from Kylian Mbappé, dropping the Spanish side into ninth place and the play-off round.
UEFA deputy general secretary Giorgio Marchetti described the league phase as an emotional rollercoaster, saying expectations had been exceeded following a series of dramatic late goals on Matchday Eight.
Former Arsenal and France winger Robert Pires assisted with the draw and praised the new Champions League format, describing the recent round of matches as compelling and entertaining.
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The knockout phase play-offs mark the next decisive step toward the final, which will be staged in Budapest later this season.
David Okere is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering business, governance, public affairs, and human-interest stories with a commitment to accuracy, balance, and public interest reporting.
