Manchester City had a tough night but managed to reach the Champions League knockout play-off round. Now, they must prepare for a big challenge against either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich.
City Avoid Early Exit but Face Tough Path
The Premier League champions went into the final group stage match in real danger of missing out on the knockout rounds. Things got worse when Club Brugge took the lead at the Etihad, adding even more pressure on Pep Guardiola’s side. But City fought back to secure a 3-1 win and kept their hopes of winning the Champions League alive.
City made it into the top 24, but the road to the final will be difficult. Big clubs like Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain, and Juventus also failed to finish in the top eight, meaning they missed out on automatic qualification for the last 16.
Who Will Man City Face in the Last-16 Play-Offs?
Since City finished 22nd in the Champions League standings, they will face one of the teams that ended in 11th or 12th place—Real Madrid or Bayern Munich. The team they do not draw will play against Celtic, who finished in 21st place.
There are other exciting matchups possible. AC Milan, with USMNT stars Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah, could go up against Juventus, while PSG might take on Monaco.
What’s Next for Liverpool & Arsenal?
Liverpool and Arsenal do not have to worry about the play-off round. Arne Slot’s team finished top of their group, dropping points only on the final matchday. Arsenal came third in their group.
Liverpool will play against either PSG, Monaco, Brest, or Benfica in the last 16. Meanwhile, Arsenal are waiting to see if they will meet Milan, Juventus, PSV, or Feyenoord.
Whoever Liverpool avoid, La Liga giants Barcelona—who finished second—will be added to their schedule. Aston Villa could go up against Borussia Dortmund, Atalanta, Brugge, or Sporting.
When Is the Knockout Round Play-Off Draw?
The play-off round draw is set for Friday, 31 January. The seeded teams—those that finished between ninth and 16th—will get to play the second leg at home.
The first-leg matches are scheduled for 11 and 12 February, while the second-leg games will take place on 18 and 19 February. The top eight teams in the Champions League table will have to wait until 21 February to find out their last-16 opponents, as the path to the final takes shape.
