NYON, Switzerland — The Champions League is set for a highly anticipated clash, as Real Madrid will once again face Manchester City. This matchup is particularly intriguing because it marks the first time Kylian Mbappé will go up against Erling Haaland, and it is the earliest that these two clubs have met in the tournament’s knockout stage.
The draw for the new knockout playoffs held on Friday revealed that these two football giants, who had a challenging time during the recent eight-game league phase, will lock horns. City found themselves needing to face either Bayern Munich or the reigning champions, Madrid, after a tough campaign.
In the last nine years, Real Madrid and Manchester City have met in three semifinals and one quarterfinal, and each instance saw the winner go on to claim the trophy. This matchup, however, transforms into a two-leg playoff just to secure a place in the round of 16, resulting from both teams finishing with three wins in eight games in the newly expanded format.
“The draw is the draw and we have to accept it,” commented Emilio Butragueno, the director of Real Madrid, as he acknowledged the challenge posed by the English champions. He confidently stated, “We have to think they are going to perform at a very high level against Real Madrid.”
Manchester City, coming off their 2023 championship win and with Haaland making his mark, will host the first leg in their home stadium on February 11 or 12, while Madrid will host the second leg on February 18 or 19. The previous season saw Madrid winning its 15th Champions League title, and the addition of Mbappé only strengthens their already talented lineup.
The victor of this matchup will then advance to challenge either Atletico Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen, distinguished as the Nos. 5 and 6 teams from the overall standings. Other clubs that have secured spots in the round of 16 scheduled for March include Liverpool, Barcelona, Arsenal, Inter Milan, Lille, and Aston Villa.
Teams that found themselves ranking from Nos. 9 to 24 will also participate in the two-leg knockout playoffs, increasing the excitement surrounding these matches. Other noteworthy matchups drawn on the same day include Celtic facing Bayern Munich, Brest squaring off against Paris Saint-Germain, and Monaco playing against Benfica.
Real Madrid finished in 11th place, while Manchester City narrowly qualified in 22nd after a vital 3-1 victory over Club Brugge. Countless scenarios and implications arose as City anticipated their matchup against either Madrid or Bayern, with Bayern eventually being paired with Celtic.
Bayern’s sporting director, Christophe Freund, expressed surprise at the fierce competition in the draw, noting the presence of four European champions, boasting a total of 23 titles, already converging even before the round of 16.
In a nod to the tournament’s history, Bayern clinched their sixth European title in 2020 during a season interrupted by the pandemic. That year, City faced Madrid in the first leg of the round of 16, which was ultimately delayed for months due to the circumstances.
The new structure in the competition now allows teams from the same country to face off prior to the quarterfinals, a significant change from previous years.
In this weekend’s Ligue 1 matchup, PSG was set to meet Brest, who they also will confront in their domestic league shortly after, while Monaco was drawn against Benfica, leading to discussions about managing rivalry schedules.
Monaco’s CEO, Thiago Scuro, pointed out that playing frequent rivalries could be overwhelming for fans.
The upcoming February 21 draw for the round of 16 will finalize the knockout bracket leading up to the championship match set for May 31, to be hosted at Bayern Munich’s stadium.
