NYON, Switzerland — The draw for the knockout playoff stage of the UEFA Champions League took place on Friday, setting the stage for an exciting series of matchups. The teams will face off in the first leg of these knockout rounds on February 11 and 12, while the second leg will occur on February 18 and 19.

The first leg pairings include Club Brugge from Belgium taking on Atalanta from Italy, and Sporting Lisbon from Portugal squaring off against Borussia Dortmund from Germany. Manchester City, representing England, will go head-to-head with Spain’s Real Madrid, whereas Celtic from Scotland will challenge Germany’s Bayern Munich. Juventus from Italy faces PSV Eindhoven from the Netherlands, while Feyenoord, also from the Netherlands, will play against AC Milan from Italy. Additionally, Brest and Paris Saint-Germain, both from France, are set to compete, along with Monaco from France taking on Benfica from Portugal.

In the second leg, Atalanta will host Club Brugge, where the winners will have the opportunity to meet Lille or Aston Villa. Borussia Dortmund will welcome Sporting Lisbon, with the eventual victor going on to face the same potential foes. On another thrilling matchup, Real Madrid is set to clash with Manchester City, and the winner will then encounter either Atletico Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen.

Bayern Munich will play host to Celtic, and similarly, the winner of that match will face either Atletico Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen in the next round. PSV Eindhoven plays at home against Juventus, and the winner will progress to compete against Arsenal or Inter Milan. AC Milan will take on Feyenoord, with the victor moving on to challenge the same potential adversaries. Lastly, the clash between Paris Saint-Germain and Brest will determine which team will face either Liverpool or Barcelona, while Benfica will look to eliminate Monaco with the winner facing the same teams as well.

This set of fixtures promises a thrilling display of football as some of Europe’s top clubs vie for a spot in the next round of the prestigious tournament. Fans around the world are eagerly anticipating these matchups, showcasing the exceptional talent and competitiveness that the UEFA Champions League offers.