The 2025-26 Champions League playoffs draw passed off on Friday and gave us some massive matchups forward of the knockout levels as PSG, Actual Madrid and Inter are among the many high groups that should play the 2 extra matches in February. Jose Mourinho’s Benfica will face Actual Madrid once more, just a few weeks after the thrilling 4-2 win in Lisbon whereas Inter will face Bodo/Glimt within the two legged playoff with the return leg at San Siro. PSG and AS Monaco will face every others in a French derby and Newcastle should go to Azerbaijan’s Qarabag earlier than they face Manchester Metropolis away from dwelling within the Premier League. Among the many different matchups, Victor Osimhen will face his former Napoli coach Luciano Spalletti as Galatasaray will meet Juventus and Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid will meet Membership Brugge. All ties will likely be performed on the weeks of February 17-18 and 24-25.
Champions League knockout playoff draw
- Benfica vs. Actual Madrid
- Bodo/Glimt vs. Inter
- Monaco vs. Paris Saint-Germain
- Qarabag vs. Newcastle United
- Galatasaray vs. Juventus
- Membership Brugge vs. Atletico Madrid
- Borussia Dortmund vs. Atalanta
- Olympiacos vs. Bayer Leverkusen
Benfica vs. Actual Madrid
Let’s begin with the large one: Actual Madrid will face once more Jose Mourinho’s Benfica few weeks after the extremely eventful final matchday of the league part, when the last-minute purpose scored by goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin allowed Mourinho’s facet to sneak into the playoffs. Actual Madrid supervisor Alvaro Arbeloa may also have an opportunity for revenge after his former coach managed to win such an unbelievable recreation in Lisbon and understanding that the Spanish giants will play the return leg on the Bernabeu. Actual Madrid, regardless of the disappointing begin to the season, that led to the arrival of Arbeloa, are thought-about among the many faovrites to win the event, however the comeback of Mourinho in Madrid will certainly be a vital turning level of their 2025-26 season.
Borussia Dortmund vs. Atalanta
The German facet will face Atalanta within the playoffs, making it among the finest and most unpredictable matches of the spherical. Borussia Dortmund misplaced the possibility to finish up within the high eight by shedding 2-0 to Inter on the final matchday of the league part whereas Atalanta additionally had a disappointing finish of the primary part with a defeat in opposition to Union SG. The Nerazzurri had a troublesome begin of the season underneath supervisor Ivan Juric who changed Gian Piero Gasperini on the membership in the summertime 2025, however issues received a lot better for the reason that new coach Raffaele Palladino took over and began a brand new cycle with the Italian workforce. Atalanta are one of many underdogs of the European marketing campaign and could be a massive shock within the upcoming rounds.
AS Monaco vs. PSG
The French derby: AS Monaco will face PSG within the two legged playoffs because the 2024-25 Champions League champions will meet a French workforce within the playoffs similar to final 12 months once they needed to face Brest in the identical spherical. Regardless of the feelings of the French derby, this one ought to be a predictable matchup as PSG are actually again on the high of the Ligue 1 standings whereas AS Monaco did not have their finest season up to now, as they’re at present tenth within the league standings with solely no wins within the final 5 video games.
