Champions League Drama Unfolds: Real Madrid and PSG Discover Their Knockout Playoff Destinies as 16 Elite Teams Battle for Survival

Real Madrid finds themselves facing José Mourinho and Benfica once more in the knockout playoff stage as they fight for a place in the Champions League round of 16.

Following a crushing 4–2 loss to the Portuguese side on the league phase's concluding matchday, combined with Sporting CP's last-gasp victory in the 95th minute, Álvaro Arbeloa's team slipped into the playoff positions, with Friday's draw setting up Madrid for a chance at revenge in a two-match knockout series next month.

Current titleholders Paris Saint-Germain have struggled in their title defense campaign so far and must now overcome fellow French side Monaco to secure their passage to the round of 16.

Meanwhile, Newcastle United faces an extensive journey to take on Azerbaijan's Qarabağ, while Inter, who fell short in the previous season's championship match, will square off against Bodø/Glimt.

Italian powerhouse Juventus has drawn a fixture away to Galatasaray, and in another pairing from this matchup pool, Atlético Madrid will clash with Club Brugge. German clubs Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen have been matched with Atalanta and Olympiacos in their respective encounters.

View the complete Champions League knockout playoff draw results below.

2025–26 Champions League Knockout Playoff Draw

2025–26 Champions League Knockout Playoff Draw

When Are the Champions League Knockout Playoffs?

When Are the Champions League Knockout Playoffs?

Clubs will have slightly more than two weeks to study their opposition, as the opening legs are set for Feb. 17 and 18. The non-seeded sides will serve as hosts for these initial matches.

Seeded clubs will look to capitalize on playing at home during the second legs, taking place the subsequent week on Feb. 24 and 25. Just two days following these concluding matches, another draw will determine the remaining knockout round pairings.

Key 2025–26 Champions League Dates

Key 2025–26 Champions League Dates