Manchester City vs Real Madrid headlines Champions League knockout playoffs; Bayern Munich to face Celtic

Manchester City and Real Madrid, the winners of the last two editions of the UEFA Champions League, will square off in the knockout playoffs round.

Manchester City and Real Madrid, the winners of the last two editions of the UEFA Champions League, will square off in the knockout playoffs round after the draw was announced on Friday. The 2023 champions, Manchester City, will host the first leg on February 11 (February 12, India time), while the 2024 winners, Real Madrid, will host the second leg on February 18 (February 19).

Manchester City and Real Madrid, the winners of the last two editions of the UEFA Champions League, will square off in the knockout playoffs round. (REUTERS)

It is important to state that the winner over the two legs progresses to the round of 16. The winner will take on either Atletico Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen, who are placed in the top eight of the new 36-team league standings.

This is the fourth consecutive time that Manchester City and Real Madrid have been pitted against each other in the Champions League knockout tie.

For the uninitiated, the Champions League format was recently changed, and the teams that finished from Nos. 9 to 24 in the standings dropped into the two-leg knockout playoffs round.

Real Madrid finished 11th, while Manchester City barely qualified in 22nd. As soon as Manchester City finished at this spot, Pep Guardiola and co knew that they would have to face either No. 11 Madrid or No. 12 Bayern Munich.