What to expect in champions league draw today
The Champions League knockout phase play-off draw is set to take place today, Friday, January 31, 2025, at 11am GMT (12:00 CET). Here’s what you can expect from this draw:
Format: The play-offs are a new feature this season, where teams finishing between 9th and 24th in the league phase will compete in a knockout format to secure their place in the last 16. Teams from 9th to 16th are seeded and will play the second leg at home against teams from 17th to 24th.
Teams Involved: The teams that did not automatically qualify for the round of 16, which are those ranked from 9th to 24th, will participate in this draw. Specific teams mentioned in the context include Manchester City, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, PSG, Arsenal, and Aston Villa, among others, with various possibilities based on their league phase rankings.
Draw Mechanics:
Seeded teams (9th to 16th) will be drawn against unseeded teams (17th to 24th).
There is a pairing system where teams are matched based on their final league positions. For example, teams finishing 9th and 10th will face teams that ended 23rd or 24th, and so on.
Teams can face opponents from the same country and teams they met during the league phase.
Location: The draw will occur at the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland.
Streaming: It will be streamed live on UEFA.com, allowing fans to follow the draw online.
Next Steps: The play-offs will be two-legged matches, with the first legs scheduled for February 11/12, 2025, and the second legs for February 18/19, 2025. The winners of these play-offs proceed to the round of 16.
Potential Matchups: Based on the league phase outcomes, there’s a buzz around potential matchups like Manchester City vs. Real Madrid or Bayern Munich vs. Celtic, although these are speculative and the actual draw will confirm the pairings.
Remember, this information is based on the latest available details, and the exact matchups will only be known after the draw takes place.
