The draw for the UEFA Champions League playoffs set several compelling fixtures on Friday, most notably pairing Real Madrid with Benfica, who secured Madrid’s path to the playoffs with a dramatic win earlier this week. This outcome forces the Spanish giant into the uncertainty of a two-legged qualifier after failing to secure direct passage to the Round of 16.
Defending titleholder Paris Saint-Germain must also navigate the playoffs, facing an all-French confrontation against Monaco, a club currently positioned nine places and 21 points behind PSG in domestic league standings. The winners of these ties will proceed to the Round of 16, where teams like Manchester City await.
Benfica secured the playoff spot over Madrid following a decisive 4-2 victory in the final league phase match, which included a dramatic stoppage-time equalizer scored by goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin. This result caused Madrid, which began the match in third position, to drop out of the top eight advancing bracket.
Former Madrid coach Jose Mourinho will now return to the Santiago Bernabéu stadium with Benfica, presenting an opportunity to inflict further competitive damage on his former employer. Madrid recently replaced coach Xabi Alonso with Alvaro Arbeloa in an effort to stabilize the remainder of the season.
PSG’s defensive campaign begins against a Monaco side that, despite its lower league standing, presents a challenging domestic hurdle after PSG also entered the playoffs via this route last season. Meanwhile, Norwegian debutant Bodø/Glimt, responsible for upsets against Manchester City and Atletico Madrid, will test Italian finalist Inter Milan.
The first legs of these playoff ties are scheduled for mid-February, followed by the decisive second legs near the end of the month. The eight direct qualifiers, including Arsenal, Bayern Munich, and Liverpool, await the winners in the subsequent knockout stage.
Beyond the main competition, the draw also determined Europa League playoffs, setting up a fixture between Nottingham Forest and Fenerbahce in Istanbul. This highlights the broad competitive structure now facing European clubs across the continent’s primary tournaments.
