Champions League draw: Real Madrid and Manchester City will face each other for the fourth consecutive year

The route to the knockout stages of the Champions League has already been mapped out for the 16 teams that did not qualify automatically. This Friday UEFA held the draw for the pairings for this preliminary round, with very high level ties. 

Real Madrid, the only Spanish team present at the draw, as F. C. Barcelona and Atlético de Madrid qualified in the top eight, will face Manchester City in this intermediate tie, in what is undoubtedly the big match of this round prior to the round of 16. 

The first leg will be played on 11 or 12 February, while the second leg will take place on 18 or 19 February. On Friday 21st February the draw will take place to decide the pairings for the last sixteen, as well as the quarter finals and semi finals, thus clearly establishing the route to the final, which will be played on 31st May at the Allianz Arena in Munich. 

If they manage to eliminate Manchester City in the play-offs, Real Madrid will face Atlético Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen in the last sixteen. They will find out in the draw on Friday 21st February. 

The knockout phase play-offs are set ✅#UCLdraw pic.twitter.com/9KWMSgQWoD

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) January 31, 2025

In the case of Barcelona, their opponents in the last sixteen will be one of Brest, Paris Saint-Germain, Monaco and Benfica, while Atlético de Madrid will face Manchester City, Real Madrid, Celtic or Bayern Munich in that round. Both will find out in the draw on Friday 21st February. 

The rest of the ties would be as follows: Atalanta – Club Brugge; Dortmund – Sporting; Celtic – Bayern; PSV against Juventus; Feyenoord – Milan; Benfica - Monaco; and PSG - Brest.