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Champions League knockout round play-off draw explained: What are the rules?

Alex Harris

Champions League, Football News

7mo ago

The Champions League is set to enter new territory with the knockout round play-offs.

The tournament’s new format means some teams will have to earn their place in the last 16 the hard way.

While the top eight in the league phase automatically progressed, the sides filling the spots from ninth to 24th in the table will be pitched into battle over two legs.

Champions League odds are on the Paddy Power website and Paddy Power app, otherwise, details of the Champions League knockout round play-off draw can be found below.

Champions League knockout round play-off draw explained

The Champions League teams still standing are placed into a bracket based on their finishing position in the league phase.

The clubs ranked ninth to 16th are seeded, those placed 17th to 24th are unseeded and potential fixtures are pre-determined.

The bracket for the knockout round play-offs is:

Silver:

Monaco or Brest v PSG or Benfica
Sporting or Club Brugge v Atalanta or Borussia Dortmund
Celtic or Man City v Real Madrid or Bayern Munich
Feyenoord or Juventus v Milan or PSV

Blue:

Feyenoord or Juventus v Milan or PSV
Celtic or Man City v Real Madrid or Bayern Munich
Sporting or Club Brugge v Atalanta or Borussia Dortmund
Monaco or Brest v PSG or Benfica

The seeded and unseeded teams are placed in their pairs into one of eight bowls.

The draw begins with the unseeded teams being picked from the lowest ranked to the highest ranked.

The first of the pair to be picked is placed into the Silver side of the bracket and the second into the Blue side.

The seeded teams are then picked from their bowls from the lowest ranked to the highest ranked.