The UEFA Champions League’s first-ever league part is over, and the knockout stage outlook is now a lot clearer. Manchester Metropolis averted catastrophe, Liverpool topped the league-phase desk, and we are going to get Manchester Metropolis in opposition to both Actual Madrid or Bayern Munich within the playoffs.

Friday’s draw will element the trail to the Champions League ultimate at Munich’s Allianz Enviornment on Might 31 as who will play who nonetheless within the spherical of 16 stays unsettled. 

Here is what to know:

Manchester Metropolis saved by Savinho in Champions League, overturn one objective deficit to win 3-1 and advance

James Benge

UEFA Champions League Bracket

Knockout spherical playoffs: Attainable fixtures

Spherical of 16: Attainable fixtures

Who superior to spherical of 16 with top-eight end?

• Liverpool‘s doable opponents in spherical of 16: PSG, Benfica, Monaco, Brest
• Barcelona‘s doable opponents in spherical of 16: PSG, Benfica, Monaco, Brest
• Arsenal‘s doable opponents in spherical of 16: Milan, PSV, Feyenoord, Juventus2
• Inter‘s doable opponents in spherical of 16: Milan, PSV, Feyenoord, Juventus
• Atletico Madrid‘s doable opponents in spherical of 16: Actual Madrid, Bayern Munich, Celtic, Manchester Metropolis
• Bayer Leverkusen‘s doable opponents in spherical of 16: Actual Madrid, Bayern Munich, Celtic, Manchester Metropolis
• Lille‘s doable opponents in spherical of 16: Atalanta, Borussia Dortmund, Sporting, Membership Brugge
• Aston Villa‘s doable opponents in spherical of 16: Atalanta, Borussia Dortmund, Sporting, Membership Brugge

How do the knockout part playoffs work?

Groups ranked ninth by way of sixteenth on the finish of the league part will likely be seeded and will likely be drawn in opposition to one of many unseeded groups. Every seeded group can have 4 potential opponents and can discover out their precise foe in Friday’s draw earlier than collaborating in a two-legged collection.

The seeded group will host the second leg and the group with the larger combination rating will advance to the spherical of 16, with further time and penalties looming if the combination rating is tied. 

Listed below are the predetermined pairings for the groups that can play within the knockout part playoffs.

• Atalanta‘s doable opponents in knockout playoffs: Sporting, Membership Brugge
• Borussia Dortmund‘s doable opponents in knockout playoffs: Sporting, Membership Brugge
• Actual Madrid‘s doable opponents in knockout playoffs: Celtic, Manchester Metropolis
• Bayern Munich‘s doable opponents in knockout playoffs: Celtic, Manchester Metropolis
• Milan‘s doable opponents in knockout playoffs: Feyenoord, Juventus
• PSV‘s doable opponents in knockout playoffs: Feyenoord, Juventus
• PSG‘s doable opponents in knockout playoffs: Monaco, Brest
• Benfica‘s doable opponents in knockout playoffs: Monaco, Brest
• Monaco‘s doable opponents in knockout playoffs: PSG, Benfica
• Brest‘s doable opponents in knockout playoffs: PSG, Benfica
• Feyenoord‘s doable opponents in knockout playoffs: Milan, PSV
• Juventus‘ doable opponents in knockout playoffs: Milan, PSV
• Celtic‘s doable opponents in knockout playoffs: Actual Madrid, Bayern Munich
• Manchester Metropolis‘s doable opponents in knockout playoffs: Actual Madrid, Bayern Munich
• Sporting‘s doable opponents in knockout playoffs: Atalanta, Borussia Dortmund
• Membership Brugge‘s doable opponents in knockout playoffs: Atalanta, Borussia Dortmund

How do groups qualify for the knockouts?

Within the 36-team league part, the groups that end within the prime eight will earn a bye and qualify instantly for the spherical of 16. These ranked ninth by way of twenty fourth will enter the first-ever knockout part playoffs, whereas the groups ranked twenty fifth or decrease will likely be eradicated. In contrast to earlier editions of the Champions League, no groups will drop all the way down to the UEFA Europa League.

Are there away objectives, and may groups from similar nation meet?

The away objectives rule won’t apply, and there will likely be no restriction on groups from the identical nation enjoying one another.  

How does the spherical of 16 work?

Groups that completed the league part ranked first by way of eighth will likely be seeded on this spherical, whereas the groups that superior by way of the knockout part playoffs will likely be unseeded. The principles of the earlier spherical apply and there will even be predetermined pairings that can create the bracket. There’s an added reward for the groups that completed the league part within the prime 4, although – they are going to basically have their very own quadrants of the bracket and wouldn’t face one another till the latter levels of the competitors.

Listed below are the predetermined pairings for the spherical of 16.

• Pairing A: 1/2 vs. Winner IV
• Pairing B: 3/4 vs. Winner III
• Pairing C: 5/6 vs. Winner II
• Pairing D: 7/8 vs. Winner I

Key Champions League dates

• Jan. 31: Draw for the knockout part playoffs
• Feb. 11-Feb. 19: Knockout part playoffs
• Feb. 21: Draw for the spherical of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals and ultimate
• March 4-12: Spherical of 16
• April 8-16: Quarterfinals
• April 29-Might 7: Semifinals
• Might 31: Last