 "Champions League: Real Madrid to face Man City in knockouts for fourth consecutive year")
Defending champions Real Madrid will reignite their Champions League rivalry with 2023 winners Manchester City in an exciting knockout phase playoff tie, following the draw held in Nyon on Friday.
Both teams were unable to secure automatic qualification to the last 16, finishing 11th and 22nd, respectively in the new league-phase format. Teams placed ninth to 24th will compete in a two-legged playoff to earn a spot in the last 16.
This match-up marks the fourth consecutive year that Real Madrid and Manchester City will face each other in knockout rounds, having met in four previous ties since 2020.
“It feels like a derby already, four years in a row facing Real Madrid,” City boss Pep Guardiola told reporters after the draw was confirmed.
“But Bayern or Madrid, both were really tough. Hopefully we can arrive in the first leg here and then at Madrid as best as possible.”
The Spanish league leaders will fancy their chances, having eliminated English clubs in the knockout stages 13 times.
Although City thrashed the Spanish club 5-1 on aggregate in the semi-finals in 2023 en route to the treble, Real exacted revenge last year when they beat Guardiola’s side on penalties in the quarter-finals after two draws.
“In a perfect world, we wouldn’t play them, but we weren’t able to get into the top eight and that’s OK,” Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti said.
“Playing two more or fewer games doesn’t matter … we have the resources to deal with it.”
The competition does not get any easier for either team as they will face either Atletico Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen in the last 16.
Champions League knockout playoff draw
Club Brugge v Atalanta
Sporting v Borussia Dortmund
Manchester City v Real Madrid
Celtic v Bayern Munich
Juventus v PSV Eindhoven
Feyenoord v AC Milan
Brest v Paris St Germain
AS Monaco v Benfica
Champions League knockout playoff dates
Playoff first leg: 11/12 February
Playoff second leg: 18/19 February
Last 16 draw: 21 February
With AFP inputs
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