Champions League Knockout Phase Play-off: Fixtures, Match Schedule, Where to Bet
Following the end of the league phase, the UEFA Champions League knockout phase play-off draw took place on Friday, throwing up some heavyweight clashes for a spot in the last 16.
The headline fixture sees Manchester City take on 15-time European Cup winners Real Madrid in what promises to be a cracking showdown.
City scraped through to the knockout play-offs in 22nd place after a 3-1 win over Club Brugge on the final matchday. Now, they must knock out holders Real Madrid for a place in the last 16.
Both sides have been regulars in recent Champions League finals, featuring in each of the last four seasons. However, with neither finishing in the top eight of the new league format, one of these European giants will make an early exit.
This will be the fifth two-legged meeting between City and Madrid in the last six seasons. Last year, Madrid ended City’s title defence in a penalty shoot-out at the Etihad in the quarter-finals. The season before, City knocked out Madrid in the semi-finals on their way to winning the tournament for the first time and completing a historic treble.
The winners of this tie will face either Atletico Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen in the last 16.
Elsewhere, Paris Saint-Germain take on Brest in an all-French clash, while Feyenoord and Juventus have been drawn against AC Milan and PSV, respectively.
Six-time European champions Bayern Munich will meet 1967 winners Celtic, and last season’s finalists Borussia Dortmund, take on Sporting CP.
Benfica go up against Monaco, while Club Brugge face Europa League winners Atalanta.
The first legs of the play-offs are scheduled for February 11-12, 2025, with the return legs on February 18-19, a week later.
The draw for the last 16 will take place on February 21.
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100% Welcome Bonus Up to €100Champions League Knockout Phase Play-Off Draw In Full
- Manchester City vs Real Madrid
- Celtic vs Bayern Munich
- Juventus vs PSV
- Feyenoord vs AC Milan
- Brest vs PSG
- Monaco vs Benfica
- Club Brugge vs Atalanta
- Sporting CP vs Borussia Dortmund
100% Welcome Bonus Up to ₦50.000When are the 2024/25 Champions League Knockout Fixtures?
- Round of 16: March 4/5 and March 11/12, 2025
- Quarter-finals: April 8/9 and April 15/16, 2025
- Semi-finals: April 29/30 and May 6/7, 2025
- Final: May 31, 2025
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The play-off round featured teams that finished between 9th and 16th in the league phase as seeded teams.
They were drawn against unseeded teams who placed between 17th and 24th. The seeded sides also have the advantage of playing the second leg at home.
The eight winners from the play-offs will then join the top eight finishers from the league phase in the last-16 draw.
From there, the competition follows the traditional two-legged knockout format right through to the final.
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Welcome Bonus Up to ₦200.000Where to Bet on the UEFA Champions League Knockout Play-Off Round
The best betting sites in Nigeria all offer markets on the UEFA Champions League knockout play-off round, and you can check out our reviews of each site to find the one that best suits your betting preferences.
For match-winner bets and bet builders, Betano is an excellent choice. Their 2 Goal Ahead early payout on Champions League matches means your match-winner bets will be settled as a win if your selected team goes two goals up at any point—regardless of the final score.
And with Betano’s bet builder, you can combine your favourite markets from a single Champions League match onto a single bet slip. You can create up to four bet builders, boosting your odds and potential payout.
2 Goals Ahead? You've Already Won!2 Goals Ahead? You've Already Won!What’s more? New customers who sign up ahead of the knockout play-off using the BETANO1000 promo code get a ₦1,000 free bet—no deposit required—to bet on any sports market of their choice. This offer is limited to the first 30,000 sign-ups, so hurry so you don’t miss out!
BETANO1000 BETA Free Bet Offer: ₦1.000BETANO1000 BETA Free Bet Offer: ₦1.000Bet9ja also has an ongoing promotion—the Bet9ja Champions Jackpot, where five players can win ₦1 million every UCL matchday throughout the competition.
To participate, click on the banner below to open a Bet9ja account and place a ₦200 single or accumulator bet on Champions League knockout play-off matches.
This promotion runs on every UCL matchday, giving Bet9ja players plenty of chances to win that ₦1 million jackpot.
Champions Jackpot: Win ₦1.000.000 This MidweekChampions Jackpot: Win ₦1.000.000 This MidweekWhen and where is the 2025 Champions League final?
The 2024/25 UEFA Champions League final will be held in Munich at the Allianz Arena on May 31, 2025.
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