The draw for the Champions League playoffs took place in Nyon, Switzerland, on Friday, setting up a series of exciting knockout matches. The playoffs feature teams that finished between 9th and 24th in the League Phase, with the winners advancing to the coveted Round of 16. Matches are scheduled for February 11-12 and 18-19, 2025, promising intense competition as teams vie for a spot in the next round.
The playoffs will see some thrilling pairings, with defending champions Real Madrid facing Manchester City, a matchup that stands out as one of the most anticipated. The knockout stage is crucial, as the winners will move on to the Round of 16, set for March 4-5 and 11-12, 2025, where they will continue their pursuit of Champions League glory.
The draw revealed several intriguing seeded pairings: Atalanta & Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid & Bayern Munich, AC Milan & PSV, and Paris Saint-Germain & Benfica. The unseeded pairings added to the excitement with Monaco & Brest, Feyenoord & Juventus, Celtic & Manchester City, and Sporting & Club Brugge all set to battle it out on the field. Teams that finished 9th to 16th in the League Phase will play their first legs away from home, adding an extra layer of challenge to their playoff journey.
This season's Champions League brings not only fierce competition but also increased financial stakes. The total prize money has surged by approximately 25 percent to nearly 2.5 billion euros ($2.6bn). The ultimate victors of the competition stand to earn more than 86 million euros ($89m) in prize money, further intensifying the race for the prestigious title.
As teams prepare for these crucial playoff matches, attention also turns to the subsequent rounds. The quarterfinals are scheduled for April 8-9 and 15-16, 2025, followed by the semifinals on April 29-30 and May 6-7, 2025. The season will culminate in a grand finale on May 31, 2025, at the Munich Football Arena in Germany, where the champions will be crowned.
