Real‍‌‍‍‌ Madrid v Benfica Expected to be the Showpiece Tie in the Champions League Knockout Play-Off Draw

The draw for the UEFA Champions League knockout play-off round 2025/26 took place on Friday and it unveiled quite a few exciting fixtures as the clubs tussle to get to the round of 16.

The biggest tie is the one where 14-time European champions Real Madrid have been drawn to play against Jose Mourinho’s Benfica in a two-legged encounter that might be a blockbuster. The two sides met recently in a heated Matchday 8 clash in Lisbon, and now they will face each other with a place in the last 16 as the prize.

Champions Paris Saint-Germain are in for a local derby against Monaco in an all-French tie; meanwhile, Newcastle United from the Premier League were tasked with Azerbaijani side Qarabag. The Old Lady of Turin will face the two-time winners of the UEFA Cup, Galatasaray, Atletico meet the current Belgian champions Club Brugge, and Inter Milan come up against Norway’s surprise team, Bodo/Glimt.

However, Atalanta encountered Borussia Dortmund in a pretty evenly matched tie, considering the teams on paper, while Bayer Leverkusen would be locking horns with Olympiacos.

The first games of the knockout play-offs are set for February 17 and 18, with the second games coming up on February 24 and 25. The eight victors will then reach the round of 16, starting in March.

Moreover, they will also get to compete against the teams finishing in the top eight of the league phase, which is why they have gotten a direct pass to the last 16. Those teams include Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Barcelona, Chelsea, Sporting CP, and Manchester City.

The draw for the round of 16, along with the rest of the championship bracket, will happen on Friday, February 27, after the play-off ties have finished. With the confirmation of several heavyweight encounters, the wait for yet another dramatic episode in Europe’s top club competition is ‍‌‍‍‌on.