Friday morning, UEFA conducted the draw for the Champion League's new playoff phase, which essentially adds one more round to the previous format's knockout stage. 16 teams were sorted, with pairings influenced (but not entirely determined) by order of finish in the group stage.

The UEFA Champions League's first-ever league phase will come to a dramatic close on Wednesday, when all 18 games will kick off at once with several spots in the knockout stages up for grabs. All but nine teams are still in the running to qualify for the next rounds,

The UEFA Champions League 2024-25 playoffs are set, introducing a revamped format that replaces the traditional group stage with a league phase, ensuring high-intensity matchups from the start.  Top European clubs will now battle in a knockout-style playoff round to secure a place in the Round of 16,