The opening round of the revamped UEFA Champions League 2024/25 is in the books after a thrilling final matchday set up some blockbuster contests moving forward. The knockout phase is now confirmed, with 24 teams advancing beyond the league phase. Eight teams have secured direct entry to the Round of 16, while 16 others will battle in the knockout phase play-offs for a place in the pre-quarter finals.
The path to the final is taking shape, with key matchups already mapped out ahead of the crucial draw.
Teams Qualified for the Knockout Phase
| Round | Teams |
|---|---|
| Round of 16 (Direct Entry) | Arsenal, Aston Villa, Atlético Madrid, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Bayer Leverkusen, Lille, Liverpool |
| Knockout Play-offs | Atalanta, Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Benfica, Brest, Celtic, Club Brugge, Feyenoord, Juventus, Manchester City, AC Milan, Monaco, PSG, PSV, Real Madrid, Sporting CP |
| Eliminated | Bologna, Crvena Zvezda, Girona, GNK Dinamo, RB Leipzig, Salzburg, Shakhtar Donetsk, Slovan Bratislava, Sparta Praha, Sturm Graz, Stuttgart, Young Boys |
The knockout phase play-offs will be played over two legs on February 11-12 and 18-19. Teams that finished between 9th and 24th in the league phase will battle for a spot in the Round of 16, setting up some mouth-watering clashes.
The draw will take place on Friday. However, teams already have a 50-50 chance of facing specific opponents based on final league positions.
- Manchester City, who were 45 minutes away from elimination, will either face Real Madrid (their recent Champions League rivals) or their former captain Vincent Kompany’s Bayern Munich. Celtic will face the other team.
- Juventus have a 50% chance of facing AC Milan in an all-Italian showdown.
- Paris Saint-Germain will face a Ligue 1 rival—either Monaco or Brest.
The winners of these ties will then progress to the Round of 16, where they will meet one of the pre-qualified teams.
The Round of 16 matches will be played on March 4-5 and 11-12. While exact fixtures will only be confirmed after the draw on February 21, teams already know their possible opponents based on league phase standings:
- Liverpool will face Monaco, Brest, PSG, or Benfica.
- Barcelona will also meet Monaco, Brest, PSG, or Benfica.
- Arsenal, who finished third, will play Feyenoord, Juventus, AC Milan, or PSV.
- Aston Villa, who narrowly secured a top-eight finish after defeating Celtic, will take on Sporting CP, Club Brugge, Atalanta, or Borussia Dortmund.
- The winner of Celtic vs. Manchester City will face Atlético Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen.
The quarter-final and semi-final draws will also take place on February 21, giving teams a clearer picture of their potential path to the final in Munich.
Champions League Knockout Stage Schedule
| Stage | Dates |
|---|---|
| Knockout Phase Play-offs | February 11/12 & 18/19, 2025 |
| Round of 16 | March 4/5 & 11/12, 2025 |
| Quarter-finals | April 8/9 & 15/16, 2025 |
| Semi-finals | April 29/30 & May 6/7, 2025 |
| Final (Munich) | May 31, 2025 |
This season marks the first year of UEFA’s new Champions League format, introducing a league phase instead of traditional group-stage groups.
Now, with powerhouses like Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City forced into play-offs, the road to Munich 2025 promises high-intensity clashes, potential upsets, and moments of pure drama.
The stakes are higher than ever—who will rise to the challenge and lift the trophy? Stay tuned as the knockout rounds unfold!
