The Champions League group stage is over, which suggests the knockout rounds can begin with the play-offs.
The highest eight teams from the group stage head straight into the last 16 of the competition, however the 16 sides that finished Ninth-Twenty fourth now go into the play-offs.
Eight clubs will emerge from that play-off and join the elite octet from the group stage. Clear?
It gets a bit more complicated because the draws for the play-off and the last 16 see the teams paired up, so we all know groups of possible opponents before the draws are made.
Clubs which might be heading into the play-offs already know that they’ll get considered one of two possible opponents.
The eight teams already into the last 16 know they’ll face considered one of 4 teams, depending on which sides come through the play-off.
It’s an unusual system, but here is which teams could face one another within the last 16 of the Champions League.
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Who could Arsenal play within the last 16?
Arsenal or Bayern Munich will play Atalanta, Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund or Olmypiacos.
Who could Chelsea play within the last 16?
Chelsea or Barcelona will play Monaco, Qarabag, PSG or Newcastle.
Who could Liverpool play within the last 16?
Liverpool or Tottenham will play Club Brugge, Galatasaray, Juventus or Atletico Madrid.
Who could Tottenham play within the last 16?
Tottenham or Liverpool will play Club Brugge, Galatasaray, Juventus or Atletico Madrid.
Who could Man City play within the last 16?
Man City or Sporting will play Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Bodo/Glimt or Benfica.
When is the last 16 draw?
The round of 16 draw will occur on Friday, 27 February, with the eight teams that advance from the knockout phase play-offs joining the eight teams that qualified routinely from the league phase.
Who could Newcastle play within the play-off round?
Newcastle will tackle Qarabag or Monaco.
The 2025/26 UEFA Champions League knockout phase play-off draw takes place on Friday, 30 January 2026, in Nyon, Switzerland.
The draw will begin at 11am GMT, and features teams that finished ninth to Twenty fourth place within the league phase.
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