Champions League playoffs: Real Madrid set for Benfica rematch, Newcastle to face Qarabag
Real Madrid, who lost against Benfica on Wednesday, will face the Portuguese club again in next month's Champions League knockout playoffs, while defending champions Paris Saint-Germain will take on Ligue 1 side Monaco after the draw took place on Friday, January 30.
New Delhi: Real Madrid will take on Benfica in an instant rematch in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) playoffs after the draw took place on Friday, January 30. The Spanish club lost against Jose Mourinho’s side 4-2, when their goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin scored late in injury time to send them through, and set to host the first leg in Lisbon.
Newcastle United will travel 2,500-mile to Azerbaijan to face Qarabag in the first leg. The Premier League side will feel confident after a brilliant performance against defending champions Paris Saint-Germain, holding them to a 1-1 draw at Parc des Princes on Wednesday.
PSG, who are at the top of Ligue 1, will face 10th-placed Monaco in the UCL playoffs. Monaco will host the first leg and will look to beat their domestic opponent after registering a 1-0 league victory last time the two clubs met on 29 November.
Bodø/Glimt will square off against Italy's Inter Milan in the first leg. The Norwegian club delivered a sensational performance in the league phase, stunning Manchester City and Atlético Madrid in their last two games. Galatasaray set to face Juventus, while Club Brugge will take on Atlético, and Borussia Dortmund will play against Atalanta. Olympiakos will face Bayer Leverkusen.
Monaco vs PSG
Benfica vs Real Madrid
Qarabag vs Newcastle
Galatasaray vs Juventus
Borussia Dortmund vs Atalanta
Club Brugge vs Atletico Madrid
Bodø/Glimt vs Inter
Olympiacos vs Bayer Leverkusen
Dates for Champions League playoff games
The first leg of the playoffs will be played on 17 February and 18 February, and the second leg on 24 and 25 February. The clubs that have already qualified for the round of 16 will wait to discover their potential opposition.
Arsenal, who finished at the top of the league phase table, will take on either the winner of the Olympiakos versus Leverkusen match or whoever qualifies between Borussia Dortmund and Atalanta. For Manchester City, a clash against Real Madrid, Benfica, Inter Milan or Bodø/Glimt awaits.
Liverpool will face the winners of Galatasaray versus Juventus or Club Brugge versus Atlético. Chelsea could be up against Newcastle if they managed to beat Qarabag, with PSG or Monaco the alternative opponents. Sporting are among the potential opposition for Benfica if they stun Real Madrid again.