Champions League draw LIVE: Man City and Celtic face blockbuster with Real Madrid or Bayern Munich tie

The Independent

·31 Januari 2025

Champions League draw LIVE: Man City and Celtic face blockbuster with Real Madrid or Bayern Munich tie

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Real or Bayern will be favourites against City - Guardiola

The draw for the Champions League play-offs takes place with Manchester City and Celtic set to face either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich for a chance to reach the knockout stage.

Liverpool, Arsenal and Aston Villa are already through after claiming one of the top-eight spots in the inaugural league phase, but they will have to wait for next month’s last-16 draw for the knockout bracket to be fully set.

Premier League champions City scraped through by beating Club Brugge and, as the 22nd seeds, know they will face a true European heavyweight in the next round. Madrid and Bayern both failed to finish in the top-eight as well and one of them is guaranteed to face Pep Guardiola’s side, with the other playing Celtic.

Liverpool finished top of the league standings and will face one of Paris Saint-Germain, Benfica, Monaco or Brest, while Arsenal know one of AC Milan, PSV Feyenoord or Juventus awaits them. Aston Villa, the eighth seeds, can prepare for one of Atalanta, Borussia Dortmund, Sporting or Club Brugge.

This morning’s draw in Nyon determine the play-offs and you can follow all the updates in the live blog below. The Europa League draw will follow at around 12pm GMT.

Manchester City averted disaster but their obvious frailties are a cause for concern

A manager defined by finishing first may never be so relieved to come 22nd. Pep Guardiola was 45 minutes from abject humiliation. Twenty months after winning the Champions League, Manchester City were on course to be cast out of it. Embarrassment was on the agenda.

It was averted. By character, by the resolve of a veteran and the skill of a rookie.