City Draws Real Madrid, Celtic Faces Bayern in Thrilling UCL Play-offs

The UEFA Champions League play-off round has set up two thrilling matchups for football fans.

Reigning champions Manchester City will face off against 15-time European Cup winners Real Madrid, while Celtic will take on Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich.

City, fresh off their 2023 UCL victory, will host Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium for the first leg on either 11 or 12 February.

The return leg will be played in Madrid the following week. This clash promises to be a high-octane encounter, with City looking to defend their title against one of the competition’s most storied clubs.

On the other side, Celtic, whose European glory came in 1967, will welcome Bayern Munich to Celtic Park for the first leg. The second leg will be played at Bayern’s Allianz Arena.

Celtic’s manager Brendan Rodgers will be hoping to inspire his side to an upset as they face a formidable Bayern team known for their ruthless efficiency.

The play-off draw also includes other exciting matchups. Brest will take on Paris Saint-Germain, while Club Brugge will face Atalanta.

Juventus will meet PSV Eindhoven, and Monaco will battle Benfica. Sporting Lisbon will go up against Borussia Dortmund, while Feyenoord will face AC Milan.

For context, the Champions League play-offs feature teams that finished between 9th and 24th in the group stage standings.

The top eight teams automatically progress to the last 16, while the remaining 16 sides enter the play-offs.

The draw separated teams into seeded and unseeded categories, with seeded teams hosting the second leg due to their higher positions in the group phase.

Manchester City finished 22nd in the league phase, while Celtic ended 21st, meaning both teams were drawn to face two of the most iconic clubs in European football: Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, who finished 11th and 12th respectively.

The stage is set for some unforgettable Champions League action as these heavyweights prepare to battle for a place in the last 16.