Why the Champions League playoff round draw is a load of balls
If you thought the new format for the tournament was needlessly long and convoluted, wait until you hear about the Champions League knockout stage draw.
Actually, make that draws. Because despite many elements of the draw being pre-determined by the final table of the league phase, Uefa will be conducting three separate draws to finalise the fixtures from the knockout play-off round right through to the final.
And are they doing these three draws in one sitting to avoid needless faff later on? Of course not. Never let it be said that European football’s governing body doesn’t like stringing things out.
Champions League knockout playoff round draw
The Champions League knockout playoff round draw is taking place this week, on Friday 31 January at 11am UK time.
As you might expect, this will determine which seeded teams will play which unseeded teams in a two-legged tie for a spot in the last 16.
The seeded teams are those who finished between ninth and 16th in the league phase table and include giants Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain.
The unseeded sides are those who came 17th to 24th, and include Juventus, Celtic and Manchester City.
Final league position has already narrowed each team’s opposition down to two possibilities, so ninth (Atalanta) and 10th (Dortmund) know they will meet 23rd (Sporting Lisbon) or 24th (Club Brugge).
The Champions League knockout playoff round draw is to finalise the ties, which are scheduled to take place on 11/12 and 18/19 February.
Champions League last 16 draw
Despite pathways already being mapped out to a large degree, the Champions League last 16 draw isn’t taking place until Friday 21 February, after the knockout playoff round.
Then, the eight clubs who won their playoff ties will be pitted against the top eight teams from the league phase table, who include Liverpool, Arsenal and Aston Villa.
Again, seeding is a factor in who clubs can get drawn against. For instance, we already know that Liverpool will play either Monaco, Brest, PSG or Benfica.
Uefa has also already laid out the possible path to the final for all clubs, so for example Liverpool could get Aston Villa but not Arsenal in the quarter-finals.
Which makes it all the more perplexing that teams will have to wait another three weeks for the second draw, but there you are.
And that’s not all: there is a third and final draw, straight after the last 16 draw, to set in stone who will have home advantage in the quarter-finals and semi-finals.
Who can English teams get in the Champions League draws?
Liverpool: last 16 – Monaco, Brest, PSG or Benfica
Arsenal: last 16 – Feyenoord, Juventus, AC Milan or PSV Eindhoven
Aston Villa: last 16 – Atalanta, Borussia Dortmund, Sporting Lisbon or Club Brugge
Manchester City: playoff – Real Madrid or Bayern Munich; last 16 – Atletico Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen
