The knockout playoff spherical of the new-look UEFA Champions League begins on Feb. 11.
However how does this feed into the round-of-16 ties? When is the following draw? How does all of it knit collectively? And why had been these closing league part positions so necessary?
This is the way it all works.
Which golf equipment are within the knockout playoff spherical?
Solely the 16 groups that completed in positions 9 to 24.
The golf equipment that completed within the prime eight and went instantly by to the spherical of 16.
Golf equipment ending twenty fifth to thirty sixth had already been eradicated.
What are the knockout playoff spherical fixtures?
The groups positioned ninth to sixteenth are seeded and can play at residence within the second leg, and are listed second.
Membership Brugge vs. Atalanta
Manchester Metropolis vs. Actual Madrid
Feyenoord Rotterdam vs. AC Milan
Celtic vs. Bayern Munich
Sporting CP vs. Borussia Dortmund
So there is not any nation safety?
Right. Golf equipment from the identical nation can play one another from the knockout playoff spherical onward. That is why PSG have been drawn to play Ligue 1 rivals Brest.
It was additionally attainable to attract one of many eight groups you’d already confronted — together with the newest opponents from Matchday 8.
What dates are the knockout playoff spherical?
First legs: Feb. 11-12
Second legs: Feb. 18-19
Every membership performs as soon as on a Tuesday and as soon as on a Wednesday.
So what in regards to the prime eight golf equipment?
The groups who completed inside the highest eight nonetheless have 4 attainable opponents within the spherical of 16.
For example, Liverpool and Barcelona, who completed first and second within the league part, are in a position to play any of fifteenth, sixteenth, seventeenth or 18th (PSG, Benfica, Monaco and Brest). It is because Liverpool and Barcelona may but be drawn into both half of the bracket, however solely into the precise paths for these fixtures.
As soon as the knockout playoff spherical is full and two of these golf equipment have been knocked out, Liverpool and Barcelona would have two attainable opponents remaining: the winners of the knockout playoff spherical ties.
Potential spherical of 16 ties:
Liverpool or Barcelona will play one of many winners of:
Brest vs. Paris Saint-Germain
AS Monaco vs. Benfica
Arsenal or Internazionale will play one of many winners of:
Juventus vs. PSV Eindhoven
Feyenoord Rotterdam vs. AC Milan
Lille or Aston Villa will play one of many winners of:
Membership Brugge vs. Atalanta
Sporting CP vs. Borussia Dortmund
Atlético Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen will play one of many winners of:
Manchester Metropolis vs. Actual Madrid
Celtic vs. Bayern Munich
What does the bracket appear to be?
The groups within the knockout playoff spherical at the moment are set of their half of the bracket.
For example:
Man Metropolis and Actual Madrid can not play Bayern Munich till the ultimate, as they’re in reverse halves.
However Actual Madrid and Man Metropolis know that Juventus and PSV are in the identical path of the bracket by to a possible quarterfinal tie.
The highest half of the knockout playoff spherical bracket appears to be like a lot stronger than the decrease half.
When is the draw for the spherical of 16?
The round-of-16 draw takes place on Feb. 21 when, for instance, Liverpool and Barcelona would merely be drawn into reverse halves of the bracket — and that may mechanically create a fixture in opposition to one of many winners of the ties involving Brest vs. PSG and Monaco vs. Benfica.
The primary group drawn out of Liverpool and Barcelona will probably be positioned into the highest half of the bracket, and thus play Brest or PSG. That mechanically means the opposite membership goes into the underside half in opposition to Monaco or Benfica.
The groups positioned first to eighth are seeded and will probably be at residence within the second leg.
First legs: March 4-5
Second legs: March 11-12
The knockout bracket is now set by to the ultimate. There isn’t any draw for the precise ties of the quarterfinals and semifinals.
Who will get residence benefit within the quarterfinals and semifinals?
There will probably be a draw, straight after the spherical of 16 is about on Feb. 21, to find out the house groups within the second leg for the quarterfinals and semifinals.
This isn’t carried out on league part seeding, so the ultimate placings didn’t give a group residence benefit past the spherical of 16.
Can January signings play within the Champions League?
Sure, golf equipment had been in a position to make three modifications to their official Champions League squad.
So, if a membership signed 4 gamers within the January switch window, they’d not be capable of register all of them from the knockout rounds of European competitors.
For example, Man Metropolis signed 4 new gamers. They registered Omar Marmoush, Nico Gonzalez and Abdukodir Khusanov — which meant Vitor Reis could not be added.
The general restrict of 25 gamers stays. If a membership needed so as to add a brand new signing, they needed to take away another person.
Why did it matter the place you completed within the desk?
The league placings created the knockout bracket, and the brand new “seeding” system means the highest-placed groups cannot face one another till the latter levels of the knockout spherical.
For example, if we take a look at the ultimate desk, Liverpool and Barcelona completed first and second and may’t play one another till the ultimate. The groups in third and fourth — Arsenal and Internazionale — cannot play Liverpool or Barcelona till the semifinals.
Nevertheless, the worth of being positioned excessive within the desk has been sophisticated by poor European seasons for Manchester Metropolis, Paris Saint-Germain and Actual Madrid, who unexpectedly turned attainable opponents earlier within the knockout rounds.
Certainly, with Man Metropolis ending twenty second, it is created a heavyweight tie within the knockout playoff spherical, as they have to face Eleventh-place Learn Madrid.
PSG, in the meantime, must face Barcelona or Liverpool within the spherical of 16 in the event that they get by.
