Champions League draw LIVE: Latest updates as Newcastle, Real Madrid, PSG discover opponents
After a dramatic final night of league phase action that saw Newcastle United, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Milan and more forced to navigate the Champions League playoff round, it’s time to discover the identity of their respective opponents, and you can follow it all live with ESPN.
The top eight have progressed automatically to the round of 16, where they will be joined by the eight winners of the playoffs, which take place next month. The seeded draw means that each playoff round team can face one of two opponents.
The Premier League’s dominance of the league phase leaves Newcastle as the only English side set to discover their fate today. Eddie Howe’s men will be drawn to face either Monaco or Qarabag.
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If the 2024-25 tournament — the first of the revamped Champions League format — is anything to go by, then this year’s winner could be among the 16 teams involved in today’s draw.
Real Madrid will certainly be hoping so; they were stunningly dumped into the playoffs on the last night of the league phase by former coach José Mourinho — whose Benfica team advanced via a last-gasp goal by goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin.
PSG and Newcastle started in the top eight but drew 1-1 in Paris, which sent them falling in the table to 11th and 12th, respectively.
Madrid, PSG, Newcastle and last season’s beaten finalists Inter Milan will be in the qualifying playoffs draw Friday for teams that placed ninth through 24th.
Still, PSG went through the playoffs round a year ago in taking the longest path possible with two extra games in February toward their first European title.
Information from the Associated Press contributed to this story.
