MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Real Madrid is Immediate rematch with Benfica After both teams were drawn in the Champions League playoffs on Friday.
Benfica defeated Madrid 4-2 on Wednesday, denying the 15-time European champions a direct place in the round of 16 and forcing uncertainty into the play-offs.
Defending champions Paris Saint-Germain will also have to follow that path and face Monaco in an all-French showdown. And this season’s surprise package, a small Norwegian team Bodo/Glimtwill face last year’s finalists, Inter Milan.
The winner of the two-legged play-off will advance to the round of 16, where Madrid could face Manchester City again.
Mourinho returns to Bernabeu
The draw means former Madrid manager Jose Mourinho will return to the Bernabéu with Benfica after a stunning win in the final league match, which included a goal from goalkeeper Anatoly Trubin in the eighth minute of stoppage time.
Benfica were leading 3-2 after 90 minutes and needed one more point to qualify for the play-offs on goal difference. Ukrainian keeper Trubin pulled it off in the most dramatic fashion when he scored the decisive goal with his head.
With the loss, Madrid, who had started the game in third place, dropped out of the top eight, which would allow them to advance directly to the round of 16.
It will be a chance for Mourinho, a two-time Champions League winner, to inflict further pain on his former club, who sacked Xabi Alonso last month and are looking to rebuild their season with manager Alvaro Arbeloa.
PSG, Won the Champions League in such thrilling style They will have to go a long way to defend the trophy last season. In the French league, they will face a team from Monaco, which is in 9th place and 21 points below.
PSG also advanced to the playoffs with their victory last year.
Bodø/Glimt have been the talk of the competition so far this season after back-to-back upsets against Manchester City and Atletico Madrid to reach the play-offs on their first appearance in European club football’s biggest competition. And that would be a huge threat to Inter’s hopes of progress.
champions league playoff draw
Benfica vs Real Madrid
Bodø/Glimt vs. Inter Milan
Monaco vs Paris Saint-Germain
Qarabag vs. Newcastle
Galatasaray vs Juventus
Brugge vs Atletico Madrid
Borussia Dortmund vs Atalanta
Olympiacos vs Bayer Leverkusen
When are the playoffs held?
The first leg will take place from February 17th to 18th.
The second leg will take place on February 24-25.
Team automatically qualifies for Round of 16
Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Tottenham, Barcelona, Chelsea, Sporting Lisbon, Manchester City.
europe league draw
This season’s Europa League final will be held in Istanbul, but Nottingham Forest will head to the Turkish city early after drawing with Fenerbahce in the play-off round. Scottish champions Celtic will face Germany’s Stuttgart, while Spain’s Celta Vigo will face Greece’s PAOK and France’s Lille will face Serbia’s Red Star Belgrade.
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James Robson is https://x.com/James Saran Robson
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