Manchester face a blockbuster play-off tie towards Actual Madrid or Bayern Munich after scraping by means of the brand new league part with a .
The Premier League champions, enduring their most turbulent season in Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering reign, once more underwhelmed however recovered from a 1-0 deficit at half-time towards the Belgian underdogs.
The comeback sparked a dramatic outpouring of emotion from Guardiola, who twice booted a pitch-side coolbox in obvious reduction after being left immensely annoyed by a nervous and lacklustre first half.
Elsewhere, the night time proved considerably much less worrying for different English sides as Arsenal and Aston Villa joined Liverpool in securing last-16 spots for ending within the league part’s prime eight.
The Etihad Stadium suffered an enormous scare as Metropolis, realizing solely victory would suffice to keep away from the abject embarrassment of slipping out of the highest 24 locations within the event’s new format, have been pressured to battle again from Raphael Onyedika’s shock opener simply earlier than half-time.
Guardiola’s males rallied within the second half, nonetheless, with Mateo Kovacic driving low previous Simon Mignolet. Joel Ordonez then turned Josko Gvardiol’s cross into his personal web earlier than the substitute Savinho scored with a low shot.
It was a goal-laden night time elsewhere within the deciding match-day eight, with and . An understrength Liverpool, their place already secure, Eindhoven.
Arsenal will face AC Milan, PSV, Feyenoord or Juventus within the final 16. Liverpool additionally face one in every of 4 potential opponents within the subsequent spherical, with Paris St-Germain the standout potential opponent whereas Borussia Dortmund are amongst 4 potential opponents for Villa.
Celtic, like Metropolis, are additionally ready to search out out in the event that they face Actual Madrid or Bayern Munich.
The brand new league part of the Champions League had divided followers till Wednesday night time, however Uefa has now declared the adjustments over final summer season an unmitigated success.
Right here is how the subsequent phases unfold.
When is the Champions League knockout draw?
The draw for the knockout part play-off spherical takes place in Nyon, Switzerland, immediately (Friday, January 31). It can begin at 11am UK time and can be live-streamed on Uefa.com.
How does the play-off spherical work?
Groups who completed the brand new Swiss-format league part between ninth and sixteenth are seeded for the primary draw for the knockout part and can face a group positioned seventeenth to twenty fourth. The seeded group will, in precept, play the return leg at house. Potential opponents are additionally pre-defined by pairings of groups’ remaining league positions. For instance, groups ending ninth and tenth will face the edges who ended twenty third or twenty fourth; groups ending eleventh or twelfth can be drawn towards both the Twenty first or Twenty second-placed sides and so forth.
Who will Manchester Metropolis and Celtic face?
Celtic’s Twenty first-place end, with Metropolis instantly beneath them, means they’ll face both Actual Madrid or Bayern Munich, who completed eleventh and twelfth respectively. The draw begins with the unseeded groups, on this case Metropolis and Celtic, who will play at house first.
Who can Liverpool face?
Liverpool, Arsenal and Aston Villa completed within the prime eight so progress instantly into the final 16. The Merseyside membership’s prime spot and top-seed standing palms them a tie towards both PSG, Benfica, Monaco or Brest, who want to return by means of the play-off stage first. Liverpool may even play their second leg of the spherical of 16 tie at house.
Who can Arsenal face?
Arsenal’s third-place end means they face both AC Milan, PSV, Feyenoord or Juventus.
Who can Aston Villa face?
Villa’s eighth-place slot palms them both Atalanta, Dortmund, Sporting or Membership Brugge.
What occurs to the groups who’re knocked out?
There can be no buffer of the Europa League like years passed by. These groups who completed twenty fifth or beneath have been eradicated and, to make use of that previous soccer adage, can focus on their respective home leagues. The Europa League and Europa Convention League are additionally utilizing the Swiss mannequin format.
When is the play-off spherical?
First legs can be performed on February 11 and 12, with the return leg the next week on February 18 and 19.
The remainder of the event follows as . . .
Spherical of 16 March 4-5 and 11-12Quarter-finals April 8-9 and 15-16 Semi-finals April 29-30 and Could 6-7Final Could 31