Does it matter where you finish in the table?
Yes, because the league placings create the knockout bracket. Unlike in previous seasons, where there would be open draws, paths will be set after this phase has been completed.
The new “seeding” system means the highest-placed teams can’t face each other until the latter stages of the knockout round.
For instance, if we look at the table right now, Liverpool and Barcelona are in first and second and they would not be able to play each other until the final. The teams in third and fourth — currently Arsenal and Internazionale — can’t play Liverpool or Barcelona until the semifinals.
However, the value of being placed high in the table has been complicated by poor European seasons for Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid, who have unexpectedly become possible opponents earlier in the knockout rounds.
The teams in first and second will play 15th, 16th, 17th or 18th in the round of 16 and top clubs could yet finish in those positions. Bayern Munich (15th), Real Madrid (16th), Juventus (17th) and Celtic (18th) are there right now.
Finishing seventh or eighth is to be avoided, as that creates a direct collision course with first and second in the quarterfinals.
How does the knockout draw work?
In the knockout playoff round draw, teams are paired by their final position, in order (e.g. 9 & 10, 11 & 12 etc).
Of each pair, teams will be drawn into opposite halves of the bracket. For instance, 15th (Bayern Munich), 16th (Real Madrid) will split off and cannot play each other until the final (which is the case for all pairs)
Before the draw, paired teams will have two possible opponents. If we take Bayern and Real Madrid again, they will be drawn to play either 17th (Juventus) or 18th (Celtic).
The eight unseeded teams are drawn first into a position in the bracket. This starts with 23rd and 24th, and moves down to 17th and 18th. In each case the first team drawn goes into the first half of the bracket (let’s say Juventus), meaning the other club in the pair (which would be Celtic) goes into the second half.
The draw then moves onto the seeded teams, continuing with 15th and 16th down to ninth and 10th. Again, the first team drawn goes into the first half of the bracket (so if that’s Real Madrid, they’d be playing Juventus) — which automatically creates a knockout playoff round fixture — and so on with the other paired team into the second half (which makes Celtic vs. Bayern Munich).
The seeded clubs will play the second leg at home.
So there’s no country protection?
Correct. Clubs from the same country can play each other from the knockout playoff round onwards.
It’s also possible to draw one of the eight teams you’ve already faced — including the most recent opponents from Matchday 8.
When dates are the knockout playoff round?
First legs: Feb. 11-12, 2025
Second legs: Feb. 18-19, 2025
Each club will play once on a Tuesday and once on a Wednesday.
So what about the top eight clubs?
After the knockout playoff round draw, the teams who finish inside the top eight will still have four possible opponents.
For instance, fifth (Inter) and sixth (AC Milan) would still be able to play any of 11th, 12th, 21st and 22nd (Benfica, PSG, Feyenoord or Lille). This is because Inter and AC Milan could yet be drawn into either half, but only into the specific paths for those fixtures.
Once the knockout playoff round is complete, and two of those clubs have been knocked out, Inter and AC Milan would have two possible opponents remaining: the winners of the knockout playoff round ties.
When is the draw for the round of 16?
The round of 16 draw then takes place on Friday, Feb. 21, when Inter and AC Milan would simply be drawn into opposite halves of the bracket — which would create a fixture against one of the winners of the ties involving Benfica, PSG, Feyenoord and Lille.
The teams placed first to eighth are seeded and will be at home in the second leg.
First legs: March 4-5, 2025
Second legs: March 11-12, 2025
The knockout bracket is now set through to the final.
Who gets home advantage in the quarterfinals and semifinals?
There will be one more draw, straight after the round of 16 is set, to determine the home teams in the second leg for the quarterfinals and semifinals. This is not done on league phase seeding.
