So there’s no country protection?
No. Clubs from the same country can play each other from the knockout playoff round onward.
What dates are the other rounds?
QUARTERFINALS
First legs: April 10
Second legs: April 17
SEMIFINALS
First legs: May 1
Second legs: May 8
FINAL
May 21, San Mamés Stadium, Bilbao
Who gets home advantage in the quarterfinals and semifinals?
The tie listed first plays at home in the first leg.
QUARTERFINALS
Bodo/Glimt or Olympiacos vs. Viktoria Plzen or Lazio
AZ Alkmaar or Tottenham Hotspur vs. Ajax or Eintracht Frankfurt
Fenerbahce or Rangers vs. AS Roma or Athletic Club
FCSB or Lyon vs. Real Sociedad or Manchester United
SEMIFINALS
AZ Alkmaar / Tottenham Hotspur / Ajax / Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Bodo/Glimt / Olympiacos / Viktoria Plzen / Lazio
Fenerbahce / Rangers / AS Roma / Athletic Club vs. FCSB / Lyon / Real Sociedad / Manchester United
Why did it matter where a club finished in the table?
The league placings created the knockout bracket and 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 final table, Lazio and Athletic Club finished in first and second and can’t play each other until the final. The teams in third and fourth — Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur — can’t play Lazio and Athletic Club until the semifinals.
All paired teams, such as Man United and Tottenham, cannot meet until the final and have the same possible round-of-16 opponents: Real Sociedad, Galatasaray, AZ Alkmaar and FC Midtjylland.
