Real Madrid will face Portuguese giants Benfica in the UEFA Champions League play-off round following Monday’s official draw at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.
The high-profile rematch revives memories of their dramatic league-phase encounter, where Benfica secured a stunning 4-2 victory over Los Blancos, sealed by goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin’s last-gasp header.
Under José Mourinho, Benfica demonstrated resilience and tactical discipline in that game—qualities that could again test Real Madrid when the sides meet in the two-legged tie later this month.
Real Madrid, who narrowly missed automatic qualification, now face a challenging path to the round of 16. Alvaro Arbeloa’s side will be determined to avoid another upset and correct the mistakes from their previous meeting.
The play-off round pairs teams finishing 9th to 24th in the league phase, producing several blockbuster ties:
Inter vs Bodø/Glimt
Paris Saint-Germain vs AS Monaco
Juventus vs Galatasaray
Atletico Madrid vs Club Brugge
Atalanta vs Borussia Dortmund
Bayer Leverkusen vs Olympiacos
Newcastle vs Qarabag
The two-legged play-offs are scheduled for the midweeks of February 17–18 and February 24–25. UEFA will confirm exact kick-off times later today.
With so much at stake, this phase promises intense battles as clubs fight for a place in the last 16 of Europe’s premier competition.
