Man Metropolis ‘rewarded’ for UEFA Champions League qualification with juggernaut play-off

January 30 – Manchester Metropolis’s ‘reward’ for narrowly avoiding an embarrassing UEFA Champions League exit on Wednesday night time is a play-off towards a European juggernaut. A 3-1 comeback victory over Membership Brugge clinched twenty second place within the league section and a match towards both Bayern Munich or Actual Madrid, who completed twelfth and eleventh respectively, simply to achieve the Spherical of 16. Celtic, who got here twenty first, will tackle the opposite large. 

Heading into the thrilling closing matchday, which left a lot nonetheless to play for, solely Liverpool (1st) and Barcelona (2nd) had secured a top-eight end and an computerized place within the final 16. Because the outcomes unfolded throughout the continent, Arsenal (third), Inter Milan (4th), Atlético Madrid (fifth), Bayer Leverkusen (sixth), Lille (seventh), and Aston Villa (eighth) joined them.  

In the meantime, 16 different groups landed within the play-off spherical, the place they’ll battle for the remaining eight knockout section spots.  

Except for the Actual/Bayern-Metropolis/Celtic match-ups, the others see Atalanta (ninth) and Borussia Dortmund (tenth) going through both Sporting CP (twenty third) or Membership Brugge (twenty fourth); AC Milan (thirteenth) and PSV (14th) assembly both Juventus (twentieth) or Feyenoord (nineteenth); and PSG (fifteenth) and Benfica (sixteenth) taking part in Monaco (seventeenth) or Brest (18th). 

For Pep Guardiola’s (pictured above) aspect, the problem forward is immense. Their inconsistent marketing campaign has left them with probably the most tough path ahead, guaranteeing a gathering with one of many two largest golf equipment within the competitors.  

They’ve endured painful eliminations towards Actual Madrid in latest seasons (although gained convincingly in 2022-23), whereas Bayern Munich could be an equally daunting activity.  

The play-offs will probably be performed over two legs, with the primary matches on February 11-12 and the return legs on February 18-19. The winners will advance to the final 16, the place they’ll be a part of the eight computerized qualifiers.  

For Manchester Metropolis, who’re already going through unexpected challenges this season, the laborious work has solely simply begun.  

Contact the author of this story at moc.l1738257889labto1738257889ofdlr1738257889owedi1738257889sni@g1738257889niwe.1738257889yrrah1738257889.