The Champions League knockout playoff draw has been announced, featuring several high-profile matchups. Benfica will face Real Madrid in a rematch of their dramatic league phase encounter, where goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin scored a last-minute header to secure Benfica's spot in the playoffs, sending Madrid out of the top eight. This tie marks a potential reunion for Mourinho's Benfica against his former club, Real Madrid, which they have historically beaten three of their last four European meetings, including the 1962 European Cup final. Other notable fixtures include Paris Saint-Germain against Ligue 1 rivals Monaco, who finished 9th in the league, and Newcastle United versus Qarabag. The playoffs involve teams finishing between 9th and 24th in their leagues, with the first legs scheduled for February 17-18 and the second legs for February 24-25. The winners will advance to the last 16, where they will meet the top eight league finishers. Additional matches include Borussia Dortmund vs Atalanta, Olympiacos vs Bayer Leverkusen, Galatasaray vs Juventus, Club Brugge vs Atlético Madrid, Bodo/Glimt vs Inter Milan, and Qarabag vs Newcastle. The final will be held at the Puskas Arena in Budapest on May 30, 2026. The tournament format will see seeded teams (top finishers in the league phase) playing the second leg at home in the knockout stages, with seeding influencing the quarter-finals and semi-finals. The last 16 fixtures are scheduled for March, with quarter-finals in April, semi-finals in late April and early May, culminating in the final at the end of May. This season's draw highlights the dominance of English clubs, with teams like Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, and Tottenham qualifying directly for the last 16. The competition continues to evolve with seeding based on league performance, aiming to reward higher-ranked teams with home advantage in key fixtures.