• Arsenal will play Porto • Manchester City will play Copenhagen • The Europa League and Conference League draws for the playoffs rounds are made
• Liverpool, Aston Villa, Brighton and West Ham all safely through
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Hello and welcome! It's European football draw day!
So who are you hoping your side gets?
The seeded teams in the draw…
Bayern Munich
Arsenal
Real Madrid
Real Sociedad
Atletico Madrid
Borussia Dortmund
Manchester City
Barcelona
The unseeded teams…
Copenhagen
PSV
Napoli
Inter Milan
Lazio
Paris Saint-Germain
RB Leipzig
Porto
As we're sure you all know by now, this is the part of the draw that is still country protected.
One seeded team draws an unseeded team at this point – so Arsenal couldn't face Manchester City anyway – meaning that there's only one fixture that physically that won't be drawn.
Bayern Munich will not face RB Leipzig. That's the only country-protected tie unable to happen. Easy enough to remember.
These games aren't for three months – but it's good to get them in early.
Half of the Round of 16 first legs will be played on February 13 and 14, then February 20 and 21, with the second legs on March 5 and 6, then March 12 and 13.
Here's the stage for the draw today!
(Image credit: Kristian Skeie - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
So who are the favourites?
According to the last round, Manchester City and Real Madrid. Those two were the only pair who managed to win every single game of the group stage.
It's hardly surprising, really…
This is Barcelona's first time in the knockouts of the Champions League since the days of Lionel Messi
(Image credit: Kristian Skeie - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
The Catalan outfit were eliminated twice in the past two years under Xavi in the group stage and though they comfortably qualified this time around, there were question marks over the two losses they suffered in the six games.
Could there be a shock exit early from the knockouts this time around?
Surely you don't need reminding where the final is this time around?
(Image credit: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Oh you do? It's at the home of football, Wembley Stadium.
Manchester City are aiming for history this season – and to do something no English team has done in the modern age
(Image credit: Getty Images)
The last English side to defend a Champions League/European Cup title was Nottingham Forest, all the way back in 1980. Since then, Liverpool, Aston Villa, Manchester United and Chelsea have all lifted Ol' Big Ears but failed to do so in consecutive years.
In fact, only Real Madrid has managed the feat since the competition's rebrand back in 1992/93.
Bayern Munich
Arsenal
Real Madrid
Real Sociedad
Atletico Madrid
Borussia Dortmund
Manchester City
Barcelona
The unseeded teams…
Copenhagen
PSV
Napoli
Inter Milan
Lazio
Paris Saint-Germain
RB Leipzig
Porto
Giorgio Marchetti, UEFA general secretary is here.
Marchetti has praised the Champions League "model", perhaps in a jibe towards any looming Super League.
Now for John Terry to take to the stage to assist with the draw.
Sadly, the legendary centre-back is not wearing a full kit this time.
Terry picks out the Barcelona side of the mid-2000s as the best team he ever faced in the Champions League, with Lionel Messi and Ronaldinho as the two standout stars he played against.
"He's a great man-manager, great tactically and I think they'll go a long way."
John Terry backs Carlo Ancelotti's Real Madrid for glory.
(Image credit: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
We're ready to proceed with the draw. Let's go!
First out of the bowl…
Porto
Porto vs Arsenal
Two-time champions Porto will play against Arsenal. Happy with that Gooners?
Now out… Napoli
Napoli vs Barcelona
Serie A champions Napoli will face La Liga champions Barcelona
Paris Saint-Germain out next
Paris Saint-Germain vs Real Sociedad
PSG have a tricky tie against the high-flying La Real of the Basque Country
Inter Milan, out of the bowl next
Inter vs Atletico Madrid
The Simeone derby!
PSV drawn next
PSV vs Dortmund
Lazio, next
Lazio vs Bayern Munich
Leipzig vs Real Madrid
Manchester City will play Copenhagen
The draw in full:
Porto vs Arsenal
Napoli vs Barcelona
PSG vs Real Sociedad
Inter Milan vs Atletico Madrid
PSV vs Borussia Dortmund
Lazio vs Bayern Munich
Copenhagen vs Manchester City
RB Leipzig vs Real Madrid
Some intriguing ties this time around – but both English sides left in the competition can be relatively happy.
Arsenal can make a first quarter-final since 2010 if they manage to overcome Porto over two legs. The last time that the pair actually came face to face was in the last-16 of that season, when the Gunners thrashed the Portuguese side 5-0 at home to progress to the quarters.
City, meanwhile, have arguably the weakest side left in the competition, in Copenhagen. A simple draw? Well, the most straightforward… yet the Danish outfit shouldn't be underestimated, given that they've already beaten Manchester United this season.
Champions League winners left in the competition:
14-time champions: Real Madrid
Six-time champions: Bayern
Five-time champions: Barcelona
Three-time champions: Inter
Two-time champions: Porto
One-time champions: PSV, Dortmund and Man City
Any potentials for big shocks?
Well, yes. Porto have European heritage, while Arsenal have never won a European trophy. Napoli and Barcelona will be a tough tie, while Real Sociedad can't be written off either…
Players returning to former sides:
Fabio Vieira (Arsenal to Porto)
Donyell Malen (Dortmund to PSV)
That's it as far as we can see…
And now, we turn attention to the Europa League…
The runners-up for today's Europa League draw:
West Ham United
Brighton & Hove Albion
Rangers
Atalanta
Liverpool
Villarreal
Slavia Prague
Bayer Leverkusen
The runners-up:
Freiburg
Marseille
Sparta Prague
Sporting
Toulouse
Rennes
Roma
Qarabag
The third-place drop-outs from the Champions League:
Galatasaray
Lens
Braga
Benfica
Feyenoord
Milan
Young Boys
Shakhtar Donetsk
Do you need an explainer on this one?
So, today is simply the draw date for the knockout round of play-offs. These do not contain any of the British teams still left in the draw.
The teams who finished second in their Europa League groups will be drawn against one of the clubs who finished third in the Champions League group stage. They will play on a playoff taking place on February 15 and February.
The winners of these playoffs will then make it through to the Round of 16, which will be drawn on February 23 2024.
Liverpool, Brighton, West Ham and Rangers fans: you don't need to fret – you're already through.
This is the final year that UEFA will operate with this tournament format
The Europa League will look completely different next year, with the competition moving to the same model as the Champions League, with 36 sides in the first league round.
Liverpool are, naturally, the favourites for this one – but far from the only big side in the competition…
Brighton and West Ham may pose problems themselves, while Bayer Leverkusen are flying in the Bundesliga. Villarreal are a former winner of the competition, too.
Meanwhile, there's European royalty in the form of Benfica, Feyenoord and Milan in the playoff round.
We're about to begin!
UEFA deputy general secretary Giorgio Marchetti has returned to the stage…
Doing the Europa League draw today… former Sevilla star Julien Escude
We're ready to go!
First out… Feyenoord
Feyenoord will play against Roma
A repeat of the inaugural Conference League final!
Milan are next out of a bowl
Milan face Rennes
Milan have never won this competition
Lens are drawn next, having dropped out of the Champions League, too.
Lens will play Freiburg
Young Boys drawn next
It'll be Young Boys vs Sporting
Benfica, now
It's Benfica vs Toulouse
Braga out of the bowl
Braga will play Qarabag
Braga vs Qarabag is the longest round-trip for any club in Europe's knockout stages this season.
Galatasaray are next.
Galatasaray play Sparta Prague…
So Shakhtar Donetsk will play Marseille
The draw for the playoffs of the Europa League in full:
Feyenoord vs Roma
Milan vs Rennes
Lens vs Freiburg
Young Boys vs Sporting
Benfica vs Toulouse
Braga vs Qarabag
Galatasaray vs Sparta Prague
Shakhtar Donetsk vs Marseille
Some intriguing matchups when it comes to the Europa League draw but none more so than Roma vs Feyenoord…
(Image credit: Ozan Kose/AFP via Getty Images)
Memories immediately come flooding back of this incredible night in which the Italian giants won their first-ever European city in Albania. That'll be one fixture definitely worth a watch next year.
The last time Arsenal faced Portuguese opponents in Europe, Kim Kardashian watched the Gunners lose on penalties to Sporting…
Image 1 of 3
(Image credit: Getty Images)
(Image credit: Getty Images)
(Image credit: Getty Images)
…while the last time they faced Porto, 'Lord' Nicklas Bendtner nabbed a hat-trick.
Now let's turn attention to the Europa Conference draw.
Some format as the Europa League, for this one.
Aston Villa fans, you need not worry about your place, as you're already in the round of 16. In fact, here are all the sides who are:
Lille
Maccabi Tel Aviv
Viktoria Plzn
Club Brugge
Aston Villa
Fiorentina
PAOK
Fenerbahce
The runners-up who will be drawn today as follows:
Slovan Bratislava
Gent
Dinamo Zagreb
Bodo/Glimt
Legia Warsaw
Ferencvaros
Eintracht Frankfurt
Ludogorets
And they will be drawn against the following Europa League dropouts:
Olympiacos
Ajax
Real Betis
Sturm Graz
Union Saint-Gilloise
Maccabi Haifa
Servette
Molde
Betfair's odds for Europa Conference League winner
11/4: Aston Villa
5/1: Fiorentina
8/1: Eintracht Frankfurt
10/1: Lille
12/1: Real Betis
14/1: Fenerbahce
Unai Emery's side clear favourites for another European title
Here's the scene of the Europa Conference League final of 2024: the Agia Sophia in Athens
(Image credit: Angel Martinez - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
Good news on the AFCON front, at least – 2024's Africa Cup of Nations will not interrupt the Round of 16 for the Champions League or the knockouts proper for the Europa League and Europa Conference League
(Image credit: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
The AFCON final is February 11, with Europa playoff rounds and the Champions League knockouts commencing on the week of February 12.
Every Europa Conference League trophy has been won by a former Manchester United manager. Admittedly there are only two (Mourinho and Moyes) but still.
Where are you, Ole? Get yourself a job at PAOK or somewhere.
We're about to begin! Here's Traianos Dellas to do the draw.
"Greeks are famous for hospitality, good weather… what else could you ask for?"
Dellas bigs up the Conference League final: someone give him a brochure and send him to Birmingham. Villa fans will lap that up.
Once again, the runners-up from the Conference draw…
Slovan Bratislava
Gent
Dinamo Zagreb
Bodo/Glimt
Legia Warsaw
Ferencvaros
Eintracht Frankfurt
Ludogorets
…will be drawn against Europa League dropouts…
Olympiacos
Ajax
Real Betis
Sturm Graz
Union Saint-Gilloise
Maccabi Haifa
Servette
Molde
…meaning that the following Conference League group winners will not be involved today…
Lille
Maccabi Tel Aviv
Viktoria Plzn
Club Brugge
Aston Villa
Fiorentina
PAOK
Fenerbahce
First one out is… Sturm Graz
Sturm Graz will play Slovan Bratislava
Servette are out next. That's UEFA's local team in this draw, given that they're based in Nyom, Switzerland.
Servette vs Ludogorets
Brighton owner Tony Bloom's Union Saint-Gilloise are next to be drawn
USG vs Eintracht Frankfurt. Tasty.
Real Betis, next, hoping that they can harness the Seville luck in Europe.
Real Betis vs Dinamo Zagreb
Olympiacos, hoping for a local final in Athens, out next
Olympiacos will play Ferencvaros
Next, the giants of Ajax
Ajax vs Bodo/Glimt
Molde are drawn
Molde are set to face off against Legia Warsaw
Which leaves Maccabi Haifa playing Gent.
The round in full:
Sturm Graz vs Slovan Bratislava
Servette vs Ludogorets
Union Saint-Gilloise vs Eintracht Frankfurt
Real Betis vs Dinamo Zagreb
Olympiacos vs Ferencvaros
Ajax vs Bodo/Glimt
Molde vs Legia Warsaw
Maccabi Haifa vs Gent
That concludes all three draws. Thanks for joining us today!
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