Champions League Draw: Man City Faces Tough Opponent

The UEFA Champions League's inaugural league phase reached a thrilling conclusion, setting the stage for the knockout phase that will commence in two weeks. Manchester City narrowly advanced to the playoffs after a tense 3-1 victory against Club Brugge, securing a spot to face either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich, with the draw happening on Friday. The top eight teams, including Liverpool, Barcelona, Arsenal, Inter Milan, and Atletico Madrid, have earned direct entry to the round of 16, while teams ranked ninth through 24th will compete in the knockout playoffs. Notably, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain secured their playoff spots, with PSG defeating Stuttgart 4-1. The new format eliminates the away goals rule and prevents teams from dropping to the Europa League, with a clearer path to the final on May 31 at Munich's Allianz Arena.