The teams that finished the new group stage format of the Champions League in standings places #9 through #24 have their knockout stage ties over the next two weeks, with the first four ties played on Tuesday,

Real Madrid against Manchester City in the Champions League is the accidental blockbuster of the new knockout playoffs round that starts Tuesday. The past two title winners surprisingly finished mid-table in the new 36-team standings format that ended in January.

Champions League holders Real Madrid and 2023 winners Manchester City are just two games away from failing to reach the last 16 of this year’s competition. Both finished outside the top eight in the new format’s group stage and now one of them will pay a hefty price after they were pitted against each other in the play-offs.