Newcastle will take on Qarabag of Azerbaijan over two legs for a place in the Champions League last 16. The Magpies finished 12th in the league phase to miss out on an automatic last-16 berth, but will fancy their chances of beating Qarabag in the knockout play-off round. The play-off round draw also included an instant rematch between Real Madrid and Benfica, who met in a dramatic league-phase match on Wednesday. Bodo/Glimt of Norway, who beat Manchester City 3-1 in the penultimate league phase round, were drawn against Inter Milan. Champions League playoff:Borussia Dortmund v AtalantaOlympiakos v Bayer LeverkusenGalatasaray v JuventusClub Brugge v Atletico MadridMonaco v PSGQarabag v NewcastleBenfica v Real MadridBodo/Glimt v InterThe draw that will determine the last-16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final will take place on February 27.

Source: Irish Examiner January 30, 2026 15:18 UTC