Defending champions Real Madrid will renew their Champions League rivalry with 2023 winners Manchester City in a blockbuster knockout phase playoff tie after the two teams were pitted against each other in the draw held in Nyon on Friday.

Manchester City will face 15-time European Cup winners Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League play-off round. This is the fourth consecutive year the two football giants have been drawn against each other in the knockout stage.

Will Barcelona reign supreme for a third year in a row? Well, we don't have long to wait as the knockout draw is set to take place on 7 February.

The UEFA Champions League on Friday conducted the draw for the knockout stage, setting up the bracket for European soccer's biggest annual tournament. At the confederation's headquarters in Switzerland,

Real Madrid will play Manchester City in the Champions League knockout playoffs round in a standout clash of the past two title winners after the draw was made Friday.

It will be Real Madrid vs. Manchester City yet again in the Champions League — but never as early as this, and for the first time with a Kylian Mbappé vs. Erling Haaland matchup. Two heavyweights who struggled in the new eight-game league phase were the standout pairing Friday in the draw for the new knockout playoffs round.

Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne kicks the ball with Real Madrid's Toni Kroos during the Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Manchester City and Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester,