The draw for the Champions League knockout phase play-offs took place this morning, and Borussia Dortmund were drawn against Italian side Atalanta. The first leg of BVB’s play-off will take place on the 17th, at the Westfalenstadion, and Dortmund will travel to the Stadio di Bergamo for the second leg on the 24th February. If BVB make it past their Serie A opponents, they will face either Arsenal or Bayern Munich. The draw for the Round of 16 will take place on 27th February, after the play-offs have been completed. If you want a full breakdown of how the draw and the seeding works, UEFA explain in some detail here.
BVB went into the draw knowing they would be up against either Atalanta or Bayer Leverkusen, and it was already clear that the Round of 16, should they get there, would pitch them against one of probably the two best teams in the world right now. Bayer Leverkusen are probably a marginally tougher out than Atalanta, and Leverkusen have already beaten BVB in a cup this season, so I think the outcome of this draw is probably the best it could have been for Dortmund.
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BVB should go into this game as a slight favorite, but Atalanta are a strong side that could easily bounce BVB out of the Champions League if they are not at their best. If Dortmund survive the play-offs, they are going to be really up against it.
Here is how the rest of the Champions League knockout phase play-offs look:
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Benfica vs Real Madrid
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Bodø/Glimt vs Inter Milan
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Monaco vs Paris Saint-Germain
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Qarabağ vs Newcastle
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Galatasaray vs Juventus
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Club Brugge vs Atlético de Madrid
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Borussia Dortmund vs Atalanta
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Olympiacos vs Bayer Leverkusen
The most exciting of the fixtures is probably Benfica vs Real Madrid, which sees a repeat of the madness that took place between the two sides earlier this week. There will be some intrigue in the matchup between Monaco and PSG, but on current form Monaco are probably going to get blown out. If you are looking for an upset, I think the best shot might be Bodø/Glimt or Galatasaray.
This is what the bracket for the entire Champions League knockout phase looks like after the draw:
Your Thoughts?
How do you feel about Borussia Dortmund’s chances in the play-offs? And which tie are you most excited about? Let us know in the comments.
