Real Madrid will face Benfica in a swift rematch in the UEFA Champions League play-off round, while defending champions Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) have been paired with domestic rivals Monaco following Friday’s draw.

The tie comes just days after Benfica stunned Madrid 4–2 in their final league-phase match on Wednesday. A dramatic 98th-minute goal by goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin secured the victory, sending the Portuguese side into the play-offs at the expense of Marseille, who were eliminated.

That defeat also pushed Real Madrid out of the top eight in the 36-team league standings—positions that guarantee automatic qualification for the round of 16—forcing the 14-time champions into the extra play-off round.

Benfica’s qualification capped a remarkable recovery. After losing their opening four matches, they won three of their final four to finish 24th, the last qualifying spot. Veteran coach Jose Mourinho, 63, returned to the Lisbon giants in September for a second spell. He previously managed Real Madrid from 2010 to 2013, winning La Liga and the Copa del Rey and reaching the Champions League semi-finals in all three seasons.

The clubs’ rivalry dates back to the 1962 European Cup final, when Benfica defeated Madrid 5–3 to claim the second of their two continental titles.

PSG, meanwhile, slipped to 11th place after winning just one of their final five league-phase matches. The French champions will travel to Monaco for the first leg and will be wary after suffering a Ligue 1 defeat at the Stade Louis II in November.

However, Monaco’s form has dipped sharply, with only one win in six matches since the turn of the year. They sit 10th in Ligue 1, 21 points behind PSG, though a goalless draw with Juventus on Wednesday secured their place in the play-offs. Monaco were Champions League finalists in 2004.

PSG have recent experience of French opposition at this stage, having demolished Brest 10–0 on aggregate in last season’s play-offs before going on to lift the trophy for the first time.

Elsewhere, Newcastle United were handed a favourable draw against Azerbaijani side Qarabag, with the first leg to be played in Baku. If successful, both PSG and Newcastle will face either Barcelona or Chelsea in the round of 16.

Real Madrid’s potential last-16 opponents are Manchester City or Sporting, which could mean another return to Lisbon.

Norwegian champions Bodo/Glimt, surprise qualifiers for the play-offs, were drawn against last season’s runners-up Inter Milan. Juventus will meet Galatasaray, Atletico Madrid face Club Brugge, Borussia Dortmund take on Atalanta, while Bayer Leverkusen were paired with Olympiacos.

The two-legged play-off ties will be played in February, with the winners advancing to the round of 16 in March. The top eight teams from the league phase—Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, and Sporting—have already secured direct qualification.

This season’s Champions League final will be staged in Budapest on May 30, 2026.