City Avoids Knockout Playoff Peril

Manchester City has clinched an eighth-place finish in the Champions League league phase, thereby evading the recent knockout playoffs. This crucial standing was achieved thanks to a final-day victory over Galatasaray, where goals from Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki proved decisive. Their progression means the team will not face the inconvenience of additional February matches, aligning their Champions League focus with the latter stages of their Premier League title pursuit. The club's performance this season shows improvement, though a prior unexpected defeat to Bodø/Glimt had put their top-eight aspirations at risk. The knockout stage is now scheduled to commence in mid-March 2027, with first legs on March 10/11 and second legs following a week later. The knockout playoff legs, which determine the opponent for the last 16, were scheduled for February 17/18 and 24/25. City's potential opponents for the last 16 include Real Madrid, Inter, Bodø/Glimt, and Benfica, with several previous encounters and a 2023 final rematch with Inter among the possibilities.