Real Madrid Will Learn Champions League Playoff Opponent On January 30
It was a tough night in Lisbon for Real Madrid. After their 4-2 defeat, the Spanish side will not try to progress to the Round of 16 via the playoffs, as they did last year. Their opponents, Benfica, scored a last-second goal to book their place in those same playoffs.
Los Blancos started the night in third place, knowing a win would guarantee automatic progression to the next round. However, the loss and other results meant they slipped to ninth, just outside the top eight and a Round of 16 spot.
A win would also have meant they would have played at home in the second leg of the Round of 16 and, if they progressed, in the quarter-final stage. Now it is likely they will have the disadvantage of playing at home in both games if they make it through the playoffs.
It's now two extra games that the team could have done without. But when will they find out who their opponent is, and when will they play?
Real Madrid will face one of two opponents
The draw for the Champions League playoff is scheduled for Friday, January 30, at 6:00 a.m. ET (3:00 a.m. PT / 11:00 a.m. GMT (12:00 p.m. local time). The Spanish giants will face one of two clubs in the draw.
Álvaro Arbeloa's side could face Benfica, the team that sent them into the playoffs. They could also face the 2024 Norwegian champions, Bodo/Glimt, who have already beaten Manchester City at home and Atletico Madrid away this campaign. Whichever team they are drawn against, they will play away from the Bernabeu first.
The first leg will be played on 17 or 18 February and the second leg on 24 or 25 February. In between the two games, they face Osasuna on the road in La Liga, a tough encounter.
See your club? 😏#UCL pic.twitter.com/vwBYAqd0Ii
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) January 28, 2026
If Los Blancos make it through to the Round of 16, they will face Manchester City or Sporting CF. Get past either of them, and they could come up against Bayern Munich or Arsenal, the top two in the league standings.
No disrespect to Benfica or Bodo/Glimt, Real Madrid will be expected to make it through to the Round of 16. Anything less will be seen as a huge failure by the club heirachy.
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Jordan Merritt is a staff writer for Real Madrid On SI. Before joining On SI, he wrote at Fansided, covering Ole Miss football, basketball, and baseball. He has also written for YardBarker, Heavy Sports, and the official EFL site. Merritt is a big sports fan, spending most of his weekends watching Soccer, the NFL, the NBA, college football/basketball, and others. Before starting his career as a freelance writer, Merritt was an Engineer for over 10 years. He lives in West Yorkshire, England, and is keenly interested in sports trading cards.
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