The league phase of the 2024-25 Champions League is complete, and we're starting to see the pros and cons of the competition's new format. We have seen 12 teams eliminated from the competition after Wednesday's 18-match drama, while eight have progressed straight to the round of 16. Liverpool, Barcelona, Arsenal, Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, Lille and Aston Villa will all return to the competition in March, but others have more football to play before then.

The teams ranked between 9th and 24th in the league phase table have a two-legged play-off to navigate in February. Among those clubs are both of last season's finalists, Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund, as well as 2023 winners Manchester City. After City finished 22nd in the league phase, one position behind Celtic, the British duo were paired with the sides who finished 11th and and 12th, the 15 times winners Real Madrid and six times champions Bayern Munich. That means that both City and Celtic will face one of those European giants in February's playoff, with Friday's draw determining which one.

The draw will also confirm where the sides who have progressed straight to the last 16 fit into bracket, with the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and Aston Villa all discovering which playoff match their next opponents will come from, as well as the path their potential quarter-final and semi-final opponents will follow too. Mirror Football will have all the latest news and updates from the draw as they happen.

First legs. 11/02: Brest vs Paris Saint-Germain (5:45pm UK time)11/02: Juventus vs PSV Eindhoven11/02: Manchester City vs Real Madrid11/02: Sporting Lisbon vs Borussia Dortmund12/02: Club Brugge vs Atalanta (5:45pm UK time)12/02: Monaco vs Benfica12/02: Celtic vs Bayern Munich12/02: Feyenoord vs Milan. Second legs. 18/02: Milan vs Feyenoord (5:45pm UK time)18/02: Atalanta vs Club Brugge18/02: Bayern Munich vs Celtic18/02: Benfica vs Monaco19/02: Borussia Dortmund vs Sporting Lisbon (5:45pm UK time)19/02: Paris Saint-Germain vs Brest19/02: PSV Eindhoven vs Juventus19/02: Real Madrid vs Manchester City.

Pep Guardiola says that Manchester City versus Real Madrid has become like a 'derby' in the Champions League. The two teams have now been drawn against each other in Europe's elite competition for four years in a row, having also faced off in 2020. Speaking after the play-off tie was confirmed, Guardiola said: "Well, it looks like a derby already. Four years in a row facing Madrid. "Well, Madrid, Bayern, both was really, really tough. Yeah, hopefully we can arrive in the moment, that first leg here and the game one week later in Madrid, as best as possible.".

Jhon Duran's departure has now been confirmed by Aston Villa, who'll face one of Atalanta, Borussia Dortmund, Sporting Lisbon or Club Brugge in the last 16. Duran joins Al-Nassr for £77.5million. Aston Villa can confirm that Jhon Durán has joined Al Nassr for an undisclosed fee.Everyone at Aston Villa would like to wish Jhon all the best in the next step of his professional career. pic.twitter.com/du26gbKUav.

Aston Villa are considering a stunning late move for Manchester United want-away Marcus Rashford. Rashford, 27, hopes to leave United before transfer deadline day on Monday after confirming last month that he's ready for a 'new challenge'. Red Devils manager Ruben Amorim has omitted Rashford from his squad for the last 12 matches, making it clear that unless the England international's approach to training changes, he'll remain frozen out.

Villa are searching for a new forward as Jhon Duran prepares to complete his €77million (£64.5m) mega-move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr. Emi Buendia has also joined German champions Bayer Leverkusen on loan. The Athletic report that Villa boss Unai Emery has personally requested the club enter talks over Rashford, with the Spaniard understood to be a big fan of him. Emery believes that he can help Rashford rediscover his best form at Villa Park.

Read the full story on Rashford here. Brendan Rodgers is 'hoping and praying' that Celtic fans won't be banned from their Champions League play-off tie away to Bayern Munich following another UEFA disciplinary notice. Celtic were on a suspended ban for away fans following a series of fines over the use of pyrotechnics before another incident at Villa Park on Wednesday. Rodgers told Sky Sports: "Our genuine Celtic supporters that are bonded with our club, it's the last thing they want to hear. Guys and people that travel for years and years worldwide, home and away.

"That is not what we would want. However, it's been a culmination of things that have come our way as a club. "I'm only hoping and praying that, especially in a game of such magnitude, or any game for that matter, but certainly this next game, that that doesn't get taken away from those supporters that Celtic means everything for.". Clubs that lose in the Champions League play-offs will not drop into the Europa League this season, such is the new format. There remain some big teams and big names involved in the tournament however.