Nigerian winger Ademola Lookman is set to face compatriot Raphael Onyedika in a thrilling Champions League playoff clash after Atalanta was drawn against Club Brugge in the knockout round.
The highly anticipated Champions League playoff draw took place at the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland, with Atalanta and Club Brugge paired together for a fierce battle in the coming weeks.
The first leg will be held in Belgium on either February 11 or 12, with the second leg to take place in Italy the following week.
It remains to be seen if Lookman will be fit for this encounter after he suffered a knee injury in training last Monday.
Lookman has been outstanding for Atalanta this term scoring 14 goals and laying seven assists in 27 games across all competitions.
For another Nigerian star, Samuel Chukwueze, his Italian side AC Milan will square off against Dutch giants Feyenoord.
Milan will travel to the Netherlands for the first leg, with the return match set for the iconic San Siro stadium.
The Champions League draw also brought exciting matchups for some of Europe’s top clubs.
Reigning champions Manchester City, fresh off their 2023 triumph, will take on 15-time European Cup winners Real Madrid.
The first leg will be played at the Etihad Stadium, with the return fixture in Spain.
Meanwhile, Scottish champions Celtic will face a tough task against German powerhouse Bayern Munich, with the first leg at Celtic Park and the return in Munich.
The full list of matchups for the Champions League playoff round is as follows:
Brest vs Paris St-Germain
Club Brugge vs Atalanta
Manchester City vs Real Madrid
Juventus vs PSV Eindhoven
Monaco vs Benfica
Sporting CP vs Borussia Dortmund
Celtic vs Bayern Munich
Feyenoord vs AC Milan
The Champions League playoffs are a crucial stage in the competition, as clubs that finished between ninth and 24th in the group phase battle for a spot in the last 16. The seeded teams, having finished higher in the group stage, will host the second leg of their respective ties.
Manchester City and Celtic finished 22nd and 21st, respectively, in the group table, meaning they are drawn against teams like Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, who finished 11th and 12th.
With the stakes high and the talent on display, fans can expect an exciting and competitive round of fixtures in the Champions League.
