Champions League: how the Playoff draw works, where to watch it and the pairings of the Italian teams

Let’s find out how the Champions League Playoff draw works, what the pairings are for the three qualified Italian teams, and their path to the round of 16.

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Napoli eliminated from the Champions League: three Italian teams in the Playoffs

The four Italian teams qualified for this edition of the Champions League finished the group stage with two defeats, one draw, and only one victory.

Here are the results of the Italian teams in the eighth and final matchday of the single group stage of the Champions League:

• Borussia Dortmund-Inter 0-2
• Monaco-Juventus 0-0
• Union SG-Atalanta 1-0
• Napoli-Chelsea 2-3

This means that none of the four Italian teams managed to secure a direct pass to the round of 16. Inter came close, but finished in 10th place. Three positions behind them is Juventus, while Atalanta finished fifteenth.

A total disaster for Napoli, who didn’t even pick up a point against Chelsea and were surprisingly eliminated already at this stage of the competition. The Italian champions finished the single group stage in 30th place.

Champions League, time and where to watch the Playoff draw

At 12:00 PM on Friday, January 30, 2026 in Nyon, Switzerland, the Champions League Playoff draw will take place. This date is circled in red by Inter, Juventus, and Atalanta, who will be the protagonists of the event.

The Champions League Playoff draw will be visible live on Sky Sport TV channels, as well as streaming on NOW and on the UEFA website.

Champions League Playoff draw regulations

But how does the Champions League Playoff draw work? The mechanism is simple: the clubs ranked between 9th and 24th place are divided into two pots.

Those between 9th and 16th are the seeded teams, while those between 17th and 24th are the unseeded teams.

Seeded teams

• 9 – Real Madrid
• 10 – Inter
• 11 – PSG
• 12 – Newcastle
• 13 – Juventus
• 14 – Atletico Madrid
• 15 – Atalanta
• 16 – Leverkusen

Unseeded teams

• 17 – Borussia Dortmund
• 18 – Olympiacos
• 19 – Club Brugge
• 20 – Galatasaray
• 21 – Monaco
• 22 – Qarabag
• 23 – Bodo/Glimt
• 24 – Benfica

Playoff pairings

Here are the pairs that are created based on the standings, according to the Champions League Playoff draw.

• Real Madrid/Inter – Bodo Glimt/Benfica
• PSG/Newcastle – Monaco/Qarabag
• Juventus/Atletico Madrid – Club Brugge/Galatasaray
• Atalanta/Leverkusen – Borussia Dortmund/Olympiacos

Where to bet online on the Champions League 2025/26

To bet online legally on the winner of the Champions League 2025/26, it is essential to choose one of the best betting sites.

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These platforms allow you to set spending limits to play responsibly, but not only that. Simply top up your newly opened gaming account to receive a welcome betting bonus that varies in its characteristics from site to site.

Furthermore, the new user can sometimes benefit from a welcome bonus without a deposit even without any monetary transaction. Just wait for the verification of the identity document provided during registration.

To compare the various welcome offers available online and identify the one that best suits your playing style, you can use the information table below:

Champions League: the path to the round of 16 for the Italian teams

Inter (10) is paired with Real Madrid (9) in the Nyon draw and will have to face one of Bodo/Glimt (23) or Benfica (24) in the Playoffs. Juventus (13), on the other hand, will have to face one of Club Brugge (19) or Galatasaray (20).

With Napoli out, only Atalanta remains, who, having finished in 15th place, is paired with Leverkusen and will have to play one of Borussia Dortmund or Olympiacos. The top 8 teams in the single group stage have already qualified for the round of 16 and are awaiting the winners of the Playoffs.

The path, at least up to a certain point in the competition, is already laid out. The draw will define the two halves of the bracket, but the pairings for the potential round of 16 are already decided. If Inter were to reach it, they would face one of Manchester City or Sporting Lisbon.

For Juventus, the bracket speaks English, as they would face either Liverpool or Tottenham. The worst situation, however, is for Atalanta, who, in case of qualification for the round of 16, would have to face a powerhouse like Arsenal or Bayern Munich.

Updated Champions League winner odds

After securing first place in the single group stage, Arsenal is the main favorite of the bookmakers for the final victory of the Champions League 2025/26.

Despite not managing to finish in the top eight after last season’s final, Inter remains the favorite team, among the three Italian teams still in contention, to win the Champions League.

The final success of the Nerazzurri is priced at 25.00 on Betsson (here you can find the guide to the Betsson Scommesse betting portal), but also 28.00 on Lottomatica (discover all the information regarding Lottomatica Scommesse) and 29.00 on Bet365 (here is the analysis of the Bet365 Scommesse profile).

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