Defending champions Real Madrid will renew their Champions League rivalry with 2023 winners Manchester City in a thrilling knockout play-off tie, following the draw held in Nyon on Friday.

Both sides failed to secure automatic qualification for the last 16, finishing 11th and 22nd respectively in the new league-phase format. Teams placed ninth to 24th must compete in a two-legged play-off to secure a spot in the round of 16.

This encounter marks the fourth consecutive year that Real Madrid and Manchester City will meet in the knockout rounds, having previously clashed four times since 2020.

"It feels like a derby already—four years in a row facing Real Madrid," City manager Pep Guardiola told reporters after the draw was confirmed.

"But Bayern or Madrid, both were really tough. Hopefully, we can be at our best for the first leg here and then in Madrid."

The Spanish league leaders will be confident, having eliminated English clubs from the knockout stages 13 times.

Although City dominated Madrid 5-1 on aggregate in the 2023 semi-finals en route to their historic treble, Real exacted revenge last year, knocking Guardiola’s side out on penalties in the quarter-finals after two drawn matches.

"In a perfect world, we wouldn’t be playing them, but we weren’t able to finish in the top eight, and that’s fine," Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti admitted.

"Playing two extra games doesn’t make a difference… we have the squad depth to handle it."

The challenge will only intensify, as the winners will face either Atlético Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen in the last 16.

Champions League Knockout Play-off Draw

• Club Brugge v Atalanta

• Sporting v Borussia Dortmund

• Manchester City v Real Madrid

• Celtic v Bayern Munich

• Juventus v PSV Eindhoven

• Feyenoord v AC Milan

• Brest v Paris Saint-Germain

• AS Monaco v Benfica

Champions League Knockout Play-off Dates

• First leg: 11/12 February

• Second leg: 18/19 February

• Last 16 draw: 21 February