NYON, Switzerland: Real Madrid will play Manchester City in the Champions League knockout playoffs round in a standout clash of the past two title winners after the draw was made Friday.
Man City, the 2023 champion, will host the first leg on Feb. 11 or 12 and the return game in Madrid is on Feb. 18 or 19. Madrid won a record-extending 15th European title last season.
The winner over two legs advances to the round of 16 to face either Atletico Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen, who placed in the top eight of the new 36-team league standings that ended Wednesday.
Teams that finished from Nos. 9 to 24 in the standings dropped into the two-leg knockout playoffs. Madrid placed 11th and Man City barely qualified in 22nd, after rallying to beat Club Brugge 3-1 in a must-win game.
Real Madrid to play Manchester City in standout clash of Champions League knockout playoffs
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Real Madrid to play Manchester City in standout clash of Champions League knockout playoffs
- Manchester City, the 2023 champion, will host the first leg on Feb. 11 or 12 and the return game in Madrid is on Feb. 18 or 19
Australia rest Cummins, Hazlewood, Maxwell for Pakistan T20 series
- Josh Hazlewood, Tim David and Nathan Ellis will also skip the series starting later this month
- Australia will play Pakistan in Lahore on Jan. 29, 31 and Feb. 1, before traveling to Sri Lanka
MELBOURNE: Australia will rest five top players, including Pat Cummins and Glenn Maxwell, for a three-match Twenty20 series in Pakistan ahead of the World Cup, selectors said Monday.
Josh Hazlewood, Tim David and Nathan Ellis will also skip the series starting later this month.
Their absence opened the door to fringe players Sean Abbott, Mahli Beardman, Ben Dwarshuis, Jack Edwards, Mitch Owen, Josh Phillippe and Matt Renshaw, who come into the 17-man squad.
Chief selector George Bailey said the five were either returning from injury or having their loads managed ahead of the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka which begin on February 7.
“The series is a great opportunity for those on the brink of selection and some young players we rate highly for valuable experience,” he added.
“Some are already experienced international players, along with Mahli Beardman who has been with the group a number of times, and Jack Edwards who joined for the last one-day match against India in Sydney last year.”
Australia will play Pakistan in Lahore on January 29, 31 and February 1, before traveling to Sri Lanka where they are scheduled to open their World Cup campaign against Ireland in Colombo on February 11.
Australia squad: Mitchell Marsh (capt), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Mahli Beardman, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Jack Edwards, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Mitch Owen, Josh Philippe, Matthew Renshaw, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa
