Champions League Play-Off Draw Pairs Real Madrid with Benfica and PSG Against Monaco

The draw for the Champions League play-off round on Friday set up Real Madrid for an immediate rematch against Jose Mourinho's Benfica, while the current European champions Paris Saint-Germain drew their domestic opponents Monaco.

Benfica defeated Real 4-2 in their concluding league phase match on Wednesday, where a 98th-minute strike from goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin sealed the vital play-off position for the Portuguese team, edging out Marseille who failed to qualify at all.

This loss dropped Madrid from the top eight in the league table, the positions that offer straight entry to the last 16, thus requiring them to compete in this additional stage.

Benfica mounted an impressive turnaround to claim a play-off berth, ending 24th in the 36-team league phase, the final qualifying position, by securing victories in three of their last four fixtures following defeats in their initial four encounters.

Mourinho, aged 63, rejoined the Lisbon club for his second tenure as manager in September. He led Real from 2010 to 2013, securing one La Liga championship and one Copa del Rey, and guiding them to the Champions League semi-finals in all three of his seasons there.

The teams met in the 1962 European Cup final, where Benfica triumphed 5-3 to secure their most recent of two titles to date.

PSG fell outside the top eight after managing just one win in their final five league phase games, concluding in 11th spot.

They will travel to Monaco for the opening leg and remain cautious of the Monaco team that overcame them in Ligue 1 during November.

Nevertheless, the 2004 Champions League finalists Monaco have struggled lately, recording only one victory in six matches since the new year began.

Monaco sit 10th in Ligue 1, trailing leaders PSG by 21 points. Yet, a 0-0 result against Juventus on Wednesday ensured their play-off spot in Europe.

PSG also faced French foes in last season's play-off round, thrashing Brest 10-0 overall before claiming the trophy for the first time in their history.

In other draws, Newcastle United emerge as firm favourites versus Azerbaijan's unexpected entrants Qarabag, starting in Baku.

Bodo/Glimt, who have claimed the Norwegian title in four of the past six years, also made a surprising entry to this phase and now face last season's runners-up Inter Milan.

Juventus draw Galatasaray, Atletico Madrid meet Club Brugge, Borussia Dortmund take on Atalanta, and Bayer Leverkusen are paired with Olympiacos.

The home-and-away play-off matches occur in February, with victors progressing to the last 16 in March.