After the conclusion of the league phase, the Champions League knockout path will begin to be drawn up today. It comes after a dramatic conclusion to the league phase, with Benfica's goalkeeper scoring a last-minute goal to ensure Real Madrid missed out on a top-eight berth for the second consecutive season.
A point away from home against Paris Saint-Germain wasn't enough to keep Newcastle United in the automatic round-of-16 qualifying spots though. They were the only English side in the competition to miss out on a place in the top eight, meaning Eddie Howe and co. will have to contend with an extra two matches next month.
It's less than ideal, given the already hectic schedule, but Newcastle wouldn't have expected much more when the competition got underway back in September. They'll be joined by some big hitters, as alongside Real Madrid, Inter Milan and reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain will also discover their fate. Express Sport keeps you across all of the latest news from the Champions League draw.
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