After a thrilling finish to the UEFA Champions League's first-ever league phase, the competition will gear up to hold its inaugural knockout phase playoffs with Friday's draw. The teams that finished from ninth through 24th in the league phase will take part in the knockout phase playoffs,

The UEFA Champions League is very different from here on out, as 36 teams play eight games — four home and four away — in bids to reach the knockout rounds. The schedule is longer, the table bigger, and we've now reached the finale,

The Champions League's inaugural league phase concluded on . The route from the group stage to the Round of 16 is no longer direct.