Four Nigerian players—Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze, Raphael Onyedika, and George Ilenikhena—will discover their opponents today when UEFA Champions League playoffs draw takes place.
Their clubs—Atalanta, AC Milan, Club Brugge, and Monaco—secured a playoff spot after the group stage, keeping their hopes alive for a place in the round of 16.
The Champions League playoffs draw will hold at the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland 12 noon Nigerian time.
Lookman and Atalanta narrowly missed automatic qualification after a 2-2 away draw against Barcelona, finishing ninth—just one point off an automatic spot.
The 2024 African Player of the Year, who has been one of Atalanta’s best performers this season with 14 goals and seven assists, missed the match due to a knee injury. Many fans believe his presence could have made the difference.
Samuel Chukwueze and AC Milan also had to settle for the playoffs after missing out on automatic qualification by one point following a shocking 2-1 loss to Dinamo Zagreb. Their chances of winning the match and securing an automatic spot were severely damaged after American midfielder Yunus Musah was sent off in the 39th minute for two avoidable offenses.
Chukwueze came on at halftime, replacing Alvaro Morata, but Milan’s numerical disadvantage made it difficult for him to influence the game.
AS Monaco had already secured a playoff spot before their 3-0 matchday 8 loss to in-form Inter Milan. The French side finished 17th in the standings.
Club Brugge, meanwhile, lost 3-1 to Manchester City but advanced due to a superior goal difference of -4 compared to Dinamo Zagreb’s -7, despite both teams finishing with 11 points. Onyedika scored the only goal for the Belgian side.

Teams eliminated from the competition include Dinamo Zagreb, Stuttgart, Shakhtar Donetsk, Bologna, Crvena Zvezda, Sturm Graz, Sparta Prague, RB Leipzig, Girona, RB Salzburg, Slovan Bratislava, and Young Boys.
Seeded teams for Champions League playoffs draw:
9. Atalanta (ITA)
10. Borussia Dortmund (GER)
11. Real Madrid (ESP)
12. Bayern München (GER)
13. Milan (ITA)
14. PSV (NED)
15. Paris Saint-Germain (FRA)
16. Benfica (POR)
Unseeded teams for Champions League playoffs draw:
17. Monaco (FRA)
18. Brest (FRA)
19. Feyenoord (NED)
20. Juventus (ITA)
21. Celtic (SCO)
22. Manchester City (ENG)
23. Sporting CP (POR)
24. Club Brugge (BEL)
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