Champions League knockout play-off draw: Newcastle to face Qarabag as Real Madrid and Benfica face rematch after league phase drama

Newcastle have been drawn against Qarabag in their Champions League knockout play-off tie, while Benfica and Real Madrid will face each other again after a dramatic end to their league phase tie on Wednesday.

It is the first time the Magpies have reached the knockout rounds in Europe and make a 5,000-mile round trip to Azerbaijan for the first leg on February 17 or 18.

As a seeded team, they will play their second leg at St James' Park on February 24 or 25.

It adds two more fixtures to an already congested February for Newcastle, with the play-off ties coming before Premier League games against Manchester City on February 21 and at home to Everton on February 28.

Qarabag were hammered 6-0 by Liverpool in the last round of the league phase, but they did manage a 2-2 draw at home to Chelsea on matchday four.

Eddie Howe's men will face either Chelsea or Barcelona should they make it to the last 16.

But perhaps the tie of the play-offs will be Jose Mourinho facing his former side, Real Madrid, once again. Benfica hosted the LaLiga side in the final league phase game this week, and heading into the final minute, needed a goal to secure their place in the play-offs.

They were already leading 3-2 against nine-man Real Madrid when goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin headed home. The defeat condemned Alvaro Arbeloa's side to ninth place in the table and two extra play-off fixtures.

Benfica have now won three of the clubs' previous four European meetings, including the 1962 European Cup final, and it will be another chance for Mourinho to get one over on his old club, the 15-time champions of Europe.