UEFA Champions League 2009-10 knockout stage

The knockout stage of the 2009–10 UEFA Champions League is to begin 16 February 2010, and is scheduled to conclude with the final at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid on 22 May 2010. The knockout stage involves the sixteen teams who finished in the top two in each of their groups in the group stage.

Each tie in the knockout stage, apart from the final, will be played over two legs, with each team playing one leg at home. The team that has the higher aggregate score over the two legs will progress to the next round. In the event that aggregate scores finish level, the team that scored more goals away from home over the two legs will progress. If away goals are also equal, 30 minutes of extra time are played. If there are goals scored during extra time and the aggregate score is still level, the visiting team qualifies by virtue of more away goals scored. If no goals are scored during extra time, there will be a penalty shootout after extra time.

In the draw for the first knockout round, matches are played between the winner of one group and the runner-up of a different group. The only restriction on the drawing of teams in the first knockout round is that the teams must not be from the same national association or have played in the same group in the group stages. From the quarter-finals onwards, these restrictions do not apply.

In the final, the tie is played over just one leg at a neutral venue. If scores are level at the end of normal time in the final, extra time is played, followed by penalties if scores remain tied.

All times CET/CEST

First knockout round
The draw for the first knockout round of the competition was held on 18 December 2009. The first legs of the first knockout round will be played on 16/17 and 23/24 February 2010, while the second legs will be played on 9/10 and 16/17 March.


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Quarter-finals
The eight winners from the first knockout round are drawn into four pairs of home-and-away matches. The first legs are to be played on 30/31 March 2010, with the second legs on 6/7 April 2010. Starting from this round, the draw is made regardless of association or previous group status. The draw will take place on 19 March 2010, and will also include the draws for the semi-finals and final.

Semi-finals
The four quarter-final winners are drawn into two pairs of home-and-away matches. The first legs are to be played on 20/21 April 2010, with the second legs on 27/28 April 2010.

Final
The 2010 UEFA Champions League Final will be the fourth to be held at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid, Spain, after the 1957, 1969 and 1980 finals. It will also be the first to be held on a Saturday.