Once the league phase has been completed, 24 clubs enter the knockout phase in predetermined positions based on their ranking at the end of the league phase, as illustrated in Annex B.
The fixtures for the knockout phase play-offs are determined by means of a draw conducted in accordance with the following principles:
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The clubs are paired based on their positions at the end of the league phase to form four seeded pairs (clubs in positions 9 and 10, 11 and 12, 13 and 14, and 15 and 16) and four unseeded pairs (positions 17 and 18, 19 and 20, 21 and 22, and 23 and 24).
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The clubs in each seeded pair are drawn against the clubs in each unseeded pair, as illustrated in Annex B: clubs 9 or 10 against clubs 23 or 24, clubs 11 or 12 against clubs 21 or 22, clubs 13 or 14 against clubs 19 or 20, and clubs 15 or 16 against clubs 17 or 18.
The fixtures for the round of 16 are determined by means of a draw conducted in accordance with the following principles:
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The clubs are paired based on their positions at the end of the league phase to form four seeded pairs (clubs in positions 1 and 2, 3 and 4, 5 and 6, and 7 and 8).
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The clubs in each seeded pair are drawn into one of two positions in the round of 16, as illustrated in Annex B, against the relevant winner of the knockout phase play-offs, whose position is determined by the knockout phase play-off draw in accordance with Paragraph 19.02.
The quarter-final and semi-final pairings are determined according to Annex B. Seeded teams, i.e. teams ranked 1 to 4 after the league phase, play the return leg at home in the quarter-finals, and teams ranked 1 and 2 also play the return leg of the semi-finals at home. If a seeded team is beaten in any round, the team that eliminates them takes over their seeding position in the bracket path (i.e. the higher ranking for seeding purposes is not recalculated after each round).
In the final, the team on the silver side of the bracket (as shown in Annex B) is considered the nominal home team for administrative purposes.
The UEFA administration may determine alternative conditions for each draw in accordance with the principles set by the Club Competitions Committee and may adapt the conditions of the draw or directly assign positions to take into account any relevant constraints in light of decisions taken by the UEFA Executive Committee.