Real Madrid will play Manchester City in the Champions League knockout playoffs round in a standout clash of the past two title winners after the draw was made Friday.

Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne kicks the ball with Real Madrid's Toni Kroos during the Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Manchester City and Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Wednesday, April 17, 2024. Credit: AP/Dave Thompson

The weekend is already off to a busy start with the UEFA Champions League draw for the knockout phase playoffs, and that's before an exciting batch of matches takes place across Europe. I'm Pardeep Cattry with an end-of-week check-in.