Man City or Real Madrid - UEFA Champions League KO Playoffs Return Leg 19 February 2025

Borussia Dortmund vs. Sporting CP

18.45h CET, Westfalenstadion, Dortmund

First leg: 3-0

Dortmund may have their issues in the domestic league. But internationally, they show some nice form. Beating Sporting 3-0 away in Lisbon is no mean feat and the BVB will be expected to book a spot in the round of 16. For Sporting, this trip is mostly about limiting the damage and leaving the competition with a smile on their face. Bigger comebacks have happened though in Champions League ties.

TP9002 LIS 1500-1845 DTM A20N CS-TVM (18/02/25)

TP9004 LIS 1530-1920 DUS A320 CS-TNM (18/02/25)

Real Madrid vs. Manchester City

21.00h CET, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid

First leg: 3-2

For some time it looked as if Man City could take a small lead into the away game in Madrid. But then Real Madrid fired in two goals in quick succession at the end of the first leg. Whether the taunting tifo before the game fired up Vinicius Jr and his teammates? In any case, the return leg promises more of the same, with two teams full of offensive firepower. Dropping out of the Champions League at this early stage is not what both clubs are used to.

TLJ440C MAN 1000-1320 MAD E135 F-HSTE (18/02/25)

BRO030A MAN 1530-1900 MAD B737 G-NEWG (18/02/25)

LS6900 LPL 1230-1555 MAD B738 G-GDFJ (18/02/25)

G-SWRD, Boeing 737-300 of 2Excel Aviation
seen at Copenhagen in July 2022

TLJ440C MAD 1100-1230 MAN E145 (20/02/25)

LS6901 MAD 1230-1405 LPL B738 (20/02/25)

BRO030B MAD 1430-1547 MAN B733 (20/02/25)

PSV Eindhoven vs. Juventus Turin

21.00h CET, PSV Stadium, Eindhoven

First leg: 1-2

Just one goal is in between these two teams before the second leg. Juventus may have wanted to create a bigger gap in the first leg. Yet, PSV are still nicely in this and could seal their spot in the round of 16 with a win over Juventus.

AZ9014 TRN 1600-1740 EIN A20N (18/02/25)

Giants meeting in Manchester - UEFA Champions League Play-Offs First Leg 11 February 2025

Manchester City vs. Real Madrid

21.00h CET (20.00h local time), City of Manchester Stadium, Manchester

Two of the ultimate giants of European club football are vying for a place in the last 16 of this season's Champions League. Both would have hoped for more, but at least the fans get to enjoy two legs of the finest football available at an early stage. Pep Guardiola has reinforced his squad over winter with some high-profile signings. Just, will it be enough to beat the mighty Real Madrid of Carlo Ancelotti?

IB1401 MAD 1030-1215 MAN A333 EC-LXK (10/02/25)

IB1402 MAN 2330-0245(+1) MAD A333 (11/02/25)

An Iberia Airbus A330-300
seen at Madrid in March 2023

Sporting CP vs. Borussia Dortmund

21.00h CET (20.00h local time), José Alvalade, Lisbon

Troubled in the Bundesliga, Borussia Dortmund at least held their own in the Champions League. Yet they have to go through the play-offs and have not quite got an easy draw. At least they have their "own" transport of sorts, a Eurowings Airbus A320 in the colours of the club that takes them to the away games. For once they will have to settle with a different aircraft however, with D-AEWT in normal Eurowings colours taking over the charter duties.

EW1909 DTM 1550-1810 LIS A320 D-AEWT (10/02/25)

EW1909 LIS 1410-1810 DTM A320 (12/02/25)

Juventus Turin vs. PSV Eindhoven

21.00h CET, Juventus Stadium, Turin

PSV may not have been the team expected to finish above Juventus in the League Phase table. But with just one more point they finished five spots above the Italian record champions.

ATV010H BHX 0750-1020 EIN DH8D D-AASG (10/02/25, ferry flight)

ATV040E EIN 1100-1300 TRN DH8D D-AASG (10/02/25)

HV81 AMS 0855-0925 EIN B738 9A-ABC (10/02/25)

2F1914 EIN 1115-1240 TRN B738 9A-ABC (10/02/25)

Stade Rennais 29 vs. Paris St-Germain

18.45 CET, Stade de Roudourou, Guingamp

In their exile in Guingamp, Stade Rennais 29 are hosting none less than their own domestic champions PSG. There was no protection from domestic clashes in the play-off round and this is the result of it. Despite the relatively short distance from Paris to Guingamp, PSG are still taking the plane to get to the game, flying from Paris CDG to St Brieuc.

KLJ3123 CDG 1145-1240 SBK B733 LY-CHF (10/02/25)

Small teams but big trips - UEFA Champions League MD7 22 January 2025

The penultimate round of the League Phase goes into the second day with another nine fixtures across Europe. By the end of these matches, some more entrants to the round of 16 and the play-off phase will be known for sure.

22 January 2025

RB Leipzig vs. Sporting CP

34th/0 pts vs. 17th/10 pts

18.45h CET, Leipzig

Formerly a powerhouse of Champions League football, Leipzig found life really difficult this season. With zero points from six games, they are in the bottom group without a chance on making the knockout stages. Sporting need some points from this game to stay in the competition and maybe still make it directly into the round of 16.

HFM881 LIS xxxx-1920 LEJ A343 (21/01/25)

AC Milan vs. Girona FC

12th/12 pts vs. 30th/3 pts

21.00h CET, San Siro, Milan

After a promising start, Girona have tailed off considerably in the last few matches of the league phase. They are now playing for pure survival and need points from the away game in Milan. This does not promise to be an easy task however. It has historically been proven that San Siro is a very difficult place to win a game as the away side.

AP1985 GRO 1500-1625 MXP B738 EI-HIL (21/01/25)

AP1986 MXP xxxx-0315 GRO B738 (23/01/25)

The AlbaStar flight for Girona is actually operated by a Milan-based Neos Boeing 737-800.

Real Madrid vs. RB Salzburg

20th/9 pts vs. 32nd/3 pts

21.00h CET, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid

No matter the situation on the table, away days at the mighty Bernabeu are always big for smaller teams. That Salzburg is making that trip with quite a lot of supporters should not be a surprise in this context. On the field however, Salzburg need a win or they go bust with one game to spare in the league phase. Real's rather low position on the table will not help the visitors however, even if Real are in some injury misery and therefore cannot count on their full squad for this important match.

KK900P MUC 0950-1030 SZG A320 D-ANNE (21/01/25, ferry flt)

KK902P VNO 1230-1335 SZG A320 9H-GTS (21/01/25, ferry flt)

KK7122 SZG 1420-1700 MAD A320 9H-GTS (21/01/25)

KK7120 SZG 1140-1420 MAD A320 D-ANNE (21/01/25)

QS430P PRG xxxx-0700 SZG B739 (22/01/25, ferry flt)

ENT547P KTW xxxx-0720 SZG B738 (22/01/25, ferry flt)

ENT547 SZG 0815-1105 MAD B738 (22/01/25)

QS4301 SZG 0815-1100 MAD B739 (22/01/25)

QS4302 MAD 1030-1300 SZG B739 (23/01/25)

QS430F SZG 1355-xxxx PRG B739 (23/01/25, ferry flt)

ENT548 MAD 1040-1330 SZG B738 (23/01/25)

ENT548P SZG 1425-xxxx KTW B738 (23/01/25, ferry flt)

KK6123 MAD 1100-1340 SZG A320 (23/01/25)

KK903P SZG 1430-xxxx CGN A320 (23/01/25, ferry flt)

KK6121 MAD 1420-1655 SZG A320 (23/01/25)

KK901P SZG 1735-xxxx CGN A320 (23/01/25, ferry flt)

Sparta Prague vs. Inter Milan

28th/4 pts vs. 6th/13 pts

21.00h CET, Prague

The situation on the table could not be more different for both these sides. Sparta will be trying their best to add to their four points in order to save a spot in the knock-out stages. Most probably, they will need two wins from two games to stand a chance for that though. Inter on their hand are looking for a finish in the top 8 and will therefore look to get maximum points from this fixture themselves.

NO9260 MXP 1645-1815 PRG B38M EI-RZA (21/01/25)

Shakhtar Donezk vs. Stade Brestois

27th/4 pts vs. 7th/13 pts

18.45h, Arena auf Schalke, Gelsenkirchen

The French visitors are still flying high and look like the favourites for this match. They surely want to maintain their good run and beat Shakhtar to improve their chances for a direct entry into the round of 16.

YW8042 BES 0830-1020 FMO CRJX EC-LJX (21/01/25)

YW8068 BES 0800-0940 DUS CRJX (22/01/25)

Arsenal vs. Dinamo Zagreb

3rd/13 pts vs. 24th/8 pts

21.00h CET (20.00h local time), Emirates Stadium, London

Dinamo sit right on the edge of making it to the next stage of the competition. They face a lot of pressure from teams like PSG or VfB Stuttgart from behind however. A trip to London may not be the easiest thing in this situation. After all, Arsenal sit pretty well on the table, with 13 points from six matches.

OU1490 ZAG 1130-1235 STN A320 9A-CTK (21/01/25)

Celtic Glasgow vs BSC Young Boys

21st/9 pts vs. 36th/0 pts

21.00h CET (20.00h local time), Celtic Park, Glasgow

It is one final away trip for Young Boys before their European campaign is over. They will face a Celtic side in fine European form that still dreams of making it through to the knockout stages. YB on their side will hope to finally get some points from the league phase however. They are one of three teams already eliminated before the penultimate round of the league phase.

QS432P BTS 1710-1830 BRN B38M OK-SWI (20/01/25, ferry flight)

QS4320 BRN 1100-1230 GLA B38M OK-SWI (21/01/25)

Feyenoord Rotterdam vs. FC Bayern München

18th/10 pts vs. 10th/12 pts

21.00h, De Kuip, Rotterdam

Leaders of the German Bundesliga, Bayern travel to Rotterdam to improve their chances on a direct entry into the round of 16. Before the game, they sit just behind the top 8, but a win should help them to put pressure on direct opponents like Borussia Dortmund or the French competitors from Lille and Brest.

LH2570 MUC 1720-1900 RTM A21N D-AIEL (21/01/25)

Paris St-Germain vs. Manchester City

25th/7 pts vs. 22nd/8 pts

21.00h, Parc des Princes, Paris

Both these teams sit surprisingly low in the table. PSG absolutely need points to at least make it into the knockout stages. A direct entry into the round of 16 seems almost impossible already. Man City face similar challenges, although at least they got one more point from their previous six matches.

AGR1008 MAN 1000-1225 LBG E145 PH-DWA (21/01/25)

BRO987A MAN 1600-1825 LBG B733 G-SWRD (21/01/25)

2Excel Aviation Boeing 737-300 G-SWRD
seen at Copenhagen in July 2022

Milan going big, Leverkusen going long - UEFA Champions League MD4, 5 November 2024

PSV Eindhoven vs. Girona FC

18.45h, Philips Stadion, Eindhoven

28th/2pts vs. 24th/3pts

Two teams in need for more points face off in Eindhoven. PSV managed two draws so far. At the same time, Girona at least managed to beat a win over Slovan Bratislava in the previous round. To make it at least to the knockout phase play-offs, both teams need a positive result from this game however.

ENT597P LGW 1110-1405 GRO B738 SP-ENX (04/11/24, ferry flight)

ENT597 GRO 1500-1700 EIN B738 SP-ENX (04/11/24)

ENT598 EIN xxxx-1040 GRO B738 (06/11/24)

Slovan Bratislava vs. Dinamo Zagreb

18.45h, Tehelne Pole, Bratislava

36th/0pts vs. 22nd/4pts

The absolutely last-placed team in this year's competition is Slovan Bratislava. After three games, they have no points and just the one goal to show for. Their opponents Dinamo Zagreb at least won against RB Salzburg and drew with AS Monaco.

OU1320 ZAG 1200-1250 BTS A320 9A-CTK (04/11/24)

Real Madrid vs. AC Milan

21.00h, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid

12th/6pts vs. 25th/3pts

Two of the ultimative heavy-weights in European club football play each other in Madrid. Real have won two out of three matches so far. Milan won one against Brugge and lost the other two against Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen. A win for Real would help them to keep up the pace with the leaders. Interestingly enough, Milan will use a widebody aircraft for the relatively short trip from Malpensa to Madrid. The flight is running under a Neos callsign, but will be operated by Norse Atlantic Airways.

NO9104 MXP 1600-1755 MAD B789 LN-FNC (04/11/24)

MMO1200 BGY xxxx-1205 MAD A320 (05/11/24)

MMO1201 MAD 0115-xxxx BGY A320 (06/11/24)

NO9105 MAD 0845-1040 MXP B789 (06/11/24)

Norse Atlantic Boeing 787-9 LN-FNC
seen at Oslo-Gardermoen in July 2022

Bologna FC vs. AS Monaco

21.00h, Stadio Renato Dall'ara, Bologna

It looks like a tough ask for the home team against the high-flying AS Monaco. The visitors from Monaco already have seven points from three matches while Bologna sits way down the table with just a solitary point from a draw against Shakhtar Donetsk.

AP1347 NCE 1520-1605 BLQ B738 EC-MTV (04/11/24)

Liverpool FC vs. Bayer 04 Leverkusen

21.00h (20.00h local time), Anfield Road, Liverpool

2nd/9pts vs. 6th/7pts

Ten out of 36 teams in this year's Champions League League phase are still unbeaten. Liverpool is even amongst the two teams that won all three games this far. Bayer Leverkusen had wins in Rotterdam against Feyenoord and then at home against Milan before a draw with Brest away in Guingamp. Enthusiasts in Liverpool will get treated to a Condor Boeing 757-300 visiting - one of the last, if not the last chance for them to see this particular aircraft type.

DE9246 DUS 1730-1800 LPL B753 D-ABOK (04/11/24)

DE9247 LPL 1335-1605 DUS B753 (06/11/24)

Celtic Glasgow vs. RB Leipzig

21.00h (20.00h local time), Celtic Park, Glasgow

20th/4pts vs. 31st/0pts

That Leipzig are so far down the table could probably not be expected before the League phase. But the team played some big teams so far, including Juventus and Liverpool, against whom they both lost by just one goal. Away in Glasgow, they will aim to do much better. But can they come up against the traditionally very big atmosphere at Celtic Park?

PVG3891 LEJ 1345-1445 GLA A321 EC-NLJ (04/11/24)

ENT541 LEJ 1000-xxxx GLA B38M (05/11/24)

Lille OSC vs. Juventus Turin

21.00h, Stade Pierre Mauroy, Villeneuve-d'Ascq

15th/6pts vs. 14th/6pts

Two neighbors on the table face off in a quest for more points. Juventus had two wins in three games, just like LOSC. That recent loss at home against Stuttgart may not have been planned for however. Surely Juve may look for something better away in Northern France. LOSC started with a defeat away in Lisbon against Sporting but came back well with wins over both Real and Atlético Madrid.

AZ9014 TRN 1530-1710 LIL A20N (04/11/24)

Borussia Dortmund vs. SK Sturm Graz

21.00h, Signal Iduna Park (Westfalenstadion), Dortmund

11th/6pts vs. 32nd/0pts

It is another very difficult assignment for the Austrian champions Sturm Graz, away at the mighty Borussia Dortmund. In one of their first three matches, Borussia scored a 7-1 win over Celtic - and yet this is not even the highest win of this league phase. In the third match however, they lost 5-2 away at Real Madrid. Could it be a question of which BVB turns up at the Westfalenstadion on Tuesday night?

ENT504P CDG xxxx-0800 GRZ B738 SP-ENU (04/11/24, ferry flight)

ENT535 GRZ 0900-1025 DTM B738 SP-ENU (04/11/24)

ENT537P DTM 1120-1245 GRZ B738 SP-ENU (04/11/24, ferry flight

ENT537 GRZ 1500-1625 DTM B738 SP-ENU (04/11/24)

ENT539P DTM 0835-1000 GRZ B738 SP-ENU (05/11/24, ferry flight)

ENT539 GRZ 1100-1225 DTM B738 (05/11/24)

Sporting CP vs. Manchester City

21.00h (20.00h local time), Stadio José Alvalade, Lisbon

8th/7pts vs. 3rd/7pts

These two teams are high up in the table and equal on points. Whoever wins this match will have great chances to make a step forward towards the knockout rounds.

AGR1229 MAN 1000-1300 CAT E135 PH-DWS (04/11/24)

BRO985A MAN 1600-1900 LIS B733 G-SWRD (04/11/24)