Talks cement a relationship between UEFA, Europe’s leading clubs and an agency that wants to stage European club football in the U.S.

The UEFA Champions League's knockout phase will kick off on Tuesday, February 11-12 with the return legs to be played the week after, on February 18-19 and will determine the eight teams that will face the first eight sides that already qualified in the League Phase.

According to Opta, Manchester City versus Real Madrid is the most evenly balanced tie in the play-off round, with Carlo Ancelotti’s side only marginal favourites to progress to the Last 16 (53 per cent - Man City have a 47 per cent chance).