Déjà Vu in European Football: Historic Rematches in Upcoming Knockout Rounds

Groundhog Day may not arrive until Monday, February 2, but for two soccer teams experiencing a significant sense of déjà vu, the day feels as though it has come early.

On Friday, the playoff draws for the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League were announced, resulting in matchups that would make Bill Murray’s cynical weatherman Phil Connors shudder in recognition.

The most remarkable tie in the Champions League is an instant rematch between Real Madrid and Benfica. These two teams recently met during the league phase, where a dramatic last-minute headed goal from Benfica’s goalkeeper, Anatoliy Trubin, ensured that José Mourinho’s team remained competitive.

However, they are not the only teams set to face off once again in the knockout stages of European football. Bulgaria’s Ludogorets and Hungary’s Ferencváros have also been drawn against each other for two legs in the Europa League playoff round, marking their fourth and fifth meetings this season—an unprecedented occurrence considering they compete in entirely different domestic leagues.

According to ESPN Global Research, this will be the first instance in European competition where the same two teams have met five times in a single season. While teams have clashed four times on 32 occasions, this unprecedented matchup stands out.

The rivalry began in August, when Ludogorets and Ferencváros faced off in two legs during the third qualifying round of the Champions League. The first encounter ended in a 0-0 draw in Razgrad, Bulgaria, before Ferencváros secured a 3-0 victory in their home leg a week later in Budapest.

However, following their defeat to FK Qarabag in the final qualifying round, Ferencváros dropped into the Europa League. Their fourth meeting occurred on November 6, culminating in another home clash where Ferencváros triumphed 3-1 over Ludogorets.

After both teams finished mid-table in the Europa League league phase, they were drawn together in a playoff on Friday, with the first leg scheduled for February 18/19 at Ludogorets, followed by the return leg on February 25/26 at Ferencváros.

The silver lining for both teams is that this fifth fixture will break the time loop—one team will advance to the round of 16, while the other will exit from the European stage entirely.