The eight winners of the play-offs will meet the top-eight finishers from the league phase.

From this point onward the competition adopts a knockout format, with each fixture other than the final contested over two legs.

As with the play-offs, teams’ final ranking in the league phase will influence seeding in the last 16, with seeded sides – those that finished in the top eight of the league – being given the advantage of playing second legs at home.

This is the first season that the position in which teams have placed in the league phase will also influence seeding for the quarter-final and semi-finals.

Teams finishing first to fourth at the end of the league phase will be seeded for the quarter-finals, and therefore given the home advantage in their quarter-final tie second legs.

The two sides who finish top and runner-up in the league will also be seeded for the semi-finals, earning them the benefit of playing the second leg of their semis at home should they reach that stage.

If a seeded team does not progress to the quarter or semi-finals, the team that knocks them out will inherit their seeding position.