▁if ▁needed . ▁ ▁Prime ▁stage ▁( K no ck out ▁stage ) ▁ ▁The ▁prime ▁stage ▁( k no ck out ▁stage ) ▁is ▁played ▁by ▁ 8 ▁teams ▁who ▁advanced ▁to ▁A CL ▁group ▁stage ▁and ▁won ▁the ▁play - off ▁stage . ▁ ▁The ▁quarter final s ▁and ▁the ▁semif inals ▁are ▁played ▁as ▁two - leg ged ▁t ies ▁( same ▁as ▁the ▁play - off ▁stage ). ▁The ▁final ▁is ▁a ▁single ▁game . ▁ ▁The ▁video ▁assistant ▁ref eree ▁( VAR ) ▁system ▁will ▁be ▁used ▁during ▁the ▁knock out ▁stage . ▁ ▁Due ▁to ▁the ▁difficulty ▁in ▁log istics ▁of ▁the ▁video ▁system ▁by ▁ty ph oon ▁H ag ib is , ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁V AR ▁was ▁cancel led ▁for ▁the ▁match ▁of ▁K ash ima ▁Ant lers ▁v ▁K aw as aki ▁Front ale ▁( 1 3 ▁October , ▁semif inal ▁second ▁leg ), ▁and ▁additional ▁assistant ▁ref ere es ▁are ▁introduced ▁instead . ▁ ▁Sch edule ▁ ▁The ▁schedule , ▁except ▁for ▁the ▁final , ▁was ▁announced ▁on ▁ 1 4 ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 8 . ▁All ▁matches ▁of ▁the ▁group ▁stage ▁and ▁the ▁play - off ▁stage ▁will ▁be ▁played ▁on ▁Wed nes days . ▁ ▁Group ▁stage ▁ ▁Group ▁A ▁ ▁Group ▁B ▁ ▁Group ▁C ▁ ▁Group ▁D ▁ ▁Play - off ▁stage ▁▁ ▁Source : ▁J . ▁League ▁Data ▁Site ▁ ▁Prime ▁stage ▁( K no ck out ▁stage ) ▁ ▁The ▁draw ▁for ▁the ▁prime ▁stage