The UEFA Champions League round of 16 draw, held on Friday in Nyon, Switzerland, has set the stage for several high-profile clashes, with Real Madrid and Manchester City among the standout fixtures.
Real Madrid, fresh from a 3–1 aggregate win over Benfica on 25 February — a tie overshadowed by alleged racist abuse towards Vinicius Junior — will now face Manchester City. The Spanish giants met City earlier in the group stage, suffering a narrow 2–1 defeat at the Bernabeu.
Meanwhile, Newcastle United, who secured a 9–3 aggregate victory over Qarabag in the play-offs, will face Barcelona. This tie recalls classic early-2000s encounters between the two sides, promising a memorable last-16 showdown.
Elsewhere, Norwegian underdogs Bodo/Glimt, who stunned Inter Milan in the play-offs, will take on Sporting CP. Atletico Madrid, after overcoming Club Brugge, are set for a two-legged affair against Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur. Reigning champions PSG have been drawn against Chelsea, while league phase winners Arsenal face German opposition in Bayer Leverkusen.
Full round of 16 fixtures
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PSG vs Chelsea
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Galatasaray vs Liverpool
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Real Madrid vs Manchester City
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Atalanta vs Bayern Munich
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Newcastle vs Barcelona
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Atletico Madrid vs Tottenham Hotspur
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Bodo/Glimt vs Sporting CP
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Bayer Leverkusen vs Arsenal
The first legs of the round of 16 will be played on 10–11 March, with return legs scheduled for the following week. In each tie, the first team drawn will host the opening leg.
The draw also revealed the tournament brackets through to the final, scheduled for 30 May in Budapest. Liverpool and PSG could meet in the quarter-finals in a repeat of last year’s classic tie. Arsenal’s route to the final looks promising; if they overcome Leverkusen, they will face either Sporting CP or Bodo/Glimt in the quarter-finals, with a potential semi-final clash against Barcelona.
For Real Madrid, Europe’s most successful club, Bayern Munich could await in the quarter-finals if they defeat Manchester City, while PSG or Liverpool may be lined up as semi-final opposition.
