Liverpool and PSG have been drawn against each other in the Champions League round of 16, while Real Madrid will face off against city rivals Atlético Madrid. The draw also sees Bayern Munich taking on Bayer Leverkusen, Arsenal against PSV Eindhoven, and Barcelona playing against Benfica.
The first-leg matches of these exciting fixtures are scheduled for March 4-5, with the return legs set to take place on March 11-12. Liverpool, in particular, might be feeling a bit hard done by as they won seven out of eight games to progress to this stage as the No.1 seed, only to draw an in-form PSG side who finished 15th in the league phase of the competition.
The tie between Liverpool and PSG promises to be a thrilling showdown, with both teams boasting two of the continent’s most effective forwards this season in Mohamed Salah and Ousmane Dembélé. The winners of this clash will go on to face either Aston Villa or Club Brugge in the quarterfinals.
Meanwhile, the spotlight will also be on the Madrid derby between Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid. Real Madrid, who are 15-time champions, reached this stage by knocking out Manchester City, setting up a challenging month for Atlético who will also face Barcelona multiple times in the coming weeks.
The winners of the Madrid derby will go on to face either Arsenal or PSV in the quarterfinals, with a potential semifinal against either Liverpool or PSG. On the other side of the draw, Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen will face off for a chance to advance to the quarterfinals against either Feyenoord or Inter Milan.
Barcelona will be facing Benfica in another exciting matchup, with the winners potentially taking on either Dortmund or Lille in the quarterfinals. The competition is heating up, with some of the top teams in Europe battling it out for a chance at Champions League glory.
The full round-of-16 draw includes Club Brugge vs. Aston Villa, Borussia Dortmund vs. Lille, Real Madrid vs. Atlético Madrid, Bayern Munich vs. Bayer Leverkusen, PSV Eindhoven vs. Arsenal, Feyenoord vs. Inter Milan, Paris Saint-Germain vs. Liverpool, and Benfica vs. Barcelona. The stage is set for some thrilling encounters as the competition progresses.
As fans eagerly anticipate these matchups, the Champions League continues to showcase the best of European football, with teams vying for glory on the grandest stage of them all. Stay tuned as the drama unfolds and the battle for supremacy intensifies.
