UEFA Champions League Round of 16 draw: Familiar foes meet again
- Anweshan Ghosh
- Feb 23
- 3 min read
The much-awaited UEFA Champions League Round of 16 draw is finally out, with the final 16 clubs aiming to reach a step closer to the dream of becoming the “Kings of Europe” having been shown their path to Munich.
In the first edition of the new format of the Champions League, the top eight clubs in the group stage table qualified directly to the Round of 16, while the other 16 teams battled it out in the knockout playoffs round, where the 8 winners booked their seat amongst the final 16.
The clubs that qualified as the “top eight” in the league phase were then set in pairs and drawn with the playoffs winners from each tie.
“When you play the Game of Goals, you either win or you die.”: Analysing every fixture in the Champions League Round of 16
Plenty of excitement among the fans, as we gear up for some big games with familiar foes going head-to-head once again.
Aston Villa vs Club Brugge
Unai Emery's high-flying Aston Villa are set to face the new “dark horses” of this season's Champions League, Club Brugge.
The Belgian outfit pulled off a sensational comeback to overcome Atalanta in the knockout playoff against Atalanta to book their place in the Round of 16.
On the other hand, Aston Villa have also been brilliant recently following the new signings in the winter transfer window, which makes this fixture a very thrilling one.
Borussia Dortmund vs Lille
The German giants haven't been at their best in the Bundesliga but managed to cruise past Sporting Lisbon in the knockout playoffs.
While Dortmund appear to be the clear favourites in this tie, they cannot afford to sleep on the French giants as Lille have the potential to cause a major upset, considering the number of attacking threats they possess.
PSV Eindhoven vs Arsenal
Luuk De Jong and co. are on a fairy tale run this season as the Dutch mounted a stunning comeback against Juventus in the knockout playoffs, showing the world what they're capable of doing.
Arsenal, who are riddled with injuries at the moment, will have to be at their absolute best if they want to proceed to the next round.
Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid:
The derby that always promises the highest quality of football will be played in the Champions League after a long wait of 7 years.
Atletico Madrid could've had 2 UCL titles had it not been for their arch-rivals, Real Madrid, who beat them twice in the finals of two seasons, namely the 2013/14 and the 2015/16 seasons.
Therefore, Diego Simeone and co. will be aiming to take their much-awaited revenge against the Los Blancos this time out.
Feyenoord vs Inter Milan
The Dutch team has excelled this season despite losing their star manager, Arne Slot, to Liverpool in the summer.
However, they face the best defence in Europe statistically, with Inter Milan being the team to beat this season, making them the clear favourite in this tie and one of the big favourites to win this prestigious trophy this season.
Bayern Munich vs Bayer Leverkusen
Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen prevented Harry Kane from winning his first trophy in his career last season, as they dethroned Bayern Munich as the champions of Germany for the first time in 9 years. Therefore, the England captain, along with his teammates, will be aiming to take revenge this time out.
However, Leverkusen will be the favourites heading into this tie, considering they're facing one of the worst Bayern teams in the last decade, making it an exciting clash for the neutrals and an intense and nerve-wracking one for the faithful.
Benfica vs. FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona will be one of the happiest teams as they got a favourable draw and a comparatively easier path to the final.
However, the fans expect drama from this intense fixture, considering what happened when these two sides met previously in the league stage, which turned out to be one of the most intense clashes this season across Europe.
PSG vs. Liverpool
Liverpool finished first in the league phase points table and still got the most difficult draw out of all the clubs that secured direct qualification in the Round of 16, making it one of the most difficult tests for Arne Slot since his arrival at the club.
While Liverpool have arguably been the best team in Europe this season, their vulnerabilities can be exploited by Enrique's PSG, who possess a deadly attacking trip along with a squad that has the right balance of experience and youth.
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